Did you know that you can save a fortune in energy costs with a wood burning stove and that research shows that it is considerably less harmful to the environment than conventional oil or gas heating? In addition, gas and oil are not renewable sources, whereas more trees are being planted all the time to replace those felled. So how do you install one of these in your house or apartment?

First check that your insurance company is comfortable about you installing what amounts to an indoor furnace. Generally speaking they are fairly amenable to the installation of wood stoves so long as you can assure them that the installation will be carried out by an accredited professional since it is all to easy otherwise to create conditions that might result in a serious fire.

Now you need to estimate the capacity of the wood stove which will be a factor of how your house is laid out and how much heat you want available. You can work this out yourself if you research the appropriate calculations to use but your best bet is to just ask someone in the trade. Invite them to inspect your home and advice on suitable options.

While it is natural to focus on the wood stove it is in fact equally important to consider the flue, since flues fitted to wood stoves must be lined with material suitable for wood burning. If you are fortunate enough to have a conveniently located chimney you might be able to simply line this with the right sort of material, otherwise you will be looking at additionally installing a new flue.

Following installation of the burner itself you should tidy around and be certain to clear any flammable items from proximity to the burner. You should find that the manufacturer stipulates what kind of clearance to maintain around the stove. Also take steps to ensure that small children and animals are kept away from the stove to avoid the risk of serious burns.

After you start to actually use your wood stove you will need to schedule cleaning and maintenance. This is not dissimilar to the process for cleaning a regular chimney. The reasons you need to remove creosote and other deposits from the stove and flue are twofold. One, an accumulation of creosote will eventually rot the flue pipe and impair the burner. Two, when not in use during the summer, the creosote will start to smell quite unpleasantly.

To ensure long and trouble free use of you wood burner you should arrange a full sweep and clean at the least every year. By all means also make use of proprietary cleaning products called chimney cleaning logs that don’t do everything the makers claim for them but which can help control deposits to some extent.

To conclude, your best course of action when installing a wood burner is to get professional help on board from the outset. A professionally installed wood stove is both environmentally friendly and a big money saver too.

Check out these additional articles to find out much more about how to choose a wood burner and how to fit a wood burning stove.