How to Pick the Right Wood Heater for You
Wood heaters have become the heating choice in most Australian homes. This is necessitated by a rising cost of gas and electricity. It is also a sustainable and renewable source of energy. But, the decision on how to pick the right wood heater could be weighing heavily on you as there is a variety of wood heaters to choose from in the market. Here is a guide to assist you in picking the right wood heater to make your home comfortable and warm during winter.
1. Heating Requirements
When you decide that you want a wood heater, determine the space you need to heat. This will assist you pick a heater with the appropriate heating capacity. By doing this, you will avoid buying a heater with little heating capacity or one that produces too much heat for the specified room.
2. In-built or Free-standing
In-built wood heaters are fitted into an existing fireplace in the home. if you already have a fireplace, this is the right wood heater for you. It is a cost-effective and efficient option that provides clean heat. If there is no fireplace in your home, you can install the in-built wood heater into a timber-stud wall. This is an excellent way to avoid a free-standing heater as it saves space.
Free-standing wood heaters are placed away from the wall standing on their own. You will need to install a metal flue through the roof and ceiling; therefore, you need to consider the cost of the installation. There is a variety of free-standing wood heaters in the market, so it will be easy to pick one that suits your interior and style.
3. Type of Wood Heater
There are two main heating styles with wood heaters, that is, convection and radiant.
· Convection wood heaters
Convection heaters produce consistent heat that is more even and gentler than radiant heat. They function by picking hot air from the floor and pumping it back into the room. Cold air is pushed into the wood heater as the hot air rises.
A convection heater burning properly produces more than three cubic metres of hot air per minute. This attribute makes convection heaters suitable for insulated houses with average ceiling heights and rooms with varied sizes.
· Radiant wood heaters
The heating process of radiant heaters is different from that of convection heaters. With radiant heaters, heat is radiated from the outer part of the heater warming items and objects around it. You feel warmer as you get closer to the heater.
Radiant heaters have less rising heat than convection heaters making them more suitable for heating homes with little insulation. With this type of heater, keep combustible materials away as they can explode when the heats get too intense. For better performance, leave the door to the room open to facilitate natural airflow and comfortable, more consistent warmth. Also, you can use a ceiling fan to distribute the heat evenly.
· Wood pellet heaters
This is an excellent choice if you want to experience the warm heat of a wood fire minus the hassle of wood splitting and stacking. The heater uses wood pellets as a replacement for firewood. The pellets are made from recycled sawdust. Therefore, this type of wood heater is clean, environmentally friendly, convenient, and energy-efficient option for heating your home.
Now you can now pick the right wood heater from your supplier. A wood heater will ensure that your electricity or gas bill reduces significantly.
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