Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Wood Stove from the Past

In a recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center one of our employees saw a wood stove from the past.


In the homes that were set up in the Heritage Center the wood stoves did not have any stove pipe to show how they would typically be set up. But we know that in the past wood stoves made a huge improvement on people's lives, they were more heat efficient than the fireplaces and offered an easier way to cook. These homes were typically one room with an upstairs where the older children would sleep. The younger children would sleep downstairs with their parents where it was warmer and where the mother could look after the child during the night.

One of the stories that was shared at the Heritage Center was from a woman who remembered staying with her grandparents in their one room cabin. She slept in the upstairs loft, it was winter and snowed through the night, when she awoke, the snow had come through cracks in the walls and roof and had dusted her blanket. Even with wood stoves homes were not as well insulated as today's homes are.

But even now a wood stove can be a great addition to a home, especially as a back up heating system for those winter days when the snow storms knock out the power.


Monday, September 17, 2012

New: Kerosene Heaters

Kerosene-wicks.com now have kerosene heaters available for purchase on their website.

The heaters they have available are kero world heaters.

Kero World KW24G Convection Kerosene Heater
The above heater is the Kero World KW24G Convection Kerosene Heater. It has a fuel tank capacity of 1.9 gallons, a heat output of 23,000 BTU/hr, and a burning time of 9-12 hours. This heater is recommended for heating 920 square feet.

Kero World KW12 Convection Kerosene Heater
The above heater is the Kero World KW12 Convection Kerosene Heater. It has a fuel tank capacity of 1.2 gallons, heat output is 10,500 BTU/hr, and has a burning time of up to 12.5 hours. This heater is recommended for heating 400 square feet.

Kero World KW11 Radiant Kerosene Heater
The above heater is the Kero World KW11 Radiant Kerosene Heater. It has a fuel tank capacity of 1 gallon, heat output is 10,000 BTU/hr, and the burning time is 12-16 hours. This heater is recommended for heating 420 square feet.

This new selection of kerosene heaters have a starting price of $109.99 and up depending on the heater.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Basic Wood Stove Tips

For those of you who are new to wood stoves, here are a few basic tips to get you started:

Our first tip is a very basic one, but be sure to read the owner's manual/instruction manual on your stove. If you have misplaced it, try contacting the company who manufactures the stove for a copy of one. It is important to know how your stove works as different types of wood stoves can be different in how they should be used. Also, your manual will have helpful information on your particular wood stove.

Before using your stove, you will want to check that it has been properly installed. Be sure that there is a proper clearance around the stove, away from combustible materials. The floor also needs to have appropriate support for the stove and protection from it.

Be sure to use seasoned wood. Seasoned wood is wood that has been allowed to dry out. If the wood is still "green" then more of your fuel will go towards drying out the wood while it burns. This extra moisture can cause excess creosote build up, which can cause chimney/flue fires. It is also advised to burn hardwoods. When you burn soft woods they burn more quickly than hardwoods do, and they also emit a larger amount of combustible gasses which causes fuel to be wasted in the form of excess unburned smoke.

If using synthetic logs, be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging. 

It will also help you to know how to build a fire in a woodstove


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