What is better for heating the house stove or fireplace. Fireplace or stove: which is better

Fireplace

The fireplace is able to decorate a country house, harmoniously fit into any interior. It will quickly heat up the room, but not for long. Therefore, you will need a complete heating system. The choice of a fireplace is based on the purpose of its installation.

If you need heat in the house, and, therefore, you will often use the equipment, then the best option would be with closed hearth fireplace. You can buy it both for a summer residence and (on the top floor) for a city house. The design of the closed furnace involves a self-cleaning and fire-resistant glass damper that closes the hearth. This fireplace model is as safe as possible and has a high efficiency, economically consuming firewood.

To install a fireplace with a purely aesthetic purpose, use "interior" fireplaces. Such models provide for an open firebox (without a glass damper). An important point here is the obligatory supervision of the burning hearth. Special screens, gratings are required to protect against "shooting" coals or clumsily thrown firewood by children. However, such measures do not provide a complete guarantee. In addition, it is difficult to control the consumption of firewood in an open fireplace. Therefore, if you want the bewitching flames and the relaxing crackling of wood to delight your guests all evening, you will have to stock up on an impressive pile of dry firewood.

Another type of fireplace is a BBQ fireplace. These are open structures that are installed outdoors. They are also called outdoor grills. This model is relevant for people who often use the cottage for culinary feasts with barbecues, barbecues, etc. When choosing such a fireplace, it is important to remember to regularly clean it from residues and splashes of your cooking.

Attention!

The fireplace must be installed in a spacious room (at least 20 m), bypassing the path of possible drafts.

The fireplace wall must be made of fireproof materials and devoid of passages of any communications.

If the fireplace is installed against an external wall, do not forget about its external (!) thermal insulation. To do this, you can use basalt wool covered with foil.

It is important to take care of the strength of the floor. A concrete screed or a platform made of a metal profile is required (in a wooden house).

Bake

The stove is good where, but long-term maintenance of heat is necessary. And although it does not warm up the room quickly, the effect is quite long. Building a stove on your own, which our grandfathers and great-grandfathers had, is a complicated and tricky business. Here you need a reliable master. In the absence of such, you can choose a simplified option - buy a stove (household, metal).

When choosing, you should consider the basic requirements:

1. The efficiency of the furnace should be 75-85%. This can be found in the instructions. Otherwise, the cost of firewood can significantly hit your pocket.

2. No less important is the fire safety of the furnace. Find out if you have the appropriate certification.

3. The selected stove must fit harmoniously into the room at an appropriate distance from the wall and the presence of a chimney.

Attention!

The weight of the oven is very significant. Therefore, take care of the strength of the floor. Concrete floors or a foundation will help to strengthen it.

fireplace stove

A fireplace stove for a summer residence is perhaps the most ideal option for those who find it difficult to make a choice. This design perfectly combines the advantages of a fireplace and a stove. It quickly warms up the room and keeps it warm for a long time. Aesthetic effect can be achieved thanks to a well-chosen cladding.

What to choose? Stove or fireplace?

The answer to the question of what to choose a stove or depends, first of all, on the main practical purpose of the hearth, as well as on the lifestyle and established habits of family members, on the room in which the hearth should be placed, and on the location of the rest of the furniture in the room.

Since any stove and any fireplace (except decorative) always has a greater mass than any piece of furniture, its location in the room is best experimented by sketching on paper first. However, there are quite objective criteria that determine the location of the fireplace. Read more on how to position the fireplace.

The choice of the type of stove/fireplace is determined by the tastes of the individual and also by the space in question, so it is not possible to give comprehensive recommendations as to which type of Fireplace would be most appropriate to meet the various needs of particular families. This article discusses only some of the general rules and issues that should be studied in detail by anyone who intends to choose a hearth for their premises before making a final decision.

The first question you should ask yourself is: why is a hearth needed in this room?

1. Stove or fireplace as a heating device

To maintain a constant air temperature in the room, a small power is required (less than 1 kW, as a rule, 0.3 ... 0.6 kW per room), but it must act evenly over a long time. This means using a very small flame, a heating device of small size or with a low surface temperature (in the range of 35 ... 40 ° C). This is most easily achieved with the help of large massive stoves, heated once or twice a day.

