FAQ
In this section, I try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions we get here. If you don't see the answer you are looking for, feel free to call or email me and I will do my best to get back to you promptly!
01
My Shop is XXX Sq. Ft. What size stove should I buy?
While many of my customers know the square footage of their shop or outbuildings, pinning down the exact model of stove to suit your needs can be kind of tricky. There are many elements at play such as:
- What is the interior height?
- Is the shop insulated? And how well?
- Are the walls finished?
- Do you want the entire area heated or just a "working area" in one part of the shop?
- What do you consider as "warm"? ( is 40 degrees when it's 10 degrees outside warm, or do you want it 60 degrees)
- What will the piping run look like?
These are just some of the considerations needed to be looked at. It's best just to contact me and we can discuss your individual heating needs. Rest assured I will try to find you the best fit for your circumstances.
02
You recycle parts into your stoves. How much is actually recycled? Parts of your stoves look "New."
Very astute of you! Yes, there are some new pieces of steel I use in my stoves. Over the course of several years of stove building I have found that some pieces just work better and last longer if new pieces are used. A good example of this is the stove front and door assembly. I have created stoves before that used the old pieces of the tanks, however they have been leaky, drafty models that weren't easy to control the heat in. In addition I still had to take a piece of steel out of the tank and there ended up with two welded seams vs. a single seam around the front. The new materials are used where it is the best option for a quality stove. In all, however, my stoves are approximately 70-80% recycled materials by weight depending on the model.
03
Do I need fire brick?
The short answer is no. I do recommend the brick however. Fire brick helps with insulating the stove as well as preventing premature burn through of the bottom of the stove. It also assists in keeping the heat in the stove body as the brick heats up. There are times when customers don't want or necessarily need the brick. Some already have brick they wish to use. Others employ a fire grate and would rather not bother with the brick.
How safe are wood burning stoves?
Wood stoves, when used properly, are a very safe form of heating. Keep in mind the wood stove has been employed in heating homes since Ben Franklin invented the Franklin Stove in the mid 1700's. There are some general guidelines to follow to keep your wood burning as safe as possible.
1. Burn your stove hot. Creosote builds up due to the incomplete products of combustion. In other words it is the unburnt portion of the wood that you can see in the form of dense smoke out your chimney. A hot fire more completely burns these smoke particles and keeps your stove and chimney clean. Even if you prefer to damper the stove down at night you should burn a good, hot fire every day you burn.
2. Maintain your clearances. While building codes differ by jurisdiction, a good rule of thumb is to keep your stove 18" away from any and all combustible surfaces. With stove pipe the generally accepted clearances are
- Single wall pipe-18"
- Double wall pipe-6"
- Triple wall pipe (chimney rated)-zero clearance
Your local fire department or fire prevention office can guide you further. In addition your local building department can be an excellent resource as well.
3. The area under the stove door to a point 18" in front of the face of the stove should be non-combustible. Should embers or coals fall out of the stove the last thing you want is to cause a fire. If you have any questions think about it like this. If I took a burning log out of my fire and dropped it in front of my stove would anything catch fire?
04
05
I burn a hot fire. This means I don't need to sweep my chimney right?
Sorry. No such luck. Your chimney should be swept EVERY YEAR! And prior to any burning! There could be animals that have taken up residence in it, creosote build up, and any number of things wrong that could cause a chimney fire. As a professional firefighter I can attest to the damage these fires cause every year. Chimney fires can easily move into your house or shop and cause your whole home or shop to burn down. This is especially important if you live in a remote or rural area as it may take the fire department some time to get to you in an emergency. Your best bet is to look for a certified chimney sweep. They can also advise of any problems or issues with your stove pipe before an issue arises.
I have a design in mind. How can I get it to you?
This is an easy one. There are several options available. The first is simply to call and see if we can figure it out over the phone. Another options is, if you are computer savvy, either scan the design or use a CAD program and email it to me. The third, and possibly the easiest, is to go a bit old fashioned and simply fax it to me. The fax is toll free.
06
07
Can you deliver or ship my stove to me?
Sure! Although it may be more economical for you to arrange for a pick-up if possible. We currently ship/deliver to the states of ID, WA, OR, MT, and WY. For deliveries under 60 miles standard mileage rates apply. These are normally delivered as soon as your stove is complete. Longer deliveries are done on a quarterly basis due to the distances involved. This basically involves taking and filling orders then road-tripping the stoves to you. For example: orders are taken for Jan., Feb., and March. The stoves would be delivered towards the end of March/First part of April. For obvious reasons it makes sense to do adjoining states as a single route (MT, WY or WA, OR) so freight shipping to get your stove to you sooner may be a better option. Weight is a concern as well. The small stoves can normally be shipped easily by the USPS or UPS. Pretty much anything heavier than 100 lbs. requires freight rates. If you are interested in these options the best thing to do is call me and we can try to work out a solution to get your stove to you as quickly as possible.