How Convection Heating Works in Wood StovesBy JHCadmin, November 29, 2010Did you know that a wood stove is a great space heater? The politically correct term these days is “zone heating,” but essentially, a wood burning stove is designed to heat a specific space in your home (as opposed to central heating, which heats your entire home to the same temperature).Wood stoves heat a space via convection. Convection is the process of conveying or transferring heat energy by moving or circulating air currents from one region to another. A wood stove pulls cool air from across the floor of the room into the bottom of the stove. Hot air is then pushed out and away from the top chamber of the stove.This helpful 1-minute demonstration video from our friends at Travis Industries (manufacturer of Avalon, Lopi, FPX, and Tempest Torch brands), shows how convection heating works: Chapter 6 from Travis Industries on Vimeo.Fan that HeatMany wood stoves enhance the natural convection process via a built-in or optional fan. The fan’s blower moves warm air further into the room at a faster rate, resulting in a more evenly-heated room, better airflow and increased air circulation. A fan won’t make your stove more efficient, but it will make it feel more efficient, because it’ll warm your room faster than a stove without a fan. If you locate a wood stove in a large room or a room with a high or vaulted ceiling, you’ll definitely want to invest in a stove with a fan.The Avalon Olympic Wood Stove pictured at right not only warms objects within the room, but it features a five-sided convection chamber to circulate the air around the stove and push warm air back into the room.At just 2.6 grams of emissions per hour, the Olympic is one of the cleanest-burning large wood stoves ever approved by the EPA. Its large firebox can handle logs up to 24” long, providing up to 12 hours of continuous burn time.Of course, you can order this stove or any Avalon stove from Rich’s five Puget Sound stores in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale. Come on in and warm up! Related articlesThe Advantages of Zone Heating over Central HeatingHow to Choose the Correct Wood Stove Size for Your HomeHow to Correctly Start a Fire in Your Wood StoveWood Stove Tax Credit Good Through End of 2010Subscribe to Rich’s blogSubscribe to our blog via your feed reader or receive our latest posts in your e-mail Inbox. Simply click “Subscribe to this blog’s feed” or fill out the form located in the right-hand sidebar of our blog. ‘Like’ Rich’s on FacebookWe also provide daily tips and Internet-only specials on our Facebook page. Hope you’ll “like” us, and encourage your Facebook friends to join us, too.Recent Articles See All 7 Must-Have Hot Tub and Swim Spa Features Hot Tubs and Swim Spas Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:March 1, 2023 An effective and enjoyable way to get pain relief is in a hydrotherapy spa or swim spa. Powerful jets alleviate body aches, while the buoyancy from the water takes pressure off joints. Read More Rich's New Tigard, Oregon Store: A Chat with Manager Rick Campbell General Articles Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:February 1, 2023 Meet Tigard, Oregon store manager, Rick Campbell, who has been in the hot tub/patio/BBQ business more than 25 years in the Portland metro area. Read More Grill Islands - Easily Create an Outdoor Kitchen in Your Backyard Grills Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:January 2, 2023 Grill islands: Modular outdoor kitchens with grill(s), workspace, fridge, storage, and more. Read More Tartan and Sparkle Holiday Mantel - DIY Tutorial Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 3, 2022 Step-by-step tutorial for your holiday mantel: How to create a classic tartan design. Read More DIY Winter Mantel Décor Tutorials: Golden Magnolia Wreath and Cinnamon Stick Votive Holder Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 2, 2022 DIY Holiday Mantel Decor tutorial: Golden Magnolia wreath and cinnamon stick votive holder. Read More How to Transform Your Mantel to a Winter Wonderland Design Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 1, 2022 We show you how to transform your fall mantel decor to a winter wonderland design easily and quickly! Check out our 15-sec time-lapse photo that shows us making the switcheroo. Read More