How to Save Money with a Wood-Burning Stove
It’s true: You can save on fuel costs by investing in wood-burning stove. Instead of relying on a furnace to heat every inch of your home, you can lower your thermostat and rely on a wood stove to keep everyone cozy in high-use areas. You can even go furnace-free and use a stove to heat your entire living space! No matter what heating system you choose, in order to maximize your savings, it’s important to keep these cost-saving factors in mind.
1. Pick the right stove
The older the stove, the less efficient it is, and the more fuel it’s going to burn. Investing in an up-to-date model will eventually save you the most money, because it will help you get a cleaner, more efficient burn. Stoves with EPA-certification not only keep emissions low, they ensure the stove is more efficient. Good news: All Quadra-Fire wood stoves are EPA certified. (For expert guidance on deciding if it’s time to replace your old wood stove, head here.)
2. Right size
You’ll also want to make sure you choose the right size stove for your living space. If you get a stove that’s too small, it won’t keep you warm enough. And if your stove is too big, you’ll be running it on low all the time, which can burn more fuel and cause black glass. You’ll want a stove that can be run on medium to medium-high when you’re home, and be turned to low only when you go to sleep. Talk to your local Quadra-Fire dealer about your heating needs and your specific space—they’re the pros at knowing what stove will work best for your climate and space.
3. Right installation
The proper installation can also help you get the most from your stove and help you reduce wood consumption. You’ll need to consider correct placement and venting that will deliver an adequate draft. With the right installation, you’ll produce more usable heat and reduce the time you spend tending to inefficient fires.
4. Right fuel
Whether you cut your wood yourself or purchase it, be sure that all the logs are well dried. Use a wood moisture meter to ensure your moisture content is no higher than 20 percent. The reason? Wet wood is harder to start and slower to burn, so energy goes to drying out the wood instead of keeping you warm. For more info on which specific species of wood burns best, check out this infographic.
Consider Quadra-Fire for Both Savings and Convenience
As you’re shopping for a wood-burning stove, consider Quadra-Fire, which has technology that enables long, worry-free burns. Our stoves are also outfitted with a patented Quad Burn four-point burn system to maximize fuel-to-heat conversion by completely burning and re-burning the wood, gases and smoke up to four times. When compared to other stove brands, this means you’ll need less wood to maintain hot fires, and you’ll spend less time cleaning up ash after it’s burned.
Even as you’re saving money, you can also enjoy high-tech convenience and ease with a wood stove. Quadra-Fire’s Adventure series stoves are equipped with Smart Burn Technology, which can reduce your heating bills by up to 50 percent. Available in three sizes, Adventure series stoves also have programmable wall thermostats to control heat at the touch of a button, just like you’d have for a furnace. This intuitive stove will even alert you when it’s time to add wood to the fire—nifty, huh?
To learn more about Quadra-Fire’s performance and savings, pay a visit to your local dealer. (Your wallet will thank you!)
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