Does A Wood Burning Stove Add Value To A Home?

There are many factors that contribute to the value of a home. The size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, lot size, parking spaces, proximity to major roads, and shopping centers all come into play when determining how much a house is worth. However, one factor that often gets overlooked in this equation is whether or not a wood-burning stove adds value to a home.

Wood-burning stoves have been a popular way for homeowners to heat their homes for centuries. But they also have other benefits too, such as being able to give your home’s decor an old-fashioned feel and smell of a log cabin. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of owning a wood stove vs gas or electric heating so that you can decide if it is right for you.

Is it true that a wood-burning stove adds value to a Home?

If you’re thinking about adding a wood-burning stove to your home, one of the first questions that might come up is whether or not it will add value. As with any major addition to a house, if done well and installed by professionals it can definitely increase the resale value as compared to other homes in the area without an efficient heating system.

It’s also good to note that other factors can influence value as well, such as the home’s locale and layout.
If you’re looking at homes in an area where heating costs are high, or if it is naturally chilly throughout much of the winter season, then a wood stove will be more likely to add value than simply keeping up with resale standards. While many stoves only require electricity for fan assistance (and therefore don’t drain your bank account), there are some that do need higher power levels; these tend not to be efficient enough unless they have been specifically designed into larger homes which already use superior insulation technology.

So why is it important to consider whether or not a stove will add value?

There are two main reasons. The first is that wood stoves can actually reduce the resale value of your home if you put one in and do so incorrectly. If, for example, you decide to install an old used stove because it’s cheaper than buying new equipment (or worse yet, don’t hire professionals), then buyers may be wary about what else has been done poorly during renovations. Secondarily, many people who move into homes with already installed heaters feel that they have no real incentive to upgrade their heating system; even if there were benefits associated with replacing an older unit located within the house itself, homeowners might still choose not to make the switch.

So does this mean that you should never install a wood stove?

Of course not! Installing one (and hiring professionals to do the installation) can actually increase your home’s value, provided it is done correctly; just be sure that you aren’t on the hook for high heating bills after moving in if you live somewhere with low humidity and mild winters. It’s also important to remember that there are other ways of adding value than simply installing an efficient heating system during renovations or new construction. If anything else were added onto the house at the same time as appliances, such as major plumbing upgrades or insulation improvements, then buyers would likely feel more comfortable paying top dollar because they know everything has been handled professionally.

What about homes with central heating that are located in the northeast, where it’s cold most of the time?

If you live somewhere with very harsh winters and have a well-insulated home to begin with, then installing an efficient wood stove can actually be beneficial by reducing your electricity consumption for other appliances. This is especially true if you already use renewable energy sources like solar power or wind turbines; otherwise, homeowners may feel as though they aren’t getting their money’s worth out of the equipment!

Wood stoves should not replace traditional heating units unless there is absolutely no choice involved – this will usually only happen when moving into new construction homes which fall under certain building codes. If anything else has been done to increase insulation capabilities (such as double pane windows or a well-insulated roof) then it’s more likely that buyers will feel comfortable paying full price for the property.

How Much Value Does A Wood Burning Stove Add?

A wood-burning stove can add a lot of value to a home. Wood stoves do not have much initial cost, but they save money and energy over time. A study from the U.S. Department of Energy found that homes with installed high-efficiency wood stoves saved an average of $200 each month on heating costs compared to similar homes without them! In addition, these savings are expected to increase as oil prices rise in the future.

What Are Some Other Benefits of Having A Wood Burning Stove?

There are many reasons why homeowners choose to invest in a wood-burning stove. Not only does it add value to your home, but having one is also great for the environment! Traditional heating systems such as furnaces and boilers emit harmful greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming.

On average, using an EPA-certified high-efficiency wood stove emits up to 60% less carbon dioxide than traditional sources of heat like oil or gas stoves do. This means cleaner air and healthier forests.

Many people who use firewood say they feel more connected with their surroundings because they have personal experience with gathering and chopping down trees themselves. In addition, there’s nothing quite like cuddling by a warm fire on a chilly night after the kids go to bed.

