How can I get more heat from my stove?

Author: Stefanie Bruen  |  Last update: Friday, January 9, 2026

Here are seven ways to maximise your stove's efficiency and get the most heat from it.
  1. Choose the right wood.
  2. Keep your flue ways clean and clear.
  3. Use the right size logs (and at the right time)
  4. Use the air controls correctly.
  5. Install a stove heat shield or cast surround.
  6. Use a heat-powered stove fan.

How can I make my stove hotter?

If you're not quite sure how you can do this – here are our top tips on getting the most heat from your wood burning stove!
  1. Use properly seasoned wood. ...
  2. Maintain your fire. ...
  3. Keep the door closed and control the air vents. ...
  4. Circulate the heat. ...
  5. Keep your stove clean.

Why is my stove not giving out much heat?

The most likely explanation here is that not enough fuel is being burnt quickly enough to generate the heat output capabilities. It is really important to get the stove very hot right at the start when first lighting the fire.

Do you get more heat from a wood stove with the door open?

A wood stove will generally heat a room better with the doors closed. Here's why: Heat Retention: Closing the doors helps to contain the heat within the room, allowing the temperature to rise more effectively. Open doors can lead to heat escaping to other parts of the house or outside.

How do you circulate heat from a stove?

Keeping it simple: Open the door

Forced air flow through air ducts with in-line fans on an inset stove Inset stoves often have 2 - 4 hot air duct outlets on top of the stove. You attach class II liner as an air duct to these outlets and run the liner to other rooms.

4 tips for getting more heat from my wood stove with less wood!

How do I get more heat out of my stove?

Here are seven ways to maximise your stove's efficiency and get the most heat from it.
  1. Choose the right wood.
  2. Keep your flue ways clean and clear.
  3. Use the right size logs (and at the right time)
  4. Use the air controls correctly.
  5. Install a stove heat shield or cast surround.
  6. Use a heat-powered stove fan.

How do you circulate radiant heat?

In a radiant heating system, heated fluid is distributed from a warm-water source (e.g. geothermal system, boiler) through plastic tubing that is embedded in the floors, walls, or ceilings of a space. The tubing conducts heat to the exposed surface, which acts like a large, gentle radiator.

How to get more heat out of your wood stove?

  1. Light the fire properly. ...
  2. Use the correct amount of fuel. ...
  3. Maintain an efficient temperature. ...
  4. Control the air flows. ...
  5. Use the right type of fuel. ...
  6. Circulate the heat from your wood stove. ...
  7. Keep your stove clean and well maintained.

Does closing the damper on a wood stove make it hotter?

Use the Damper to Control Heat

Depending on how far open or shut you have the damper, your fire will be smaller and cooler (and burn for longer), or larger and hotter (and burn more quickly). The damper is usually located at the bottom of the stove.

Is it better to keep the wood stove door open or closed?

The short answer is closed. And in most stoves it's better to close the door as soon as possible. The reason is quite simple. With the door closed, your stove is up to 60% more efficient than if you have the door open.

Why is my stove not producing heat?

There are many reasons why a gas stove isn't working. Some of the most common issues include accidentally unplugging the stove, excess food debris, or the gas not being connected properly. While there are many DIY solutions for simple issues, it's usually best to call a service professional to help troubleshoot.

Why is my stove not getting hot enough?

Check the Heating Elements

Inspect the wires – you can start with inspecting the burners' connection. A poor connection or a loose wire may often significantly reduce the performance of your cooktop. Make sure there are no loose connections, the wires are neither rusted nor damaged, and there is no dirt over the wires.

Why does my wood stove barely give off heat?

Air Control Issues

If the stove is not getting enough air, it will not burn properly. Likewise, if it's getting too much air, the stove will burn too hot and waste wood. Here are some common air control issues you may experience with your wood stove: Clogged air intakes.

How do you push heat from a wood stove?

Using a fan to circulate heat

It's one of those immutable laws of the universe, but that doesn't mean you can't move it around. A fan sits on top of your wood burning stove and the heat from your stove will cause the fan to spin (no need to plug anything in!) and subsequently move the heat around the room.

Can you put too much wood in a wood stove?

Overloading your stove with wood provides an excess of fuel, creating a runaway burn that becomes uncontrollably hot whilst also potentially blocking the tertiary air vents and preventing the secondary burn of gases. Too much airflow feeds your fire too much oxygen, causing it to burn excessively.

Why is my stove not burning hot?

Poor air supply – It's important that your stove has a good supply of air. Without such, you will experience a poorly performing fire. You should check the air control settings too and make sure they are not blocked or restricted in anyway.

Do you get more heat with damper open or closed?

The handle to open and close the damper should be above the fireplace opening. To open it, slide it to the right. To create fires that produce more heat, open the damper as wide as possible when lighting a fire. A wide-open damper will increase the amount of air reaching the fire and improve combustion.

How can I improve the efficiency of my wood stove?

Use Dry Wood

Properly dried and seasoned wood, at about 20 percent moisture by weight, has about 12 percent more available energy in it than if you use it when it is freshly cut at 45 percent moisture. On top of that, residential wood stoves tend to burn more efficiently when using dry wood.

Can I leave the flue open overnight?

If you're leaving the home or retiring for the evening, always close the glass doors but leave the flue open.

How do I get the most heat out of my stove?

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  1. Use a stove pipe thermometer.
  2. Burn only dry, seasoned wood for better combustion.
  3. Use a heat shield to direct more heat into the room.
  4. Harness your stove's heat for cooking and boiling the kettle.
  5. Check the seals on your stove.
  6. Don't overfill the stove – allow for air circulation.

Should I put a fan behind my wood stove?

As we've mentioned above, a stove fan can increase the efficiency of your stove and because it circulates heat for your fire you're less likely to experience cold spots in the room.

What wood stove puts out the most heat?

wood stove BLAZE KING King Ultra. At 88% efficiency (82% HHV) the King Ultra is the most efficient wood stove in the world. This allows you to get the most heat out of your wood to reduce your heating costs. The King has the largest and deepest firebox of any stove on the market and is for serious wood burners.

Why is my radiant heat not getting hot?

This can be caused by a faulty thermostat or zone value or damaged heating cables or mats. The culprit could also be tripped circuit breakers, where your electrical box is tripped by faulty or broken wiring, or over-consumption of electricity.

How do you get heat to circulate?

First, if you also have forced air, turn the fan on to help circulate heat. Make sure your ceiling fans rotate clockwise so they pull cool air up off the floor and push warm air down. And also keep them running at their lowest speed. If you don't, you'll simply feel the chill from the cool breeze they create.

What is the downside of radiant heat?

Electric radiant heating can be expensive to operate, depending on local electricity rates. Hydronic systems are expensive to install. Radiant heat is difficult to retrofit and may require major renovations.

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