Chapter 5: Woodstoves

The wood stove industry has made huge technological strides in recent years. EPA emission standards have resulted in new designs for cleaner, safer, more efficient wood burning.

But we aren't quite there yet. There are thousands of old, inefficient systems still in operation, and there is a new list of potential difficulties associated with the new technology.

Here we will cover both the old and the new, including:

• Types of Wood Stoves
• Anatomy of a Stove
• Buying a New Stove
• Tips for Woodstove Users
• Stove Accessories

A trip to a stove shop can be a confusing undertaking, if you are not familiar with "what's out there." There are hundreds of models available, big and small, steel and cast-iron, enameled and black. How do you make sense of it all?

Don't panic! Once you know the basic categories, it is pretty simple.

We will cover all the basic categories, from Franklin stoves to modern catalytic units. But first, let's define some key terms.

Clean Burn. As you would guess, this simply means burning without creating a lot of smoke to pollute the environment.

Efficiency. This is a bit tricky, since "efficiency" can be measured in several ways:

Combustion Efficiency. The amount of heat actually produced, compared to the amount that would be produced if all of the combustible materials were converted to heat.

• Heat Transfer Efficiency. The amount of heat that enters your home, compared to the total amount of heat produced.
• Overall Efficiency. The amount of heat that enters your home, compared to the amount that would be produced if all of the combustible materials were converted to heat.

Overall efficiency is the one homeowners are concerned with. You want as much heat in the house as possible from each piece of wood – as close as possible to the total potential heat in the wood.

EPA Regulations

In 1988 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted rules for cleaner operation of wood stoves. Now, all new stoves sold in the U.S. are required to be designed and tested to meet strict emission control and efficiency standards. As we cover the types of new stoves, you will see how this increased efficiency is accomplished, and how it benefits both the environment and the stove user.

Note: Certain types of stoves, such as cook stoves, or stoves with a very high fuel-to-air ratio (which are not very effective as heaters, but often don't emit much smoke), are exempt from the EPA requirements.

Types of Older Stoves Still Being Used

Since EPA-certified stoves are a recent phenomenon, there are lots of older, pre-EPA stoves in use.

Franklin stoves. Also called Franklin Fireplaces, these are cast-iron stoves that look more or less like a fireplace (except they stand on their own, on a hearth, and are connected to the chimney with a stovepipe). They have loose-fitting doors, and aren't at all airtight. They are designed to be operated with the doors open or closed. And while Franklin stoves are often beautiful, and offer the charm of an open wood fire, they rate at the bottom of the list for overall efficiency, even when operated with the doors closed. About the only thing with a lower efficiency is an open fireplace (or a campfire!).

Non-air-tight stoves. There are countless models of old, non-air-tight stoves other than the Franklin. These include barrel stoves (an oil barrel with a load door, legs, and a flue collar retrofitted to it), small camp stoves with un-gasketted doors, turn- of-the century pot-belly stoves, and a myriad other stoves built without air-tight technology. Ironically, although these stoves offer low overall efficiency (since lots of heat is lost up the flue), their leaky design actually causes them to burn fairly cleanly under most circumstances. Since you can't regulate the air very well, the fire tends to burn hot, consuming most of the combustible materials. But try to heat your house with one, and you will wonder how people managed to keep from freezing to death back then!

Air-tight stoves. Before the EPA regulations came along, everybody thought air-tight stoves were just terrific. (For those of you who still do, read on!) Tight, gasketted load doors, carefully fitted seams, and tight air inlet controls give the user great control over the burn rate. Air-tight stoves achieve a long burn time by allowing very low rates of airflow into the stove, causing a low, slow, smoky fire.

So what's wrong with that? In short, air-tight stoves offer a long burn, but not a clean burn. The advantage is: you get a long burn, so you don't have to add wood as often. The disadvantages are: you waste lots of fuel, since all that smoke represents unburned fuel; you pollute the environment (and maybe annoy your neighbors); you get less heat from a piece of wood, since, again, smoke is unburned fuel; and you run a much greater risk of creosote buildup in the chimney and potentially-disastrous chimney fires.