The second circumstance that must be taken into account when choosing a stove or fireplace as a heating device is to find out what a person expects from heating. "Heating" is a term used to refer to two significantly different concepts:

heating to increase the air temperature (for example, in autumn in a bathhouse or in a summer house);

heating to maintain a constant air temperature (for example, in the main apartment).

To increase the air temperature, a certain power (kW) is required, moreover, the greater in magnitude, the faster they want to increase the air temperature in the room. In practice, this is achieved either as a result of using a large flame (when a large thermal radiation is achieved), or as a result of a high surface temperature of the heating device.

A number of heating devices are suitable both for increasing the room temperature and for maintaining a constant room temperature. An example is a heating and heat storage fireplace (Fig. 1), which has a connecting device to the chimney both in its upper part (when using the fireplace in summer mode) and in the lower part (when using the fireplace as a heating stove during the heating season).


Rice. 2 - Principal graph of the relationship between the efficiency of many heating systems and the degree of their use. The lower the degree of use of the heating system, the lower its efficiency and the greater the fuel consumption (the figures on the graph explain the example in the text): 1 - heat loss, 2 - heat accumulator, 3 - heating battery, 4 - heating system boiler

Rice. 3 - Fuel consumption is the greater, the greater the excess of the required power for the selected system in a given residential building and for a given family

In addition, there are various additional devices for stoves and fireplaces, with which you can quickly get a lot of heat (to increase the air temperature in the room). When these devices are closed, the hearth turns into a heat storage device (to maintain a constant temperature in the room).

The question of the functioning of the hearth as a heating device (used to raise the temperature or maintain it constant) is the most important when choosing the type of hearth.

1.1. Heating of a residential building. In order to choose the right heating device for a permanent home, the owner must have an idea of the required heating capacity for his apartment and the required amount of fuel for this.

In the conditions of our country, as a rule, it is not required at all to heat residential premises for about three to four months. The most common need for heating, the power of a residential building with a useful area of about 100 ... 120 m 2 is 3 ... 4 kW. Peak demand for heating power (12 kW) occurs only during short periods with intervals of 3 ... 5 years. The length of time during which half the peak demand (ie 6 kW) is required to be used is only a few of the most severe frost weeks.

Most of the fuel (2/3 ... 3/4) is consumed during heating according to the most common heating power consumption mode (3 ... 4 kW) and only about 10% of this amount of fuel is consumed when using half of the peak heating power (more than 6 kW).

From what has been said, it follows that a good heating system would have to function efficiently in a very wide range of thermal power. Unfortunately, the ratio between the coefficient of performance (COP) of both modern systems (heating) and the degree of their use remains the same, as shown in fig. 2. The lower the degree of their use, the lower the efficiency and the greater the fuel consumption.

From the analysis of the data given in fig. 2, it follows that:

if a heating system with a power of 12 kW is chosen for heating a small residential building with an efficiency of this system of 75% for a design power of 12 kW (this efficiency is very high), then if this heating system is operated at a power of 3 kW (i.e. That is, with a degree of use of 25%), the efficiency will be only 19%. Therefore, the fuel consumption increases by more than 5 times compared with theoretical calculations;

if a heating system with too high power (for example, 25 kW) is installed in a residential building for greater reliability, its efficiency at an actual power of 3 kW (with a degree of utilization of the installed power equal to 12%) will decrease to 9%; in other words, fuel consumption in this case will increase by almost 11 times compared to the calculated value;

if a heating system with a capacity of only 6 kW is installed in a residential building, then the efficiency of this system when it is operated at a power of 3 kW at a utilization rate of 50% is already about 40% and fuel consumption is only 1/2 of the corresponding value for a power of 12 kW and only 1/4 of the corresponding value for a heating system with a power of 25 kW.

Thus, the most favorable in terms of energy and fuel consumption is an excessive excess of the heating system power in comparison with the calculated one.

How is the heating of the above-mentioned residential building carried out during the period of several frosty weeks, if the demand for heating power exceeds 6 kW? In such a residential building, a second, auxiliary, system is installed, which is used only during these few frosty weeks. Such a system is called a twofold system. Despite the higher capital costs (for the purchase of equipment), such a heating system will always be more economical in terms of fuel consumption. Even if the capacity of a wood heating system is only 50% of the maximum capacity requirement, however, only 90% of the required amount of heat can be generated with its help. The share of the auxiliary heating system in this case is only 10% of the required amount of generated thermal energy.

