5 steps to choosing the right woodheater for your home
When setting out to purchase a woodheater, what often starts as a simple desire to curl up by a crackling fire, can quickly become, well, confusing. There are rules and standards to comply with, efficiency percentages and output numbers to crunch and a wide range of sizes and styles to choose from.
If the whole thing is leaving you feeling a little burnt out (pun intended), take a deep breath and let us walk you through some of the steps you can take to make choosing the right woodheater for your home a simple process.
Step 1: Check the numbers
There are many myths surrounding woodheaters, the main ones being that they’re inefficient and bad for the environment. In reality, a lot of research and development has gone into improving woodheater technology, which is reflected in their surprisingly high efficiency rates. Models from the Coonara woodheater range run at around 60-72% efficiency. Considering that a traditional open fireplace is only around 10% efficient, that’s pretty impressive.
In fact, wood stands up as a cost-effective, sustainable form of energy; a good clean burn using dry, hard wood actually emits less greenhouse gases than most other forms of heating. Our woodheaters also boast particle emissions as low as 0.7g/kg of wood burnt – well below the current emissions limit of 1.5g/kg.
Step 2: Factor in the design elements of your space
Heat is measured in kilowatts and the magic number required to warm your space will be influenced by several factors:
- the climate you live in (ie minimum temperatures etc)
- the layout of your home
- ceiling height
- how well insulated it is
- how much glass is incorporated into the room design
Heating a well-insulated room with low ceilings and a smaller number of windows will clearly require a lower output than the same sized space with cathedral ceilings, no insulation and a wall of floor to ceiling windows. Informing your sales assistant of your room design means they can more easily direct you towards options that best suit your particular needs.
Step 3: Look for the Goldilocks model
For ultimate comfort and warmth, you must choose a woodheater that’s the appropriate size for your space. Go too small and you’ll either curse yourself as you shiver through the night, or wear the unit out through over firing. Go too big and you’ll be just as uncomfortable, throwing open doors and windows to cool an overheated room. As a heating specialist, your local Coonara dealer will be able to help you choose the woodheater that makes you sigh “ahhhhh… it’s just right”.
Step 4: Insist on genuine Australian made
Any woodheater you choose must comply with Australian/New Zealand Standards 4012, 4013 and 2918 (always check for a Certificate of Compliance). Going with a genuine Australian made brand makes this a lot easier; you can relax, knowing that your new woodheater is designed and manufactured to suit local conditions and available firewood. It will also give you extra warm and fuzzies to know that you’re supporting local jobs and the wider economy.
Step 5: Make sure the style is right
A woodfire becomes a decorative focal point in any room, so once you have satisfied all the logistical requirements, pay some attention to the look. Coonara woodheaters come in a wide variety of styles, from iconic freestanding fireboxes through to streamlined, inbuilt models, so you’re sure to find one that compliments the character of your home.
A stairway to woodheater heaven
Choosing the perfect woodheater for your home isn’t so complicated when you break it down. Just follow these five simple steps and before you can say “What’s the kilowattage on this unit”, you’ll find yourself lounging by the fireside with a celebratory glass of red in your hand. Cheers!