Why is that? The answer is that the "air-tight" generation of stoves allows the user great control over the air entering the stove, but doesn't maximize combustion. Burning wood (or anything else) requires heat, fuel, and oxygen. Air tight stoves create enough heat, and the wood is the fuel. But during low-burns, they starve the fire of oxygen, so combustion is incomplete. Smoke exiting the chimney is a telltale of incomplete and wasteful wood burning.

Modern, EPA-certified stoves offer the best of both worlds: a long burn time and a clean burn. So you get maximum heat and minimum fuel consumption. We will discuss how they accomplish this below.

EPA-Certified Stoves

Here is a simple guide to the types of new, EPA-certified stoves you will see in your local stove shop, and how they work. An understanding of these basic categories will simplify your stove shopping.

The Basic Categories of EPA-Certified Stoves:

Factor #1: How they achieve a clean burn
Catalytic stoves
Non-catalytic stoves

Factor #2: How they distribute heat:
Radiant stoves
Circulating stoves

Factor #3: How much heat they can produce:
Large, medium, and small stoves

Factor #4: Installation Type:
Free-standing stoves
Fireplace inserts

Let's take a close look at each factor:

Factor #1: How EPA-Certified Stoves Achieve a Clean Burn

All EPA-certified stoves have certain elements in common: each incorporates a much-improved method of injecting combustion air into the firebox of the stove. The goal is to provide air in all the right places, to maximize the mixture of air and fuel, thereby maximizing combustion.

If you have used a pre-EPA stove, you may have noticed that the air enters the stove in one or two specific places, usually through a hole covered by an adjustable valve of some sort. This design provides relatively poor distribution of air in the firebox. In these older stoves, especially during low burns, the combustion process is incomplete, since oxygen doesn't mix effectively with the fuel. Much of the combustible gasses emitted by the burning wood are lost up the flue, unburned.

In most EPA-certified stoves, primary air enters the stove through a long, thin slit across the top of the firebox, providing a widely-distributed flow of air into the stove. This creates a better mixture of oxygen with the fuel load for more efficient primary combustion.

Then, instead of allowing the combustible gasses emitted by the fuel load to escape up the flue, EPA-certified stoves utilize a new, second phase of burning: the burning of the gasses. This is accomplished either by means of a catalytic combustor or by means of a (non-catalytic) secondary combustion air system.

How EPA-stoves accomplish this second phase of combustion categorizes them as catalytic or non-catalytic stoves.

Catalytic stoves.

Note: some pre-EPA stoves use catalytic technology. Here we will focus on EPA- certified stoves, which incorporate both a catalytic combustor and the other features needed to achieve EPA certification (such as better primary combustion air designs).

Catalytic stoves achieve clean burn by means of a catalytic combustor. This is a bit complicated, but worth understanding.

Catalytic combustors work the same way catalytic converters in cars do: as smoke passes through the combustor, it is burned, creating heat instead of pollution.

The added advantage of the wood stove catalytic unit, moreover, is that you gain the benefit of the extra heat produced.

Non-Catalytic stoves. Some people think the EPA requirements mandate the use of a catalytic combustor. In fact, they do not. Stoves simply have to pass the test, and it is up to the manufacturer come up with a design that will pass.

Non-catalytic stoves (called non-catstoves) maximize combustion efficiency by providing a secondary combustion air system. The idea is to cause the smoke and gasses emitted by the fuel load to burn by injecting more air (secondary air) into the stove in just the right places.

To accomplish this, non-cat stoves have a set of perforated stainless steel tubes (or a perforated baffle, or some similar device) across the top of the firebox. These tubes introduce air all across the inside of the stove at the top, in just the right place to mix with the combustible gasses rising from the fuel load; and this maximizes the combustion of the gasses.

The stove user has no control of the flow of secondary air into the stove: it is pre-set by the design of the stove, so even at a low burn rate (when the primary air control is set on low), this second phase of combustion will take place, providing a clean burn and an efficient use of fuel.

