Despite the variety of heating methods available for a country house, stove heating continues to be the most common. People who prefer this classic option consider it as practical and money-saving. For thousands of years in human history, wood has been the most common and, importantly, renewable natural fuel. It perfectly fulfills its task - deliver heat and comfort into a home. The technology for burning firewood grew from a primitive fireplace, after a series of transformations, into a device that is now known to anybody. Modern ovens for the home have retained their original purpose but became more diverse in appearance and new functions.

When is it good to fire wood?

It is good when a gas pipeline passes close to a country house. In this case, the majority of owners do not ask a question; wood heating, if present, is for comfort or beauty, in the form of a fireplace or a small decorative stove (pejse). If there is no pipe to connect to, and the house is large, a solid or liquid fuel boiler will be the best choice, since electric heating will increase cost significantly, and it can only be considered as an additional (backup) option.


A different thing if the country house is small in area. For a building with two or three rooms and a kitchen, the number of heating methods is greater, but the most common is still the use of firewood. In country cottages, wood heating is beneficial in the following cases:

Seasonal residence. Firing wood for heating is especially practical if the owners do not stay permanently, but are coming for seasonal recreation. Even if there is a gas pipeline nearby, it is not always cost effective to use gas.

Availability of Fuel. If firewood is freely available in the district, firing wood is the most economical way of heating for a house of any size.

Modern design. For a small house, a modern, economical wood-burning stove and well-designed heating can be the best option.

At different times in different countries, there were many varieties of wood heating appliances. They differ in appearance, design features and purposes. Modern wood-fired home heating stoves can be classified in different ways:

Purpose. Stoves can be for heating, heating and cooking (then they have a hob and/or oven), or special purpose (for example, in a sauna, greenhouse or garage).

Brand and origin. There are numerous models on sale from nearly any country of the world. For example, in Denmark is is a popular product named br?ndeovne.

Size. Dimensions and weight can sometimes be critical.

Location. It can be wall-mounted (indsats pejse), angular, universal or a freestanding stove.

Location and parameters of the chimney. The flues have different diameters and are located at the top, back or top/rear.

Material. The body is made of cast iron, steel, stone, brick, ceramics, or tiles.

Material of the firebox. The furnace is made of steel, cast iron, chamotte, vermiculite or ceramics.

Performance. Models can be designed for a different volume (area) of the heated room and have different thermal power (measured in kW) and efficiency (from 50 to 95%).

Design features. There are models on the market with a fireproof glass or solid door, or with a water circuit (heat exchanger).

When buying a wood-burning stove, one should pay attention to the crucial parameters:

Wall and firebox material. It is better if the furnace is made of heat-resistant high-alloy steel, cast iron or black boiler steel. The walls of quality products are made thick (sometimes up to 8 mm) or lined with fireclay bricks.

Fuel-saving. Models for long burning (with a special furnace device and high efficiency) can be found; firewood is replaced every 4-8 hours.

Purpose. When choosing a certain design, one must remember that a free-standing stove will only heat the room where it is mounted, whereas a wall stove will also heat adjacent rooms too. Also, a steam generator can be provided in a sauna stove as a container for filling stones.