Rice. 4 - If the hearth is intended for heating the entire residential building, then care should be taken in advance about the correct distribution of heat in the house. The hearth should be placed in the center of the room (A). It is necessary to ensure the required heat transfer, for example, with the help of valves (b). Despite the fact that air heating provides efficient heat distribution (V), however, this heat distribution may stop when the electric heating devices are de-energized. Warm air will freely rise up even in the absence of electricity in the house (g); 1 - common room 2 - kitchen 3 - bedroom, 4 - hallway, 5 - dining room

The final choice of a heating device for a permanent living space also depends on whether the purpose of this device includes the function of heating a residential building completely or only one or several rooms. If it is required to heat only part of the rooms with this device, then its heat output should be low (less than 1 kW), but continuous for a long time. The most typical hearths of this type are brickwork ovens and various brick walls with internal cavities (Fig. 1). If a residential building is heated completely, then this device must have a higher surface temperature or be larger than a stove designed to heat one room. These types of fires are hollow brick walls and some prefabricated fires that can be connected to a heat distribution network. In this case, special attention should be paid to the uniform distribution of heat throughout the apartment (Fig. 4).

1.2 Heating of the cottage represents a more difficult task than the continuous maintenance of the normal temperature of a permanent living space. At first, the country house needs to be heated quickly (high power demand for a short time) and then kept warm (small power demand for a long time). As a rule, the best end result is achieved by choosing the appropriate heating devices for each case.

Fireplaces, hearths such as wood-burning stoves, fireplace stoves and some hearths such as fireplaces, in which circulation and heating of room air are carried out, are suitable for quick heating of a living space. To maintain a constant air temperature in the room, such heavy hearths as brick stoves, combined fireplace stoves, kitchen stoves (cooking stoves), etc. are most suitable.

If only one hearth can be installed in a country house, a brick oven in the form of a stove will be most appropriate. Its burner sheet functions as a device for quickly heating the air in the room, and the heavy frame serves as a heat accumulator. As other alternative solutions on this issue, various hearths, fireplaces or stoves with additional devices can be considered.

2. Using the oven for cooking

Of the hearths intended for cooking (Fig. 5), the wood-burning stove is distinguished by the most versatile use. With it, you can cook, fry, heat, stew, bake. The oven is suitable for baking bakery and confectionery products, as well as for cooking that requires long stewing in pots to bring to readiness. The various grilling hearths and roasting racks may only be used for cooking meat.

If the hearth is intended mainly for creating comfort and cooking, then it is usually placed in the recreation room, on the veranda, in the kitchen in the yard, under the grill shed, in the fireplace room, etc. Outwardly, this the hearth has a very attractive appearance. Typically, these are open hearths, hearths for grilling or grilling, as well as smokehouses and sometimes small stoves (Fig. 6).


	Rice. 5 - Despite the talk about the energy crisis, there is a tendency to increase the heating efficiency of an open hearth by building heat-storage hearths. An open hearth is not a heating device, but only a source of mood and decoration of the room

	Rice. 5 - The incinerator must ensure combustion at the highest possible temperature. The grate, visible through the lower air intake window, is a grate located between the third and fourth layers of bricks

If the hearth is used daily or almost daily for cooking, its location should be the kitchen, summer kitchen, annex, shed, etc. Since stoves, ovens, grills and grills are also intended for use in the summer, it is advisable to ensure the removal of excess heat from them to the outside. The most common solution is to equip the hearths with an over-tiled hood (smoke box) with smoke and steam removed to the outside through a large diameter pipe. In winter, heat losses during cooking can be used for space heating by closing the chimney dampers.

3. The hearth as an interior decoration and a source of mood

The human desire to enjoy the lively play of flames, the crackling of fire, warmth and even the smell of smoke led to the use of the hearth as a source of mood. Such foci are always placed near the premises for the stay of people. Often these hearths are largely adjacent to the rest of the interior and correspond to its style (Fig. 5). At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the heat transfer of the foci, which should not be too large so that people do not experience discomfort from the heat.

