Building a Firewood Shed and Other Wood Stove Accessories

You may not think of a firewood shed as a wood stove accessory, but, in the big picture, it is one of most important. You might have the best gas chain saw, extra chains, sharpening tools, and fireplace tools, but if your wood is wet it will not burn.

The shed need not be fancy or expensive, neither does it have to be a messy pile of boards and tarps. You can buy ready made firewood racks, but they tend to be rather small and expensive. If you only use wood for taking the chill off or for the occasional atmosphere fire, then a small ready made one will work just fine.

Building your own shed can be a very satisfying project that can include other family members. Because it is a shed, not a kitchen cabinet, there is plenty of room for error and it will still work well. When small children are allowed to help Dad with such projects, the memories can last a lifetime. Hammering and sawing boards can be a great learning experience, and a firewood shed is the perfect kind of project to work on together.

It is important to decide on the size of the shed, which will be determined by how much wood you expect to use for the winter. In Vermont a typical house uses 5 cords of wood for the season. This is a lot of firewood, and it might be more than you are willing or able to build a shed for.

A full cord of wood is 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft., or 128 cubic ft. From this, you can calculate the size of shed you need. You can also use the basement, a garage, several sheds or one shed and several covered piles.

The wood needs to dry at least 6 months before burning. If the prevailing winds and weather tend to make the wood wet, you should consider adding at least a partial wall to the shed to protect the wood. The more air exposure the wood has, the better it will dry.

Other wood stove accessories you will need, if you are going to use a new or used cast iron wood stove or fireplace insert, would include a metal ash pan, shovel, floor protector, and stove top water steamer.

The dangers of using green wood are real and can result in a chimney fire. The moisture in the wood cause it to burn incompletely, which makes the wood smolder, rather than ignite. The gases emitted condense on the walls of the stove pipe or chimney and solidify as a coating of condensed fuel, just waiting to ignite.

If the chimney is coated with creosote and you have a very hot fire, or a lot of sparks and flames, the creosote may ignite into a torch like fire. This fire sounds like a rushing wind as it explodes in the chimney, and the temperatures can be high enough to actually melt stove pipe or adjacent combustible materials.

Customize Your Pellet Stove With Pellet Stove Accessories

You have made the decision to purchase and install a pellet stove in your home. Once you get your stove home, you find that maybe you need to make a few upgrades to the appearance of your new stove. The good thing is that most retailers of these units have pellet stove accessories that will enable you to customize your unit and make it your own.

The possibilities are endless, it should be noted that when purchasing your pellet stove is the best time to add upgrades to your unit. The finishes of the handles and legs can be changed up to add character to you stove. By changing the leg shape to a Queen Anne design, you instantly add formality to your stove. Go even further by changing the finish to polished brass or nickel and the look is even more brilliant. Pellet stove accessories are not only the usual fireplace side tool kits, these accessories can truly make your stove as individual as you are.

Pellet stove accessories also include cleaning products to clean the glass and finishes on your stove. There are many different brands and it is best to ask your retailer what they would recommend. You can also purchase products that assist with the maintenance of the pellet stove, high heat silicone, high temperature paint and cleaning rods. A smart and attractive way to store your pellets would be a coal hod. A coal hod is a container that holds your pellets and has a spout to help pour the pellets into the hopper of the stove. They come in different finishes and add an interesting visual impact to your stove area.

Another tool that is used to clean your stove is a special ash vacuum. It is specifically designed to suck up the ashes in your stove. Double flame retardant filters suck up the hot ash and keep the fine particles from dispersing in your home. A word of caution, use only approved vacuums that are specially made for this use. Never use your household vacuum. As you can see pellet stove accessories range from embellishments to the actual stove to the maintenance and repair of the stove. Your local dealer will be able to assist you in what is recommended for the particular model you have purchased.

The decision to buy and use a pellet stove is not only a wise and energy efficient decision, it is the beginning of placing a new heat source in your home. Using pellet stove accessories will enhance your stove and make sure it is not only looking good but also working efficiently.

Wood Stove Accessories

Wood stoves are specially designed stoves that use wood as the source of fuel for combustion and heating. Many varieties of wood stoves are available in the market, which differ in their mode of operation, type of fuel used, brand, the heating capacity, and the type of materials used in their manufacture.

A standard wood stove can have a lot of accessories that can be purchased separately and are normally not supplied by the manufacturer with the product. The most common accessory available is the kettle, which is used for making tea and coffee or heating water on the wood stove. These kettles are available in many different types and materials. The next type of accessory is the stove door that can be fitted as per the need and preference of the user. Generally, glass panels are used for front doors.

The freestanding wood stoves can be fitted with legs of different shapes, sizes and material. This adds a personal touch to the customers' wood stove as they can use the leg piece of their choice. Another important accessory of a wood stove is the ash drawer, which collects the ash produced by the burning wood. It is advisable to select an ash drawer that is sufficiently large so that it does not need frequent cleaning.

Other important accessory used with wood stoves is the soapstone steamer. This is a high-density soapstone that limits the transfer of heat from the stove. It is kept on top of the stove and humidifies the place where the stove is operating because stoves have a tendency to absorb all the moisture in the room. Some customers use a self-powered stove fan, especially in winter, to evenly distribute warm air in the house. Customers can also use their wood stove as a heating device for the entire house with the help of this stove fan.

These wood stove accessories beautifully compliment any kind of wood stove. They are available in local hardware stores or on online shopping sites.

Wood Stoves provides detailed information on Wood Stoves, Wood Pellet Stoves, Outdoor Wood Stoves, Antique Wood Stoves and more. Wood Stoves is affiliated with Kitchen Pot Racks.