Wood Stoves

Think of a wood stove as a little powerhouse for your home. You load firewood inside, light a fire, and the stove locks in the heat which radiates cozy warmth throughout your space all season long.

A wood stove burns firewood inside a sealed firebox, where air flow is carefully controlled. The stove’s design allows the fire to burn hotter and more efficiently than an open fireplace, radiating heat through the stove’s body and circulating warm air into your living space.

Catalytic wood stoves use a built-in catalytic combustor that helps burn smoke and gases at lower temperatures, which increases efficiency and extends burn times. Non-catalytic stoves don’t use a combustor—instead, they rely on firebox design and secondary air tubes to achieve a clean burn. Both options are EPA-certified and efficient, but catalytic models are best for long, steady heat, while non-catalytic models are simpler to operate and maintain.

The best type of wood to burn in a wood stove is seasoned firewood – AKA, wood that has been dried out for at least 6 to 12 months.

Burning wet or unseasoned wood leads to smoky fires, creosote buildup in your chimney, and poor heat output. Unseasoned or wet wood will also not provide enough heat, as the heat is wasted by steaming off the water in the wood. If you hear hissing or see bubbling sap when your firewood burns, it’s not ready yet. Invest in a moisture meter to check – your firewood should have a moisture content below 20% for optimal performance.

The most common places we see wood stoves added to residential homes are living rooms or family rooms and basements. The best thing to keep in mind is that a wood burning stove requires access to outdoor ventilation through a chimney pipe, so it’s best to add one where you feel comfortable adding a chimney to your home or where an existing chimney and open fireplace exist.

The average cost of a wood stove ranges between $2,000 and $5,000 for the price of the stove itself, depending on the stove’s size and features. However, a wood stove won’t work without the proper installation, including venting, labor, and parts required to operate. The final price tag of your project depends on your current layout and the complexity of the installation.

To understand the projected cost of your wood stove installation project, get a free estimate from our team by calling 978-355-6343 or clicking here. This way, you can choose a stove that fits your price range and we will estimate what your project will cost without all the hidden fees and guesswork.

To keep your wood stove fire burning brightly, regular weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance is required to ensure that your wood stove remains safe and fully operational. Aside from burning the proper fuel (seasoned, kiln-dried local firewood), there are several cleaning tasks you can do at home to make sure your stove is running at its full potential.

Book a yearly maintenance appointment for your wood stove with a team of professionals, like Higgins Energy Alternatives service team or your local dealer.

The glass on your stove will become dirty after a few fires. It will also become dirty if burning wet wood, burning slowly, or if adequate air flow and draft is not available. Professional grade, non-ammonia glass cleaners are available for purchase at Higgins Energy that will not harm your stove glass.

Spray the inside and outside of the glass with a non-ammonia wood stove grade glass cleaner and wipe using a paper towel. If you do not have a non-ammonia wood stove grade glass cleaner, you can dip a wet paper towel into the ash inside the stove and wipe it directly onto the inside of the glass. Ash is abrasive and corrosive, so it will break down any residue on the inside of your stove glass.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ONLY use a non-ammonia glass cleaner to clean your wood stove glass! The heat from the stove will cause residue from an ammonia-based cleaner to be permanently “etched” onto the stove glass that is then impossible to remove. The alkaline properties of ammonia are too harsh for high-temperature surfaces and can lead to irreversible damage, discoloration, and streaks.