Wood Burning Stoves for Small Spaces
Suitable for heating a wide variety of different living spaces, wood burning stoves (also known as wood burners) are incredibly popular – and for good reason.
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.
There’s something about wood burning stoves that can’t be replicated by any other type of heat source. The crackle of the wood, the lick of the flames, a wood burning stove offers a deeply instinctive and elemental experience. Well, if you’ve got a small room to heat or even a larger space that is very well insulated and are looking to enjoy the benefits of a wood burning stove, then there are some important factors to consider before installing your wood burner.
Things to consider when choosing a wood burning stove for use in a small space
It’s best to check your local building regulations and any planning restrictions before you start any work.
Is the property within a Smoke Control Area? If you are not sure, then consult the DEFRA website which has an interactive map (DEFRA is the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). If you do live within a Smoke Control Area then you must only install a stove which is a
so-called “DEFRA exempt stove”.
All our wood burning pellet stoves are “DEFRA-exempt”;-
A “DEFRA exempt” stove has passed stringent emissions testing so it is recognised by DEFRA as being a clean burning stove. Your Local Authority has the power to issue a fine of up to £1,000 if this Law is broken.
With a view to “future proofing” your investment in a wood burning stove or wood burner, then you should consider the cleanest burning stoves available by looking at those on the Cleaner Choice scheme operated by HETAS. This scheme is unique in that HETAS is a third party independent and impartial certification body that relies on first-hand review of test data from notified laboratories in checking that each stove meets, and in critical areas, exceeds some of the most stringent limits set by tested standards and test methods. To qualify for this scheme, then the stove must be at least 50% cleaner than the “DEFRA exempt” emissions limit. HETAS has an interactive selection tool on its website.
All our wood burning pellet stoves are approved to the HETAS Cleaner Choice standard.
Location and Clearances
When siting your stove, it’s crucial to ensure it has adequate clearances from any combustible materials.
You must ensure you leave sufficient distance between the stove and things like wallpaper or plasterboard which can ignite if they get too hot. If you have a fireplace made of brick, stone or other non-combustible material then you don’t need to be as worried about the position of your stove.
However, you don’t want your stove to be too close to the fireplace as its performance may be impaired if there isn’t enough space to allow for the proper circulation of air. Our SKYE wood burning pellet stove requires at least 10 cm clearance at the sides and at the rear, see the link below for full technical details.
The 10 cm distance to combustibles of the SKYE wood pellet burning stove is much, much less than for a traditional log burner (which is typically 300 mm minimum distance to combustibles) and so the SKYE wood pellet burner makes an excellent choice for rooms where space is tight.
The SKYE pellet stove is truly a slim wood burner and is the smallest wood burning pellet stove on the market in the UK. There is no other pellet stove that comes anywhere close to it in terms of its small dimensions and small output, it can produce a maximum output of 3 kW and is fully modulating with
automatic control down to a minimum output of 1 kW.
At 58 cm High, 58 cm Wide and only 40 cm Deep the SKYE is a small wood burning stove that can pretty much fit anywhere and is ideal for smaller spaces and for applications where the heat load is less than average, such as in small rooms or in extremely well insulated spaces. Typical applications include passive houses, terraced housing, cottages, mews houses, garden offices, glamping pods and boats.
Ensure you have proper ventilation
Ventilation is very important for any wood burning stove, which will not function properly if it is starved of air. A small wood burning stove require two elements for correct functioning – oxygen as well as wood fuel. Without sufficient oxygen feeding your stove, the fire will go out. Your stove draws in oxygen from the room it is sitting in, so figuring out the correct amount of ventilation is important.
A balanced flue, however, does not require any air from the room as the air is supplied via the flue.
For more information on our balanced flues and wood burning pellet stoves, read our blog post.
The SKYE pellet stove is a good example of a small wood burning stove that uses a balanced flue.
What wood fuel to use – wood logs or wood pellets ?
Thera are two types of wood fuel readily available in the UK for use with wood burning stoves, viz logs or wood pellets. To learn more, check out our guide to choosing between a log burner or a wood pellet stove?.
How to get further help
Island Pellet Stoves Ltd has been designing, manufacturing and installing wood burning pellet stoves throughout the UK since 2015. We have a range of resources and frequently asked questions to help you plan your project and get the best from your wood burning stove or wood burner.
Contact us here or call us on 0330 111 4747