The most typical hearth that creates comfort in the premises is a fairly open fireplace.

Recently, in connection with the problem of energy saving, many have become unjustifiably critical of the use of a fireplace, since an open fireplace is not intended for space heating. They strive to improve the thermal characteristics of the hearth by developing and creating, in particular, heat-storing hearths, combined fireplaces with an open hearth and stoves with an open hearth, hearths that circulate warm air, energy-saving hearths, hearths equipped with an entrance dampers, etc. However, all such hearths are compromises between two opposing needs: efficiency and romance. Romanticism is created through the use of a large and voluminous fire chamber, and efficiency, i.e. heat generation, is ensured by the use of a small closed fire chamber.

4. Stove or fireplace as a waste disposal device

Open hearths, stoves, stoves, brick ovens under boilers, hearths under grates for frying, stoves and stoves are not at all intended for burning waste. Obviously, many have themselves experienced how, when cardboard plates, plastic glasses, sausage peels and other garbage are burned in the fire chamber of the bath, smoke covers the entire surrounding area.

High temperature is required for effective destruction of waste. The higher the operating temperature of such a device, the less smoke and smell occurs when waste is burned. Waste should be burned outdoors in the most peaceful and protected area of the site. Burning is carried out in large quantities in a certain sequence. On Fig. 5 shows a "barrel furnace" for burning waste, located in the thick of trees and shrubs. Garbage accumulates next to the barrel oven in a place protected by bushes. Waste is burned 2-3 times a year. Burning is started by filling the barrel oven with safe waste - pieces of wood, knots, paper, grass, etc., poured with fuel oil and then set on fire. The round shape of the barrel oven contributes to the rapid increase in temperature inside it. During the first 3-5 minutes, the above-mentioned waste is burned, after which it is possible to load plastic, fabrics, etc. After 20-30 minutes of operation of the barrel oven, hardly burning waste can be burned in it almost without smoke: rubber galoshes, plastic canisters and even glass. Less than one hour is required to destroy the many months of incinerable waste of a family of four. To maintain the temperature inside the barrel oven during burning, it is necessary to have a supply of dry firewood, chips or scraps of boards. Metal barrels for burning garbage are unsuitable. They become so heated that it is impossible to approach them, and, moreover, their walls burn out quite quickly.

5. Other circumstances affecting the choice of stove or fireplace

The dimensions of the hearth, as a rule, are determined based on the area of \u200b\u200bthe room in which it will be built.

The shape of the hearth, in turn, depends on the specific interior and place in the room. If the issue of maintaining the style of furniture in the room is important for the family, then the appearance of the hearth should correspond to this style. In some cases, this may be a tiled stove, in others - an ascetic brick vertical stove without any surface finish. The shape of the base for the hearth is chosen depending on whether the hearth will be placed along a straight wall, in the corner of a room, or will be a kind of dividing wall between rooms.

Design features and the general layout of the house can also affect the choice of hearth. If the house has a loose floor with a wooden flooring that is weak in design, then a brick hearth cannot be erected on it. In this case, the only alternatives remain light in design, prefabricated hearths. They are also suitable in cases where there is no brick pipe in the house or it cannot be built.

08.05.2017
8738
Pechnik (Moscow)

Many owners of private houses want to place a heating installation in their apartments. Such a hearth allows not only to make the atmosphere as cozy and comfortable as possible, but also to acquire a source that brings warmth.

Another question that arises in this case is what is better - a stove or a fireplace? It is impossible to find an unambiguous answer to this question, since both units have their own exclusive features and advantages. However, a choice is possible. To do this, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the materials of this article and view photos of ready-made installations.

Fireplace for a private house

A fireplace is an original part of any interior, it symbolizes warmth and comfort. Such an installation allows you to create a positive, favorable and warm atmosphere in the house. The advantages include a unique opportunity to make such a heating unit with your own hands.

