Gas
Gas stoves can be added to any room providing heat on demand, with no mess and no odor.
Types
Traditional
- More decorative
- Comes in enamel which is easier to clean and more colorful. However, it can chip.
- Typically somewhat more expensive
Contemporary
- Often less expensive
- Can heat as well as cast iron if it includes a good heat exchanger
Multi-sided
- Allows for viewing from multiple angles
- Typically somewhat more expensive
Applications
Addition to an existing home
Gas stoves can be easily added to an existing home and vented through the existing roof or terminated on an exterior wall. Floor hearth pads can be used if the existing flooring isn’t wood or non-combustible.
New construction
In new construction, venting is installed during framing and the stove is placed on the finished floor/hearth near the end of the job.
Hearth mounted and vented up fireplace
If a gas stove has a rear vent option, it can often be installed in front of the fireplace and vented up through the fireplace like an insert.
Benefits
Zone heating saves money
A stove delivers heat most efficiently to the general area where it is located. If located in a central part of the house and the central heating is turned off or down, the stove will heat the common areas while delivering less heat to the hallways and bedrooms. Heating in this manner generally saves about 20% on heating bills.
Large common areas are often too cold
Large common areas often have large windows and not enough heating ducts. A wood stove can offer supplemental heat and comfort.
No restrictions
Gas inserts have none of the restrictions imposed on burning wood or pellets.
Key decision points
Venting
Gas stoves installed in California must be vented to the outside. Vent-free units are not allowed. Venting can be up through the roof and typically extend about a foot out of the roofline depending upon roof pitch. Venting can also be horizontal out a wall. Venting cannot dip downward and must maintain ¼ inch of rise for every foot of run.
Floor protection or wood flooring is required
Check your stove manual to determine hearth pad/non-combustible flooring requirements. The non-combustible area must be big enough to allow for clearances around the stove. Many gas stoves can be set on wood flooring. Manufactured hearth pads are another excellent choice when adding a stove to an existing home.
Stove heating capacity is key
Heating capacity is a function of BTU’s multiplied by efficiency. Verify that the stove is capable of heating the desired space. Note that some homes are difficult to heat with a zone heater due to lack of insulation or excessive heat transfer to other rooms, upstairs areas, or tall interior ceiling areas.