Which is better: Catalytic or Non-catalytic? Each has its own benefits. (I have one of each in my own home.) Catalytic stoves are generally a bit more efficient, and offer a slightly longer burn time than similarly-sized non-cat stoves. They tend to function extremely well in long, low burn cycles, but also require a bit more maintenance, on average. Non-cat stoves display a more active, bright fire picture through the glass door (virtually all new stoves have glass doors), and are generally slightly easier to operate.

But before you decide which is best for you, finish this section, and read about Buying a New Stove, page 49; then talk to the experts at your local stove shop.

Factor #2: How Stoves Distribute Heat

Radiant Stoves. Simply put, radiant heat is infra-red radiation, emitted by a hot surface, that strikes objects in its path.

A radiant stove is a stove that heats by emitting infra-red radiation. Fire heats the stove, and the stove emits infra-red radiation (which heats you.)

Circulating Stoves. Simply put, circulating stoves heat air. Heat is transferred to air moving across the hot surface. The air heats up, and rises. The rising air draws more air up after it, causing circulation of air.

A circulating stove uses panels spaced out from the firebox, allowing air to circulate between the firebox and the panels.

So, what's the difference? The fact is, all stoves produce both radiant and circulating effects. There are always air currents around any hot object. And hot objects always emit infra-red radiation.

The distinction is that a stove in the radiant category does not have panels designed to increase air circulation around the firebox, while a circulating stove does.

Which is better: radiant or circulating? This depends on the installation. One advantage of circulating stoves is that the temperature of the outer panels is much lower than the surface temperature of a radiant stove. (Because, of course, air is circulating between the firebox and the jacket, drawing heat away.) And the amount of infra-red radiation emitted is lower, as well, since the outer jacket absorbs some of it. This allows for closer clearances to combustible materials in the home such as Sheetrock or wood walls.

On the other hand, many people prefer the look of more traditional, cast-iron stoves, which tend to be designed as radiant heaters.

Both types are effective heaters. In the final analysis, installation safety and personal style preferences are more important factors than radiant vs. circulating design.

Factor #3: How Much Heat is Produced?

Another distinction, and the one perhaps most frequently misjudged, is the size of the stove. Newer, more efficient stoves heat a lot more space with a much smaller firebox. A stove that looks too small might actually be too large for the space you want to heat. And an oversized stove is a serious problem. First, your comfort level suffers, and second, severely dampering a stove in an effort to reduce heat output can cause efficiency to suffer.

It is best to get a clear idea of your heating needs, and pick a stove that's the right size to do the job. Ask the folks at your local stove shop about what size stove is appropriate for the area you want to heat.

Factor #4: Installation Type

There are different types of stoves for different applications:

Free-standing stoves. Most stoves sit on a hearth, and are connected to a round hole in the chimney, by means of a stovepipe. These are free-standing stoves.

Fireplace inserts. If you have an open fireplace and you want more heat, you can have a high-efficiency wood stove installed partway or all the way in the fireplace. These are fireplace inserts.

Note: It is critical for fire safety that all stoves, including inserts, be installed correctly, according to codes. See page 23 for more information on inserts, and hire a professional to install one.

Although there are many different models of woodstoves, there are several basic components in all stoves.

Parts Found in All Woodstoves

Air control. Every stove includes some type of lever, dial, or handle, used to adjust the amount of air entering the firebox, regulating heat output.

Baffle(s). A baffle is anything that slows or changes the direction of the gasses in the stove. Most baffles are steel, cast-iron, or refractory brick plates installed at the top of the firebox. Smoke and gasses must move around the baffle before exiting. This increases the amount of time the gasses remain in the stove, allowing time for more complete combustion.

Firebox. This is where you build the fire. Some are lined with masonry firebricks or refractory cement, while others are lined with steel or cast-iron panels.

Flue Collar. The flue collar is the opening in the top, rear, or side of the stove (usually round or oval), to which the stovepipe is connected, and through which exhaust is vented from the stove.

Load door(s). A door to the firebox, used for adding fuel to the fire.

Parts Found in Some Woodstoves:

Air wash. Virtually all new stoves have a glass panel in the front door. Unlike older designs, in which this glass tends to blacken quickly from condensing wood smoke in the firebox, the new stoves use an air washsystem to help keep the glass clean.