Wood stoves also keep you safer by preventing carbon monoxide from escaping into your home. A wood stove produces less than one-tenth of the amount of this dangerous gas that a furnace does, so it is great for people with respiratory issues or who have young children in their homes! In addition to these benefits, many homeowners enjoy cooking on a wood stove and using nothing but firewood as fuel.

Environmental Protection

One of the main reasons people are turning to wood-burning stoves is their environmental benefits. Wood-burning appliances have become increasingly popular in recent years due to increasing interest in renewable energy sources, which can be used to power these types of heaters. By making wise choices about how you heat your home, you can reduce emissions that contribute to climate change and help protect our environment for future generations.

Wood-burning stoves are much more environmentally friendly than traditional heating appliances. When you burn wood in a stove, it releases carbon dioxide into the air. However, when compared to other types of fuel sources used for home heating (such as gas or oil), burning wood emits relatively little carbon dioxide because trees absorb this harmful greenhouse gas during their lifetimes and release oxygen back out once they’ve been burned.

Plus, because these heaters use less energy than most modern furnaces and rely on an unlimited resource – our planet’s forests – using them can help reduce your overall environmental footprint and make you feel good about protecting the world we live in!

When considering purchasing a new home appliance such as a wood boiler, carefully consider how long you plan on staying in your home. Since installing a wood-burning unit can be an expensive endeavor, it may not be worth the investment if you plan to sell within just a few years.

Safety Tips

Use a stove with an outside air kit to ensure there is enough fresh oxygen for the fire.
Do not use indoors without proper ventilation.
Be sure that everyone in your home knows how to properly operate and maintain a wood-burning stove – including children! Make sure you have smoke detectors installed on each level of your home and carbon monoxide detectors at all entrances and sleeping areas. A qualified heating contractor should inspect your installation annually, particularly if any changes are made or new appliances are added.
Ensure that the chimney and stove pipe are properly sized to carry smoke and fumes away from your home.
A minimum of a four-inch diameter size is required for wood stoves with small fireboxes, while larger ones require six or eight inches. As an example, most pellet stoves have two venting options – either through the wall directly outside or through the roof where it can be vented up into a second flue in your traditional masonry fireplace chimney. It’s important to ensure proper airflow by not creating unnecessary bends or turns along its path out of your home!
Do not burn garbage, plastics, furniture/carpeting containing foam rubber (e.g., pillows), treated lumber products such as plywood, particleboard, and chipboard.
Ensure the fire is not smoldering or low when going to sleep at night or leaving home for an extended period of time; this includes having a responsible person available in your absence to tend the fire if necessary.
The most important reason why you should never leave a fire unattended is that it can start a chimney fire by overheating its interior surfaces with embers. If you have pets, be sure they are secure before starting your stove!
Keep curious children away from wood stoves and their immediate surroundings – always use back screen doors and safety screens on all openings where possible (e.g., windows). Don’t place combustible materials next to them such as furniture, clothing, and drapes.
Ensure that your stove’s surfaces remain free of creosote build-up by using a woodstove scraper several times per season to remove soot from the inside surface of the firebox door and throat damper area.
Creosoting is not recommended! This can be achieved by burning quality seasoned hardwoods such as oak or maple in clean dry conditions with good airflow through the firebox throughout its use – this includes regular cleaning when necessary.

FAQs about Wood Stoves

What is the average cost of installing a wood-burning stove?

This will vary from state to state, as well as how much work needs to be done on the chimney. There are several factors that go into this such as your home's distance from a fire station and if there is existing wiring for an outlet in place. A contractor can give you an estimate after inspecting your home before any repairs or installation is completed.

How do I find a professional installer/repairman for my wood-burning stove?

The National Chimney Sweep Guild offers a list of certified sweep professionals located throughout North America who has been trained and tested by NCSG Master Sweepers through accredited exams and fieldwork requirements with regard to wood-burning appliance installation, repairs, and inspections.

How much does it cost to run a wood stove?

Depending on the size of your home's heating system or furnace, you can expect that each hour will use about two pounds of seasoned hardwood. Depending on how efficient your stove is this could be anywhere from one to five hours per day during the winter months. You should check with local building codes before installing a new chimney for safety reasons as well as potential savings in fuel costs throughout the year depending on where you live.

