You’ve built a new, superbly insulated house. Your heating bills are low, and no heat is lost through windows or walls. And now you’d like to get a wood-burning stove. Just for the ambiance and for the occasional extra warmth.
However, in such a house, it’s easy to make a mistake when choosing the stove.
A stove that easily heated an older house can turn your living room into a sauna.
Five kilowatts? Even that can be too much!
Low-energy houses generally have significantly lower heat losses than older, uninsulated buildings.
Imagine a living room that, at a given time, only needs 1,5 kW heat. If you place a stove in there that gives off 6 kW, there will be a huge surplus.
At milder outside temperatures, the heating requirement may be even lower.
Therefore, don’t simply rely on the living space or the recommendation “This stove heats 100 m²”. What matters is the actual heat loss of the room to be heated and the heat output of the stove.
Do you have recovery periods? Then get ready!
Stoves need air to burn, but in a well-sealed house we cannot automatically assume that this air enters through leaks in the windows.
Therefore, it is important to solve the problem of a suitable combustion air supply. An external air supply, also known as CPV, is frequently used.
Note one important thing: An oven with an external air connection is not automatically an oven that operates independently of the room air.
If you own a heat recovery system, a range hood, or any other appliance that can create negative pressure, the safety of their combined operation must be checked by a qualified professional. Negative pressure can obstruct exhaust ventilation under unsuitable conditions.
So, do I have to do without the beautiful fire?
Not at all!
You just need to select the right type of oven.
Look for models with low heat output and proven control options. Another option, if needed, is a suitably designed storage heater that releases some of the heat gradually.
But beware: Neither the tile cladding nor the mere mention of the collection guarantees that the oven is suitable for your house.
Our advice
In a low-energy house, the biggest challenge is not generating enough heat, but generating exactly the right amount.
Before you fall in love with a particular model, you should determine the heat loss of the room, check the combustion air supply and the suitability of the chimney.
A fireplace behind glass is meant to bring joy. No reason to sit by an open window in January.