The air wash consists of an opening for combustion air along the top or along the bottom of the glass. Combustion air is focused against the inside of the glass, reducing condensation of smoke and keeping the glass clean.

Ash pan. A pan located under the firebox, used to collect ashes, making it easier to ash the stove.

Catalytic combustor. A ceramic insert with numerous small channels, or tubes, running through it. (It looks like a honey comb.) Applied to the surface of the ceramic is a layer of a catalytic chemical, generally platinum or palladium, which reacts with smoke passing through the channels, reducing the ignition temperature of the smoke, and causing the smoke to burn.

Damper. A damper is a moveable plate that regulates the flow of gasses through the stove. Older stoves sometimes incorporated a pipe damper, a round valve in the stovepipe, which the user closed or opened to reduce or increase the flow of gasses through the stove.

New, catalytic stoves have a bypass damper in the stove itself. This is a metal plate in the stove, which, when open, allows smoke and gasses to bypass, that is, move around, the catalytic unit. When the stove is heated to the correct temperature for the catalytic unit to operate, the user closes the bypass damper, forcing the smoke through the catalytic combustor.

Many new non-cat stoves are designed without any damper.

Secondary burn tubes. These are perforated metal tubes located inside the firebox at the top, that allow combustion air to enter the firebox. Unburned gasses moving up from the fuel load mix with oxygen from the tubes and ignite. Smoke that would have been lost up the flue in an older stove is burned, increasing efficiency and reducing smoke emissions.

It sounds complicated, and with all the features and options available on new stoves, it is! But with a little preparation, your stove shopping will be painless and successful.

By considering some of the basics before you even arrive at the stove shop, you will be ready to ask the right questions and to look for the features that will really make a difference.

All too often people buy a stove based solely on appearance or brand name, without taking into account whether or not it is a appropriate choice for their wants and needs. Here's what to do:

What do you want the stove to do? Sounds like a stupid question. You want it to heat, right? But step back a minute. Will this be your primary heat source, or a backup? Do you want to heat one room, the downstairs, or the whole house? Is it more for entertainment, or do you really need the heat? How often do you plan to use it?

Make sure your expectations are clear. Otherwise, you will pick something too big, or too small, or the wrong shape, or the wrong color, or with the wrong features...

How much heat do you need? To help the folks at your local stove shop figure out the right size stove for you, take some notes on the area you want the stove to heat. If the stove will be just for entertainment, measure anyway, to avoid choosing a stove that will overpower the room.

Measure the room(s) you want to heat. You don't have to be exact. Just make a quick line drawing, and write down the rough length and width of each room.

You will find that most stove manufacturers indicate a range of area the stove is designed to heat, in square feet. Yes, I know... it really should be a measure of volume, and not floor area. But most specs list area, assuming you have roughly eight foot ceilings (and normal insulation). But it won't hurt to write down the ceiling heights, anyway!

Also, note how much glass there is. If you have lots of windows, you will need more stove to heat less space.

How "open" is the area? It is generally easy to heat an unconfined space with a stove. But if you are trying to heat rooms separated by lots of narrow doors and hallways, it is a whole different matter.

And consider how tight or how drafty the house is. Clearly, the draftier the house, the more heat you will need.

Don't be fooled by the smaller stoves you will see in the stove shop. Trust me, they heat! If you need a big stove, get one. But if what you really need is a small stove, get a small stove (even if you have two cords of wood out back that will have to be cut smaller). You will be much happier in the long run with a stove that's the right size for the space you want to heat.

How about the chimney and hearth? Take some notes, and bring them to your local stove shop.

Note: If you don't have any chimney or hearth, make a floor plan and an elevation drawing of the space where you want the stove and chimney to be installed. Ask at your local stove shop about your options for chimneys, hearths, and stoves.

If you are planning to connect a stove to your fireplace, see page 24 for a checklist of measurements you will need. Otherwise, assuming you have a hearth and a chimney intended for a stove hookup, takes notes on the following items.