What type of materials are used in stoves made today? Are they safe?

Today there are many different styles of material being used such as stainless steel, cast iron porcelain enameled steel, nickel, and more. Generally, they are all safe to be around as long as you follow the manufactures instructions on installation and use according to what it is made of.

How do I clean my wood stove?

An occasional cleaning can help your stove run at its best because you remove any creosote that may build up in the chimney pipe after extended periods of burning wood inside your home without opening windows or doors for ventilation. You should never try to light a fire when there is still residue left behind because this could lead to an explosion causing damage within your home due to carbon monoxide poisoning which leads people who inhale too much of it to become violently sick with symptoms including headache nausea, vomiting, dizziness fatigue confusion and more.

What type of wood is used to maximize efficiency?

You will want to use seasoned hardwood whenever possible which means it has been aged for at least six months with the moisture content below 20 percent. This is because fresh cut or green wood contains too much moisture and can create dangerous gases during burning including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and others that are harmful when inhaled in large amounts. A proper draft system should be installed with your stove by a professional who knows how to size an exhaust pipe according to what you need based on house square footage as well as chimney height above anything else nearby like trees or bushes along its path before reaching outside air. Additionally, this would include using dry firewood instead of wet wood, improving the insulation around your stove, and installing a heat shield on any exposed framing or sheet metal if it is close to combustibles.

What kind of firewood should I use?

You will want to look for hardwoods that are dense such as oak, cherry birch beech maple ash hickory, and more because they tend to burn longer than softwoods like pine which has sap in them. Additionally, you can check with local building codes before installation about what types of trees may not be allowed near where you live due to damage caused by insects infestation or fungus growth among other things so this would include using fallen branches instead from those species when possible since they could contain disease-causing organisms along with weeds and grasses found along the ground which could have been sprayed with pesticides.

Will a wood stove save me money?

It is hard to say whether it will or not due to many variables including fuel costs, your location among others but you can definitely expect savings on what you would normally spend on heating bills each month if installed properly and used regularly throughout the winter months. You should also check local building codes before installation to make sure it fits within them as well since they may require certain types of flues for safety reasons based on where you live among other things depending on area code requirements in place at the time of writing this blog post.

How often should I clean my chimney?

The amount of frequency varies by season along with how frequently that you are burning wood inside your home during each of them. A general rule is to have it inspected at least once a year by a professional chimney sweep who can inform you on what types of creosote buildup may be present along with how much soot has accumulated among other things that could lead to poor performance if ignored longer than necessary.

Do I need some type of protective barrier around the stove?

Yes, this would include installing an approved heat shield made from 800 or 1000 degree metal alloy sheeting material above any combustible surfaces nearby including baseboards trim, cabinets, and more with air gaps no larger than one inch in between all areas directly exposed for their use when installed properly according to local building codes before installation which can reduce the chance of fire by providing insulation as well as a heat barrier to reduce the amount of time it would take for any potential fires caused by sparks to spread out and ignite them.

Why do I need an airtight stove?

An airtight wood burning stove should be installed with its own flue system which means that there is no other chimney or vent used in your home at all since this could lead to poor performance including increased levels of carbon monoxide among others being released into living areas due to incomplete combustion if not combined properly along with decreased efficiency from high burn rates, low oxygen content and more so you will want one installed according to local building codes before installation. You can also expect lower maintenance costs associated with fewer creosote formations along with less removal of soot which is done during the sweeping process.

What kind of chimney should I use?

It's recommended to install a factory-built metal flue system for safety reasons whenever possible since it has already been properly tested and approved by the manufacturer among other things if installed according to local building codes before installation including any requirements that may be in place at the time of writing this blog post. You will also want to check on what materials are allowed around your home or property prior to buying one as well due to potential damage caused by corrosion, high heat exposure among others depending on the type used along with manufacturers recommendations found inside the instruction manual included with purchase.

Conclusion

Wood-burning stoves are a great investment for homes everywhere. They’re efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. And if you have one in your home right now, it’s probably adding value to your property as we speak!