Can you install a wood burning stove in the kitchen?

Suitable for heating a wide variety of different living spaces, wood burning stoves (also known as wood burners) are incredibly popular. Not only do they provide an efficient and carbon neutral form of heating, they also convey an enormous sense of wellbeing, a phenomenon which was explored by American scientist Professor Edward O Wilson in his 1984 publication of the biophilia hypothesis which suggested that human beings have deep intrinsic connections with the natural world, including fire.

One of the most efficient ways to heat a property, a wood burning stove or wood burner is capable of heating just a room or even an entire home, while helping to keep your energy bills low. Functional and aesthetically pleasing, a wood burning stove or wood burner also provides an attractive focal point in any living area.

Why you might want to install a wood burning stove or a wood burner in the kitchen

Kitchens and cooking areas are notoriously difficult spaces to heat well as wall space is usually in short supply used for storage of cooking equipment and so it is difficult to install properly sized radiators.

In addition, the kitchen is often combined with the dining room and so putting a wood burning stove in your kitchen is perfect for keeping your family and friends warm and cosy throughout the evening. A wood burning stove is therefore an attractive option for warming a kitchen or cooking area and will breathe new life and warmth into this room.

A wood burner sits at the heart of the home, and will provide the perfect focal point for your guests to gather round and keep warm as the evening draws in. Installing a wood burning stove in your kitchen is also an attractive option if your kitchen is connected to an outside space.

A wood burning stove is therefore an attractive solution for warming a kitchen, but there are several factors to consider.

The kitchen is likely to have an extractor fan which will create a negative pressure in the room which can cause problems for a wood burning stove fitted with a conventional flue as there is a risk of “downdraught” whereby the exhaust gases created during combustion can linger in your chimney.

A wood burning stove fitted with a balanced flue will solve these problems as it is an entirely self-contained system not affected by the air pressure in the room. A balanced flue wood burner does not require a chimney, making them a good option for a kitchen installation. They are completely sealed, with a glass front, from the room into which they are installed. This means there are no draughts, and heating efficiency is increased, with a concentric balanced flue pipe venting directly to an outside wall. This also means no additional ventilation is required.

Are logs or pellets best for wood burning stoves?

Unless you own your own forest or are happy to pay premium prices for buying a single bag of wood fuel at a time, then you will need to allocate some storage space so that you can buy wood-fuel in bulk which is the most cost-effective way. For the same energy content then you will need approximately twice as much room for storing logs compared with pellets. For a typical 5 kW stove then you will probably use up to a tonne of wood pellets (or 2 tonnes of logs) over a winter. This much wood-pellet fuel will take up storage space for a “euro-pallet’s” worth of wood pellets, typically delivered in 10 kg or 15 kg bags and stacked on a pallet with a footprint of 800 mm x 1200mm. An out-building is the ideal space for storing this. The storage space required for logs depends largely on how neatly stacked they are!

Other considerations when installing a wood burning stove or wood burner in a kitchen:

• Choose an efficient and controllable model, like one of our pellet stoves – this will prevent the space overheating.
• Choose a stove with a wide glass window to enjoy the flickering flames.
• Ensure you have adequate home insurance cover for installing a stove.

With careful planning and preparation, installing a wood burner in your Kitchen can provide an effective way to enjoy cosy warmth in this social space. Talk to us to ensure it is done safely and legally.

Further Information 

Island Pellet Stoves Ltd has been installing wood pellet stoves anywhere in England or Wales since 2015.

Our website has a range of resources and frequently asked questions to help you plan your project and to get the best from your wood burning stove or wood burner. Follow the link below for more information or give us a call on – 0330 111 4747