A photo of the chimney and hearth will help.

What look do you want? Sure, this thing is for heat. But you also want a stove that you will like. So think about the look you want.

There is a bit of everything available: traditional or contemporary, simple or fancy, cast-iron or steel... If you don't already have a picture in your mind of the stove you want, consider the room's decor. And with enamel colors or plain black to pick from, you will want to consider what color will look best, too.

Consider your budget. Don't expect to find the stove of your dreams for a few hundred dollars! The new EPA-certified stoves are high-tech heating appliances, and as such, they are an investment.

But if price is an issue, and you are thinking about buying a used stove instead of a new one, take a careful look, first.

A new, EPA-certified stove will use much less wood than an older stove. You will also load it less frequently, remove much less ash from it, and generally keep the chimney (and our environment) much cleaner.

If price really is critical, you still don't need to give up on the idea of a new, EPA- stove. Take a look at the lower-cost steel stoves available at your local stove shop. You might find a good deal.

Have the chimney checked. A must. Find a good chimney professional, and have the chimney checked, to determine if it is suitable and in satisfactory condition for a woodstove installation. (See Checking a Chimney, Page 8 for more information.)

Since there are countless different stove models in the field, each with its unique characteristics, it is beyond the scope of this book to cover the fine points of wood stove operation. But here are some general tips for all wood burners.

Tip #1: Read the owner's manual. For starters, if you have the owner's manual, read it. There is bound to be lots of useful information about the features of your model, and how to use the stove to its full potential.

If you don't have a manual, ask at your local stove shop. If the stove's not too old, you might be able to buy a manual for it. Look for a label on the back of the stove with the model name/number and other identifying information.

Tip #2: Use the right fuel. Use seasoned hardwood for fuel. Seasoned wood is wood that has been stored under cover for the better part of a year. Season your wood under cover, but with good air flow. If you use a tarp to cover the stack, just cover the top. Leave the sides of the stack open.

Why does it have to be seasoned? In short, because "green" or wet wood doesn't burn well. Here's why: Water has a high specific heat.

Since water has a high specific heat, it takes a lot of heat to boil the water away, leaving less heat to keep the combustion process going efficiently. The ideal moisture content of seasoned firewood is about 20% to 25%. Fresh cut ("green") wood usually has a moisture content of 35% to 70%.

Why not burn soft woods? Although soft woods like pine or white spruce will burn (if seasoned), they have a lower BTU content than hard woods, like oak and maple.

Primarily because of their higher BTU content, hardwoods tend to offer a longer burn time and more even heat. But especially with the "air-tight" generation of wood stoves, there is another reason: soft woods tend to dry more quickly than hardwoods, and when dry, tend to burn very hot and fast. This causes the wood stove user to damp the stove down more than usual, to prevent over-firing. Since rapid burning means that lots of combustible gasses are being emitted from the fuel load all at once, reducing the air intake means there is not likely to be enough oxygen to burn all the combustible gasses. Fuel is wasted in the form of unburned smoke.

So although these lower-quality soft woods will often burn acceptably in an open fireplace, where regulating the air intake isn't an issue, wood stoves require better fuel for proper operation.

How about super-dry wood? Seasoned wood burns better than green wood. So won't super-dry wood burn even better? For wood stove use, no, for much the same reason that soft woods aren't ideal:

When wood is too dry – even good hard wood – combustible gasses are emitted too quickly in the burning process. The fire burns fast and furious, forcing the stove user to damp the stove down.

In an "air-tight" stove this leads to a smoky fire, since there is not enough air entering the stove for complete combustion. And that means wasted fuel in the form of unburned smoke, greater creosote buildup in the flue, and more pollution.

In a non-cat EPA-certified stove, the secondary phase of combustion won't be able to keep up with the rapid flow of combustible gasses, and the result will be similar: wasted fuel and more deposits in the flue.

In a catalytic stove, the catalytic unit can actually overheat, causing damage to the unit.

And there is another possible problem with all three types of stoves: backpuffing.

