Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Changing Your Oil-Stove to a Wood Stove

The conversion of a stove to allow for the use of a different fuel is possible but complicated and requires involvement by professionals. Some of what they do is necessary anyway, so if a change is on your mind, consultation can be part of this spring’s chimney inspection. Your sweep can tell you the feasibility of your plan and what you need to do, given your own unique circumstances.

Venting Is Still the Issue

First, a CSIA certified chimney sweep needs to inspect your venting system to determine whether it can handle the conversion or will need to be changed itself. Stacks designed to vent smoke from oil are not necessarily equipped to handle the different combustibles produced by wood. Second, if the flue can stay, it has to be thoroughly cleaned, and the chimney has to be in good condition regardless.

A different firebox will almost certainly be required, and your chimney sweep should be involved with that, too. It needs to be sized properly for the flue to vent the different gases produced by burning wood. Insufficiencies that may not be apparent in a stove’s oil-burning performance can show up when the smoke going up it is different.

Ask a Chimney Sweep

Certified chimney sweeps are also familiar with the ease or difficulty of new installations and can guide your understanding of their likely expense. They are up to date on clearances and codes and can be a valuable source of information needed for this conversion. They need to come out and check your system anyway, so take full advantage of everything they can offer.

Another important thing to consider in this process is where the wood is going to be stored. The right balance of convenience and safety has to be struck, with wood kept far enough away from the house to be safe. Even this kind of thing is worth discussing with a chimney sweep, because they will have plenty of ideas on how to make your home and stove safer.

Benefits of a Wood Burning Stove

Are you considering buying a wood burning stove? Well, you should be! There are considerable advantages in owning one, and not all of them are heat related. With options to fit into virtually every budget, we say if you want it, get it! Here are just a few of the advantages in owning a wood burning stove.

1. Aesthetically Pleasing – there is just something about the look of a wood burning stove that offers a true vintage look to the home. If this fits in with your decor, you could not have picked a better accessory.
2. Green – this may get a few people up in arms, but the reality is that owning a wood burning stove is more energy efficient than ever before. Older models lost more than 50 percent of the heat produced. Today, the EPA has forced manufacturers to make them more efficient. Stoves with a catalytic converter must be at least 72 percent efficient. Since most electric is generated by the burning of coal, a wood burning stove is far greener than one using electricity.
3. Lower Utility Bills – if you are lucky enough to live in area where you can chop down your own wood, you can significantly reduce your utility bills in the winter.
4. Safety and Heat During Power Outages – Hurricane Sandy is proof positive of the devastation Mother Nature can reign down on us at any time. Now, imagine if that storm had happened in the middle of the winter. Homes that were safe for habitation would have been without any form of heat. With a wood burning stove, the homeowner will always have a source of heat regardless if their electric stays on or goes off during a major storm.

As you can see, in addition to the warming benefits a wood burning stove offers, they offer quite a bit more. Seems to me like there is only one thing left to do, buy one!