When choosing such a model, you should first of all decide on its main function and thereby decide which stove or fireplace is better:

Open. Primarily performs a decorative function. Such devices have an original and excellent appearance. This is primarily due to the open hearth. This allows you to contemplate the fire from any angle and from a convenient angle. The disadvantages include low efficiency. The design, due to the open type of hearth, warms up very slowly and unevenly, which does not allow to heat the house well and fully:
Closed. It has a more classic and familiar look to the eye. The hearth is closed on three or four sides. Cast iron, metal or refractory glass can be used as partitions. Such units are specially designed for heating and have a sufficiently high efficiency, quickly warm up and evenly distribute heat throughout all apartments.

Important: if you decide to assemble a fireplace designed for heating, pay special attention to its power and location. Place it in the largest spacious, central room of the house. The best fireplaces for your home are those that are the right size and power for all the areas you want to heat.

You can learn more about the benefits of fireplaces by watching the video in this article.

Choice of combustion chamber

In addition to the external features of open and closed foci, there are a number of secondary, but no less important, which should also be taken into account when choosing a model. This will help you answer the question: fireplace or stove, which is better?

Closed structures are more economical. This is due to the long process of burning logs. Completely closed design of the hearth, allows firewood to flare up well and slowly and heat the premises;
The price of fuel for open hearths is quite high, since an open base with constantly circulating and air entering it contributes to the rapid burning of logs and coals;
Pay attention to the way the duct is constructed. The quality of heating and the rate of removal of combustion products, carbon dioxide, depend on how correctly the chimney is located.

Important: compared to open models, closed ones have a higher cost due to their functionality and useful properties. However, much depends on the size of the selected installation, its location, materials of manufacture and power.

Tip: for full-fledged and high-quality work of such a design, it is necessary to equip the chimney and pre-seal the inside of the installation with special heat-inertia materials, which can be used as talcomagnesite.

Features of installation and installation

In order for the structure to be installed in accordance with all the rules and function properly, it is necessary to adhere to a number of simple requirements. Instructions for use and installation:

If you bought a unit with a fully or partially open combustion chamber, choose a place as far as possible from various drafts, window and door openings. Such accommodation is the safest for both the house and the residents living in it;
Choose a spacious room with good ventilation. This will make the air flow regular and allow the flame to flare up well;
If the structure is adjacent to the wall, it must first be sealed and insulated with special materials. It is equally important to cover the floor covering with protective compounds and materials, at a distance of one meter from all sides of the heating installation;
Do not install the structure near the load-bearing walls of the house. With this arrangement, all the heat will go exclusively into the walls, and the fireplace will not heat the house;
If the weight of the fireplace together with the hearth has a total mass of more than 300 kilograms, it becomes necessary to install an additional foundation.

Furnace for a private house

If you do not know which is better - a stove or a fireplace, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the main features of the stove heating unit. The stove, unlike the fireplace, was created exclusively for heating the room. This option is very high power, functionality and productive work.

As a rule, furnaces have a fairly large mass. That is why it is necessary to start designing and installing such a model even at the stage of building a house. You will also need to build an additional foundation so that the flooring can support the weight of the unit.

Important: when carrying out and drafting a project, pay special attention to the size, power and location of the furnace. It is best to entrust the construction and development of the project to a professional master who can take into account all the features of the design and the house itself.

Tip: for uniform and quick heating of all apartments, the unit is best placed in the largest and most spacious room. Prefer an island location.

Interesting to know: a properly designed and installed stove can be smaller than a fireplace and still be up to five times more efficient!

Furnace classification

These heating systems are divided into the following types:

Metal. are the most functional. As a rule, they include not only the heating function, but also a built-in hob. Models are intended for heating and cooking. Some models may have an oven. Installation of this design is an alternative for houses located in areas with constant interruptions in gas and electricity;
Stone. Used exclusively for heating. Able to keep warm for 9-13 hours. They are distinguished by their efficiency in terms of firewood consumption and are easy to install and decorate.

Important: enamel or heat-resistant paint is used as a finishing material for both options. Dark shades are more popular due to the less noticeable darkening that occurs as a result of contact of the material with an open flame.

Combined stove and fireplace

When choosing the optimal and most suitable model, very often people ask themselves the question: what is better than a fireplace or a fireplace stove?

