How it works
Flueency mathOpen area = room length × room width + connected open space. A heater appears when its maker-stated heating area is at least that open area, smallest adequate rating first.
Why closest fitEPA's buying advice sorts stoves by the job: small stoves for a family room or seasonal cottage, medium stoves for small houses and medium-sized energy-efficient houses, large stoves for large open areas. An oversized stove gets run on a low, smouldering fire, which EPA says is neither safe nor efficient.
LimitsMakers rate heating area for an open, reasonably insulated space, and they don't all rate it the same way. Use the result as a shortlist, then check each heater's manual for clearances, venting and floor protection. How to size a wood stove explains the details.
Common questions
What size wood stove do I need for 1,000 square feet?
One whose maker-stated heating area is at least 1,000 square feet, ideally not far above it. Measure the open area around where the stove will stand rather than the whole house.
Should I include the bedrooms?
Only if they open widely onto the stove room. Heat reaches rooms behind doors and down hallways poorly, so most homes zone heat the main living area with a stove.
Why not just buy the biggest stove?
A stove far bigger than its space gets choked down to avoid overheating the room, and a smouldering fire smokes and builds creosote.