New Wood Stove - Yes or No

12 September 2012
10:08 AM

Sunrise at	7:06 AM	in direction	79°	East
Sunset at	8:26 PM	in direction	280°	West

Duration of day: 13 hours, 19 minutes (6 minutes, 39 seconds shorter than yesterday)


Purchasing a wood stove in Fairbanks is akin to buying a car.  The amounts spent are different, but the same types of considerations can apply for purchasers who want to reduce air emissions, increase performance, and reduce the amount of fuel needed.  Fuel efficiency for a car is tied to an efficient engine that performs smoothly.  Along with greater efficiency in wood stoves comes more even distribution and regulation of heat.  The more efficient both cars and wood stoves are, the less money you spend to get the desired performance.

We have been aware that although our stove meets EPA standards for emissions, it achieves that by maintaining consistent air flow.  Hot burning stoves emit less smoke particulates and non-catalytic stoves, such as our Quadra Fire, keep temperatures high by ensuring sufficient air flow from outside the living area.  No matter how much fuel we put into our stove at night, we get at most 6 hours of heat and some of that time the heat radiated isn't sufficient to keep the central part of the house warm during exceedingly cold outside temperatures.  Last year, in a semi-successful attempt to extend burning time, we consumed a lot of wood fuel.

First I considered a pellet stove.  They are efficient, clean, no more expensive to fuel than a wood stove, and use wood by-products.  Pellet stoves do not need the chimney stack required of wood stove because more heat is translated directly into heat for the home and comparatively little heat energy is expelled.  There are two drawbacks to pellet stoves.  First, most regulate how many pellets are needed for burning by electronically controlled dispensers that release pellets for burning to maintain the heat level required.  No electricity and the pellets are not dispensed.  Secondly, in the far north, we are reliant on being able to get pellets locally to make the cost reasonable.  It remains economical if pellets can be purchased from local vendors.  Finally, for resale, most people expect a wood stove, but a pellet stove is a questionable selling point.

Last year we began investigating catalyic burning wood stoves.  This year I concentrated on the features of the stove in earnest.  We could easily load up the Blaze King Princess to last overnight.  We would reduce the amount of emissions and the amount of fuel used.  We can purchase the Ultra model which has heat shields, making it appropriate for the close space in which the stove sits.  Right now, we do not feel any heat from the sides of the Quadra Fire and that is essential because clearances are just at 6".  The minimum required for an Ultra is 6" on the diagonal as the stove does not face perpendicular to the wall, but fits in a corner.  On the down side, the cost is over $2600 for the stove and new double walled chimney pipe to keep the temperatures high enough to mitigate creosote build up.

We would not need to buy more wood, having been delivered a short load by one vendors, but we still to invest over $2000.  Hopefully we could defray some of that cost by selling the Quadra Fire.  Depending on the amount of wood we burn, we could possibly recoup the investment in four to five years.  Is it worth it?  That is the same question we are asking when considering buying a Toyota Prius over a Honda CR-V.  Is the long term savings worth the initial cost?  Part of that worthiness has to be evaluated in terms of environmental impact.

As I said, for us, purchasing a wood stove in Fairbanks is as serious as our considerations for buying a new car.