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Woodstove Inserts
Cast Iron Freestanding Stoves
Steel Freestanding Stoves
Bart Fireside / The Firehouse Casual Living Store
Certified Fireplace Dealer / Distributor for:
High Valley, Avalon, Lopi, Hearthstone, Jotul, Earth Stove, Vermont Castings, Buck Stove
Since the begining of time people have depended on a wood fire to heat thier home. Even though man has harnessed the power of electricity, tapped the earth's crust for natural gas, and cracked the atom, millions of homes in the year 2000 heat with wood. Wood is a replaceable source of fuel and today's high efficiency wood stoves can heat an entire home.
A woodstove is designed to burn wood and capture as much of the heat the fire generates before the combustion gases escape the firebox. Most woodstoves are made of steel or cast iron which both do an excellent job of transfering heat into your home. However, the woodstove you buy today is much different than the one in your grandmother's home. The woodstove of today has controlled combustion and designed to burn it's own smoke which produces burn times of 6-12 hours with 62% to 73% efficiency ratings. Bart Fireside / The Firehouse Casual Living Store has many styles and brands of wood stoves to choose from and offers installation.
In the late 1980's the EPA took a close look at the growing popularity of burning wood in homes and its affects on the enviroment. After much study and working close with woodstove manufacturers to produce a cleaner burning woostove, the EPA in 1991 issued a set of standards that every woodstove sold in the United States is required to meet. The result was three types of woodstoves: Catalytic, Non-catalytic, and EPA exempt.
A catalytic woodstove uses a ceramic catalyst that when heated to a certain temperature, usually 600 degrees, actually burns most of the smoke that the fire makes. A non-catyltic woodstove burns the smoke by holding the smoke in the firebox longer thus raising its temperature and introducing secondary air to ignite the smoke. An EPA exempt stove does not have controled combustion and burns more like an open fireplace which does not fall under this EPA ruling.
Below is an excellent diagram showing the way a catalytic and non-catalytic stove works from Earth Stove literature. These diagrams show freestanding woodstoves but also apply to woodstove inserts.
Catalytic and Non-Catalytic
In a Catalytic equipped woodstove, the air enters the stove (see blue line at bottom of diagram) and is dumped at the top of the doors and over the glass. This does two things: One, it washes over the glass (keeping it clean) and two, creates a circular current in the firebox as the air is drawn to the base of the fire. The smoke is carried back over the fire and then through the Catalyst where it is heated to the point of combustion. The remaining smoke exists the stove then up the chimney.
In a Non-Catalytic woodstove, the air enters the stove the same as it does in a Catalytic equipped stove. The smoke is carried back over the fire and passes by a series of baffles. Fresh air is added to the firebox through the baffles. The fresh air combined with the intense heat at the top of the firebox ignites the flamable smoke. The remaining smoke exists the stove then up the chimney.
A freestanding woodstove is a classic look for a wood heat source. Bart Fireside displays both steel and cast iron freestanding woodstoves and carries the necessary chimney systems and floor pads for a safe operation (click right to enlarge).
A freestanding wood stove can be installed in any conventional and moble home. The chimney systems are rated to 2100 degrees which allow a 2" Clearance to combustibles. Stove boards are available in many different styles and sizes. Blowers and outside air kits are available with some models as are ash pans. All the models are built to last a lifetime. With wood fuel you are always up to date.
Non-Catalytic
Freestanding Stoves
Cast Iron SteelIf you have an existing masonry fireplace, a woodstove insert is a great way to heat your home. A typical direct-connect installation is shown at the right (click diagram to enlarge). This type of installation is important to insure proper draft, chimney draw, and depositing of flue gases into chimney liner. Depending on your chimney's flue size relative to the stoves discharge, a woodstove may need to be lined to the top of the chimney. Ask the staff about available positive-connect systems.
All of the inserts at Bart Fireside / The Firehouse Casual Living Store have blowers, clean glass air wash designs, thermometers, and decorative trim panels to accent your home and stove. Some of our inserts have or offer ash pans. "Y2K" may have passed but wood heating is here to stay.
Woodstove Inserts