Village Squire, 1978-12, Page 42loading of the stove and good dry
hardwood.
Why the difference? For one thing
modern stoves are air tight. The best of
these stoves. if all drafts were closed.
would starve for lack of oxygen. By
controlling the amount of oxygen entering
the firebox, the rate of burning can be
maximized.
That accounts for lengthening the time
of burning, but what brings about the
increased efficiency in getting the most
warmth out of the wood?
Well new systems like downdrafts,
secondary air systems and baffles make the
most use out of the wood. All are basically
designed to make sure all possible gases
are burned up before the air is sent up the
chimney. The air is not only burned, but
reburned by directing the smokefilled air
back onto the fire again. A downdraft stove
forces all air to pass down through the
firebed before they can escape through the
flue thereby burning off all usable material
before it is expelled.
The secondary air system puts a stream
of air above firebed which creates a circular
or downward motion which puts the gases
down onto the hot coals so that the gases
are again burned to best advantage.
The baffle system brings much the same
kind of results by using baffles to keep the
smoke from going up the chimney too
quickly.
Many of these new stoves are even
thermostatically controlled, not electrically
to the most minute degree as we're used to
with furnaces but mechanically with high,
medium and low setting. This thermostat
compares the temperature of the air
entering the stove from the room with the
setting on the dial and can increase the
heat by allowing more air into the stove.
Another of the efficiency features of the
new stoves is a system that pre -heats the
air before it enters the firebox by passing it
through a controlled space near the fire.
The new stoves in addition to ease of
operation and efficiency ease one of the
other old bugaboos of wood burning.
Remember the regular ash cleaning you
used to have to undertake? Well the
efficiency of the new stoves means there is
less ash to carry away (and less sooty
smoke for that matter).
The craze for modern wood stoves has
led to a whole flock of new names in stove
manufacturing. There are imported stoves
like Ashley from the U.S. and Jotul from
Norway and Canadian brands like Carmor
and Tempwood, made locally in London
and Canadian Stepstove made in Bobcag-
eon.
There are many kinds of such stoves and
few experts, even among stove dealers. A
ecologically -slanted publication such as
Harrowsmith is often the best source of
detailed information though there are some
dealers who are really hooked on such
stoves and know all the details.
The wood furnace is making a comeback
too. particularly furnaces that can use both
40 Village Squire. December 1978
wood and oil and switch automatically to oil
when the wood fire dies. Even the wood
cookstove is making a comeback among
those who are really concerned either with
cost or with ecology.
And, when you consider the fact that a
cord of hard maple yields as much heat as
111.78 of fuel oil (at 62 cents per gallon),
it's enough to make a body tear around the
house trying to find all the old stove pipe
holes long since covered in.
■
No running.
Ca No walking.
No exercise.
No effort.
Penalty —
a shorter life.
No argument.
0 Fitness is fun.
Try some.
IIININII
Pa,gncPal7/Ofl
Wedding Bells...
and Flowers
So, your wedding date has
been set, and now you are
making the arrangements.
Your flower order is
important. It
can help to
make the
day. and
also provide
many
pleasant
memories.
We would
count it
a privilege
to serve you
on this glad
occasion.
Listowel Florist Ltd.
Ed Van f
LIS TOWEL, ONTARIO
170 Wallace N.
Listowel
Phone 291-2040
When you "say it with
flowers" from Listowel Florist,
"you've said it all."
United No. 461
FTD No. 752675
Hap -E -Nest
184 Diagonal Rd.
Wingham, Ont.
Phone 357-3833
CHRISTMAS TABLE ARRANGEMENTS,
WREATHS, CORSAGES, SILK FLOWERS
FOR EVERY OCCASION.
It's a magical season, filled with dreams come
true! Hope your holiday's brimming with smiles
and laughter!
Thank you for the joy given to us, by your
patronage.
r
Sincerely,
Margaret English.
t