Backpuffing is essentially small explosions in the stove, forcing puffs of smoke into the room through every available gap in the stove or stovepipe. It is caused by a combination of reduced airflow into the stove and use of too-dry wood or wood that's split so small that it burns too rapidly. Instead of the gasses burning as they are emitted, they collect in the firebox. Oxygen slowly enters the firebox, and when there is finally enough, the gasses ignite.

The problem of backpuffing is also a good reason not to burn things like kiln- dried wood blocks, pallets, and trimmings from woodshops, except as kindling.

Tip #3: Learn the right way to build a fire. If you are not a seasoned firebuilder, see How to Build a Fire, page 15. In a woodstove, the trick is to use enough kindling and small splits of wood to establish a bed of coals quickly, then to add larger logs.

Tip #4: Avoid long, low fires. Especially if you have an "air-tight" stove, avoid low, smoky fires. Yes, long burn time is a convenience. But believe it or not, you are getting much less heat from your wood if the fire is smoky.

It sounds terribly obvious. But many people neglect to take a good look at what's coming out of the chimney. If smoke is billowing from the chimney, take it as a warning sign that your stove is not operating as it should.

Tip #5: Don't overfire the stove. Some people think it is good to let the stove run cherry-red for half an hour or so, periodically, "to burn everything out of the flue." Please, please, don't do this! It not only damages the stove, but poses a serious fire danger to your home and your family.

Over-firing causes stress to the structure of the stove, possibly warping or buckling internal components, or worse, cracking the stove. And although it probably will remove deposits of creosote in the stove and stovepipe and maybe even in the flue, it is a very dangerous game! Creosote burns at temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees – hot enough to damage the chimney liner, and possibly catch the house on fire, right through the chimney.

Over-firing a stove to clean out the venting system is a little like putting a torch to your gas tank to clean up a spill. It might work. But you are asking for a disaster.

For safety's sake, learn to operate the stove within the correct temperature range – not too low, and not too high.

Tip #6: Know the indicators. Learn to "read" your stove and venting system. If you experience a buildup of creosote in the chimney, for example, it doesn't just mean that it is time to call a chimney professional to clean it. It means the stove is not operating correctly. More frequent cleaning is certainly a good idea. But listen to what your chimney is telling you, and figure out what's going wrong.

And if you find that your stove just doesn't seem to be operating as well as it used to, it probably isn't! It could be time to regasket the doors, or clean the baffles, or have the chimney cleaned.

For help troubleshooting your system, see the wood stove troubleshooting section on page 84. And ask your chimney professional for help if you can't figure it out.

Tip #7: Practice regular stove and chimney maintenance. Your chimney should be checked and cleaned, if necessary, at least once each year. But don't forget about the stove. It needs regular maintenance, too. Each spring, when the heating season is over, clean out all the ashes. Inspect the stove inside and out, using a strong flashlight. Look for cracks, separations, or other signs of damage. Some people spray a light coat of oil on the inside of the stove to inhibit rust during the humid summer months.

A coat of stove paint on non-enameled stoves will leave the stove looking like new. Just remember that the first time you light the stove, it will smoke as the new paint cures. Light the first fire on a day when you can open windows and ventilate the place.

Check the door gaskets periodically. Change them when they are worn out. This can make a big difference in efficiency and performance, and even increase the life of the stove – and replacing gaskets isn't particularly complicated or difficult.

If it is time to replace the gaskets, write down the model of stove you have, and measure how many feet of gasket you will need. Go to your local stove shop, and they'll show you what supplies you will need and how to do the job. (Note: If there is a small piece of gasket that's loose, bring it with you.) Or, hire your chimney professional to do the job for you.

Finally, read the maintenance section of your stove owner's manual. It will tell you about specific maintenance needed for your model of stove, such as cleaning catalytic units, replacing worn-out burn tubes, etc. Most of these procedures are relatively easy and inexpensive, and they'll keep your stove operating at peak efficiency.

There are lots of accessories for woodstoves, some for the purpose of improved performance, others for atmosphere or decoration. Here we will cover the basics.