Models such as fireplace stoves are universal and combine all the positive qualities and properties of both installations. Their benefits and features include:

Good heat retention as in classic furnace units;
Fast and uniform heating like fireplaces;
Partially open combustion chamber allows you to enjoy an impeccable view of a burning and bright flame;
The design features are the presence of two combustion chambers at once, one of which is closed with special refractory transparent glass. The second, in turn, is made of cast iron or steel.

Powerful furnace with main and additional combustion chamber and enamel. On combined models, you can also cook food, but the location of such surfaces is rather inconvenient.

What to choose?

After a detailed acquaintance with all the features, advantages and disadvantages of each device, you can make the right choice guaranteed.

Criterias of choice:

Decide on the main functionality and purpose. What exactly will you need it for (decoration, heating, cooking);
For heating, classic stove units or fireplaces with completely closed combustion chambers are perfect;
For cooking, a functional oven with a hob is suitable;
The decorative function is perfectly performed by classic fireplaces with an open firebox;
Much depends on the stage of construction of the house. If it is under construction, you can choose any model and type of device;
Furnaces are installed taking into account the construction of an additional foundation and the design takes place at the construction stage;
If the house is already ready and renovated, it is preferable to buy a fireplace;
Pay attention to fire safety. This applies both to sealing the internal space of the unit and to the chimney.

It is impossible to give an exact answer, which is better than a stove or a fireplace. Each device has its own positive and negative properties, characteristics. First of all, when choosing, it is necessary to focus on the individual characteristics of the room and the compliance of the model with the presented requirements on your part.

Most owners of country houses need to place a heating structure for their home. Installing a stove or fireplace can help with this. This type of heating makes it possible to acquire coziness and comfort at home.When choosing a design, the question arises - a fireplace or a stove, which is better? There is no single answer here, because each design has its own advantages and disadvantages. But you need to make a choice, so we suggest that you read this article and see the finished ones.

Stoves fireplaces - design

A home fireplace is an original part of the design and interior, it brings a cozy atmosphere and a favorable atmosphere to the home. The advantage is the ability to make a fireplace stove for the home with your own hands.

To select the desired design, you need to understand the main functions and then decide which fireplace or stove is better:

— Open firebox. It mainly has a decorative component. Such views have a beautiful appearance, because they make it possible to enjoy an open fire. The disadvantage of such a focus is the low efficiency. This type of hearth heats up slowly and rather unevenly, which interferes with high-quality heating. This type of firebox is often used in outdoor fireplaces and stoves for a country house, since when used outdoors, the heating function is not needed, more attention is paid to the cooking function.

— Closed furnace. Performed in a classic and familiar appearance. The hearth is closed on all sides. The material for doors and partitions is metal or tempered glass. These types of hearth are ideal for heating with a fairly high efficiency. They have fast heating and even distribution of heat throughout the room.

Important: if you are going to install a fireplace as heating, then you need to pay attention to the power of the unit and its location. You need to install it in the center of the room. The best fireplace will be the one whose power will correspond to the area of \u200b\u200bthe room.

Fireplace or oven which is better ?

External differences play a big role, but there are secondary features that also need to be considered when choosing.

Closed-type structures are the most economical, because the firewood in them burns more slowly. This allows the room to warm up better. In open structures, the air supply is not limited by anything, which allows the firewood to burn out quickly, respectively, fuel consumption increases, which increases fuel costs.

Particular attention should be paid to the design of the air supply and the correctness of the flue system. The quality of heating and removal of combustion products depends on this.

Important: compared to open types, closed types are more expensive due to improved functionality and properties. But a lot will depend on the size of the chosen fireplace, the installation location, the material used and the power of the unit.

Do-it-yourself stoves and fireplaces, features of installation and installation

A number of rules and requirements must be followed in order to properly install the structure and fully use its functionality. Brief installation and application guide:

- if you have acquired the appearance of an open firebox, then you need to choose a place away from windows and doors, so that there are as few drafts as possible. Such a place will be safer for the house and people.
- the room should have good ventilation, this gives a regular flow of air and allows the fire to burn well.
- in case of installation of the structure along the wall, it is necessary to perform protective thermal insulation. It is also important to make the base of non-combustible materials so that it protrudes about a meter around the stove.
- the unit should not be mounted near load-bearing walls, in this arrangement the heat will go into the walls, and there will not be enough heat to warm up the room.
- if the mass of the fireplace is more than 250 kg, it will be necessary to make an additional foundation.

