A study of wood stoves...

From our very childhood, we have been warned against fire. If you put your hand in the fire it burns, so you must be very careful while handling it.

Though woodstoves provide comfort and are cost cutting it is highly dangerous if not maintained carefully.

There are several safety measures which you ought to emulate when you are handling wood-stoves which have the potential to cause big house fires.

The 4 Types

There are several types of wood stoves, which are available in the market, and you have the option to choose according to your need. They are in fact a more economical way of keeping your house warm, as wood is more widely available than liquid gas. The various types of woodstoves include:

- Pellet
- Steel
- Ashley
- Rear vent

Pellet

Pellets are actually trees that have been saved from the landfill. Thus the wood is available at a cheap cost. The wood here is taken from the sawdust, which gathers while your carpenter is building your wooden furniture. So it has the facility of being environmentally friendly since lesser trees are destroyed! They have the further advantage of burning for long hours without producing much toxic side products and have been specially certified by the EPA.

Steel

Steel wood-stoves are often preferred over cast iron ones since they are less costly and are easily replacable.Though cast iron stoves come with artistic finishing, even makers of steel wood-stoves have started to emulate the design.

Ashley and Rear Vent

This type of wood-stove was invented during the 1973 crisis when it was thought that fossil fuels would gradually become extinct from the face of the earth. Ashley and Rear-Vent-WoodStoves are controlled thermostatically, which has a steel cover to prevent accidents from occurring. The rear vent wood stove was invented to stop the soot and the creosote from making the fireplace dirty. The rear vent in the stove would not allow the dirt from settling.

How to keep wood stoves safe

Keeping wood-stoves clean and safe is really a work of art. The first thing to notice is the installation, which if not done correctly may later lead to problems. The next thing is to inform the insurance company about the presence of the wood stove. No combustible element should be kept within 36 inches of radius of the stove. In fact even the stove pipes should be cleared of substances which can cause fires instantly. The best way to prevent fires is to keep a smoke detector which can raise an alarm when the time comes. A fence or a wire mesh around the stove is also advisable to keep children and pets at bay. These few instructions can definitely provide you with a safer way to enjoy the warmth of woodstoves.

Why Wood Stoves?

Woodstoves are basically used since they are a renewable source of energy. It does not release toxic gases which produce global warming. And finally it is a more comfortable and cheaper way of enjoying fire.