What Temperature Should I Run my Wood Stove At?
The best working range for wood stoves is normally 500 up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit (260 – 370 C) (this is the stove top temp.).
That being said, this is only a general rule of thumb; all stoves are different.
Some run best at 400. Other types perform optimally only when close to 500 degrees. You must look up the actual manual if you want to be sure about the exact temperature range of your wood stove.
Why maintaining the right temperature is important
Lets the stove last longer
If you fail to keep a wood stove going at the correct temperature (especially so for a longer time), you risk breaking it.
This can be anything from chipping its paint to ruining the internal or outer components, which in turn may make the structure fail as well.
Keeps the heat
A wood burner that is being used at higher than needed temperatures is going to use more firewood, that’s a fact.
In other words, more heat is going to be lost inside the actual stove’s firebox than being pushed out into the room.
Fights creosote
If the stove is ran at lower than required temperatures, for example, under 200 degrees (93 C) or so, it’ll allow more creosote to build up inside the chimney.
More creosote means more frequent cleanups, in order to keep the system running smoothly, and prevent the possibility of a chimney fire.
But i need to keep it hot…
No you don’t. If you have a small stove and want to heat a bigger house than it can handle, well, that is not how it should be done.
A blower can help the stove move air far more effectively through the house, so you might just consider getting one of them instead.
But you don’t even need to do that – a simple stove top fan like this VODA on Amazon (link) will do the trick.
how well will a ceiling fan work when it is in the same room as the wood burner as far as distributing the warm air ?
It may work quite well actually, but try to flip the switch so it runs the other way around, that is, pull the air to the ceiling.
I’ve written a whole article about this topic here https://forfirewood.com/what-to-know-when-operating-a-wood-stove-with-a-ceiling-fan/
Knowledge is power thanks for sharing yours.
Our lounge and dining rooms together are assessed to need a 5kw stove. If it’s run at 260deg C, it can be too hot. What do you suggest?
Moving the air around can be a good idea. Placing a stove top fan could do wonders – it’ll disperse the hot air around the room more evenly, and even let some of it get to the other rooms.