Brick fireplace stove

Stove fireplace with oven and hob

A stove with a fireplace and a stove is mounted for heating a country house. A distinctive feature is the exceptional heat transfer and heating efficiency. Such furnaces are quite heavy, so you need to plan such a design at the stage of building a country house. It is also necessary to build a separate foundation for the furnace. Because the floor will not be able to withstand it.

Tip: for full heating of all rooms, the stove must be installed in the most spacious room. Preference is given to the island location.

Structural characteristics

Stove fireplaces with a stove are the most functional; in addition to heating, they have a stove that allows you to cook food. Some types have a built-in oven. Such a design will be necessary for country houses, where there are interruptions in electricity and gas.

Brick ovens are mainly used for heating. After heating, the heat is retained for up to 12 hours. Economical in terms of firewood consumption, not very difficult to install and well decorated.

Brick fireplace stoves are the most versatile, they combine all the best qualities of previous types of installations. These qualities include quick warming up like a fireplace, a furnace door with glass allows you to admire the fire. A distinctive feature is the presence of two fireboxes, one made of metal and the other covered with glass.

Important: the disadvantages include the lack of air distribution, this will not allow heating more than one room.

For exterior decoration, ceramic or enamel is suitable. On combined stoves, fireplaces can cook food, but they are less convenient to use.

Fireplace or oven which is better, what to choose?

After getting acquainted with the features, you need to decide on the functions you need:

- conventional stoves or fireplaces with a closed firebox are suitable for heating
- for cooking it is better to choose an oven with a hob
- for the beauty of the interior, you can install a fireplace with an open firebox

Based on the foregoing, there is no exact answer which is better. Each type has its pros and cons. Priority is given to your requirements and features of the premises.

One of the advantages that the owners of all private houses have is the ability to choose a heating system. Of course, at present, an increasing number of them prefer "apartment" options - boilers and heaters, because they are more practical and functional. However, the fireplace and stove did not disappear without a trace and are also used quite often, because they have always been identified (and continue to do so) with real living warmth and comfort.

Fireplace or stove - which is better?

Thinking about what to install in the house: a fireplace or a stove, many people cannot make a final decision for quite a long time. But making a choice is actually not so difficult, you just need to think a little ahead.

For example, first of all, you need to decide what functions the system you are installing will perform, only heating or also cooking. In the latter case, you will definitely need an oven.

The next thing to consider is the amount of work that needs to be done. Of course, if the house is still at the stage of project development, then there is not much difference what to choose, apart from personal preferences. But in the finished building, the difference between the equipment of the fireplace and the stove will be significant. The latter, for example, will require a lot of space for its base, as well as laying chimney channels, including between floors, we read - how to make a chimney with your own hands. The fireplace in this regard is less demanding and easier to install.

Although, on the other hand, ready-made metal structures are currently being sold, even attached ones, which only need to be overlaid with bricks to get a real furnace. The coefficient of efficiency (hereinafter - efficiency) of such a furnace reaches 80 percent, while it is much lighter and easier to install in the traditional version.

So today the dilemma, stove or fireplace, is solved only by one's own sympathies and preferences, or by installing a hybrid system. I want to advise you on how to make a fireplace with your own hands.

Hybrid stoves and fireplaces.

One of the hybrid varieties of stoves and fireplaces is a fireplace stove, which incorporates the advantages of both a stove and a fireplace. Its main advantage (especially for those who rarely heat the house and do not visit it regularly) is the ability to quickly heat up and retain heat for a long time. All this is ensured by the design of the device, because the fireplace stove combines 2 fireboxes at once in one case, one of which is equipped with a glass door.

In addition to these features, the hybrid system also differs from the fireplace in the principle of operation: the fireplace heats the room due to the fire in the open firebox, and the fireplace stove heats the heat coming from the walls. The efficiency of the latter is 70-80 percent (for comparison: the efficiency of the fireplace is only 15 percent).

By the way, in addition to heating the room, the fireplace stove also allows you to cook food, for this it has special burners. True, the temperature of cooking, as you understand, is extremely difficult to adjust here.

Stove or fireplace video