How to choose a fireplace or stove?
The first question with a fireplace is not how it looks, but whether it needs to heat or just decorate. Wood and pellet fireplaces and stoves are real heating and need a chimney, while bioethanol and electric fireplaces bring a live flame and atmosphere without a chimney, but don't heat a whole house. In Montenegro almost half of household energy comes from firewood, so a fireplace here is often not just decoration but the main source of heat. Here is how to choose the right type, power and installation, and when you're ready, the whole range is one click away.
- 01
First decide whether you are heating or decorating
This is the decision everything starts from. Wood and pellet fireplaces and stoves give real heat and can heat a whole space, but they need a chimney and somewhere to store fuel. Bioethanol and electric fireplaces work without a chimney and are easy to install, but they are mainly decorative and give supplementary heat, not heating for a whole house. If you are choosing a main source of heating, look at wood or pellet, and if you want atmosphere in an apartment without a chimney, look at bioethanol or electric.
- 02
Choose the power by floor area, not looks
A rough rule is about 1 kW of power for every 10 m² of well-insulated space, so for a 40 m² room about 4 kW is enough. Poorer insulation, high ceilings and lots of glass call for more power, and a well-insulated new apartment for less. Don't buy an overpowered stove “just in case”, because an oversized stove in a small space chokes, runs at half power, dirties the glass and uses more fuel. A stove you would run close to its full power is better than one twice as strong that smoulders all the time.
- 03
Check the chimney before choosing a wood or pellet stove
With any solid fuel stove the chimney is half the story. The flue diameter must match the stove, most often about 150 mm for stoves of 5 to 10 kW, with enough height and a good draught. A poor or unsuitable chimney means weak heating, smoke in the room and dirty glass, however good the stove is. Bioethanol and electric fireplaces don't need a chimney, so they are the solution for apartments and spaces where there isn't one.
- 04
Look at the efficiency and the energy class
Efficiency tells you how much of the fuel's heat actually enters the room instead of going up the chimney. An open hearth returns only a small part of the heat, while modern closed wood stoves have an efficiency of over 65% and pellet stoves over 79%, which is also the minimum EU rules require for new appliances. On the energy label from A++ to G, pellet stoves as a rule reach the top class. Higher efficiency means less fuel for the same heat, so a pricier but more efficient stove pays off over the seasons.
- 05
Count the heating cost and safety, not just the price of the stove
The cheapest heating is wood, pellet is in the middle, and electricity is the most expensive way to heat a space, so an electric fireplace makes sense for atmosphere and top-up heat, not for a whole winter. A pellet stove also uses a little electricity to run. Every solid fuel stove must have a carbon monoxide detector and the required clearance from flammable surfaces, and leave the chimney installation to a professional. Never top up bioethanol fuel while the fireplace is burning or hot.
Frequently asked questions
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