Ash Vacuum. Most household vacuum cleaners don't filter out particles as fine as wood ash. If you try to vacuum up more than a very small amount, or if you accidentally pick up a hot coal, you could blow dust all over the room or light the vacuum on fire. Special vacuum cleaners designed for ashing stoves incorporate a super-fine filter (or filters) and usually some type of fire-resistant pre-filter.

Catalytic retrofits. Before catalytic combustors became commonplace in woodstove designs, people often tried to gain the benefits of a catalytic unit by installing a catalytic retrofit. The catalytic combustor was mounted in the same way (more or less) as a pipe damper, with a handle to allow the user to open or close it. When "closed," the catalytic combustor was positioned in the pipe so that smoke was forced through it. It was a good idea, but the results were generally disappointing. With the catalytic combustor mounted outside the body of the stove, it is hard to reach the temperature required for catalytic combustion to occur, so the units tended not to operate effectively.

Fans. Fans help circulate the heat produced by the stove. Stoves that incorporate a circulating design (see page 47 for details) often can be fitted with a blower on the back of the stove, to force air through the air channels and into the room.

Ceiling fans and small fans mounted in doorways have the same effect: they move air around, helping to distribute the heat.

If you are thinking about installing a blower on a stove or a fan somewhere in the room, consider the shape of the area you are trying to heat. As hot air moves into the area, the colder air has to have a way to get back to the stove. Try to set up the fan system to create a circulation of air throughout the area.

Glass cleaner. If your stove has a glass door, go to your local stove shop and buy some stove glass cleaner. There are two basic kinds. The pump-spray type is good at removing mild stains, so it is good for stove users who tend to clean the glass regularly. If you tend to let it get really filthy, try the liquid paste kind. It will remove even the nastiest buildups of creosote on the glass, although you still might have to work at it a little bit if it is really bad.

Gloves. Woodburner's gloves help prevent burns when loading the stove. A good, heavy pair will allow you to reach in and move a log, in emergencies.

Heat shields. Many brands of stoves are designed with optional steel heat shields, sheet metal panels that attach to the back or bottom of the stove to reduce heat transfer to combustible materials behind or under the stove. Some stove brands require the use of a bottom heat shield, for example, in any installation on a hearth built with wood supports under it. In other cases, you may want to move the stove back closer to a combustible wall. The use of a rear heat shield offers reduced clearances.

Note: Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions, and never place a stove closer to combustible materials than the minimum distance specified by the manufacturer's instructions. Ask at your local stove shop for more information.

Outside air duct adaptor. If the house is particularly tightly-insulated, or if state or local codes require it, air for combustion can be "piped" to the stove from outside. Some stoves don't have an air intake that will accept a round duct pipe. An outside air duct adaptor is a metal connector attached to the air intake, with a round flange on it, allowing the connection of a round duct pipe to the outdoors.

Spark screen. Some stoves are designed to be operated with the front doors open, like a fireplace. A spark screen designed to fit the front opening is a necessary safety item for open fire viewing.

Steamers. A cast-iron, copper, or ceramic steamer on top of the stove helps add some moisture to the air. Pick one you like the look of, but keep in mind that smaller ones will need to be filled very frequently – maybe several times a day. Try not to let it boil dry, especially if it is a ceramic one, which might break. If the water tends to boil over, put a trivet under the steamer.

It is also a good idea to use a trivet if your stove has an enamel top, to help avoid scratching the enamel surface or damaging the enamel by boiling the water over onto it.

Stove thermometer. Used to monitor the temperature of the stove as an indicator of stove performance and safety, thermometers are available in surface-mounted models (usually magnetic) or probe-type models. Probe-type thermometers more accurately measure flue gas temperature, by means of a probe inserted into a small hole in the stove pipe.

Many catalytic stoves are designed to accept a probe-type catalyst thermometer. The probe is inserted just above or behind the catalytic unit, to monitor the functioning of the catalytic unit.

Warming shelves. Some stove models offer optional warming shelves. These are decorative shelves attached to the sides of the stove. Warming shelves not only provide a nice spot for a pot of stew, they also give you a place to set a steamer when you are loading a top-load stove (a stove with a load door in the top of the stove).