How to choose the Correct Wood Fire

Here at Wright’s we supply and install the most popular types and styles of Wood Fires in New Zealand – all from leading New Zealand manufacturers.

This guide will illustrate why installing a Wood Fire is a very cost effective way of heating your home and what each type of Wood Fire actually does – all to help you make an informed decision to go wood.

Firstly, all wood burning Fires sold by Wright’s are made here in New Zealand. They meet the highest International and NZ NES & ECAN “Clean Air Approved” emission standards. 

Why Choose a Wood Burner? ... Because Wood Is Good!

• Wood is carbon neutral. Burning wood is a high-speed decomposition version of what happens naturally in the forest.

• Wood requires no electricity to burn.

• Wood in NZ is plentiful and mostly fully sustainable.

• New Wood Fire emissions and carbon footprint is lower than any other heat source.

• Wood Fires dry out damp houses, turning them into warm, healthy homes.

• Pay back can be as little as three and a half years against present electricity pricing.

• If you can obtain FREE firewood, the cost of heating your home is virtually NIL.

• Finally, if you can obtain FREE firewood; No Power Bills, No Carbon Tax, No Environment Tax, No Excise Duty. No GST. 

Which style of Wood Fire Style?

Open Wood Fire and Hearth (Old Style)
This wood fire type has been banned by an increasing number of local authorities. The easiest way to upgrade this fire type is to install a suitable Insert Wood Fire into the open fire cavity. 

Freestanding Style
Freestanding Wood Fires are generally the most popular, easiest and cheapest to have installed. Since 2013 the efficiency designed into these fire styles has put Wood Fires back on the map as the most cost effective heat source for your home. 

There are three different types of modern Wood Fire – which type suits you?

1. Freestanding – Radiant This Wood Fire type can be installed into any style of home. The radiant heat from this fire type reflects and “shines” heat on to anything in its path (radiated heat). That could be you if you’re near the fire, or a wall, or furniture, or anything else within a few metres of the fire. Most have useful ‘hot-tops’ that can serve as a coffee or soup warmer. Radiant Fires are best suited for older, less insulated and draughty homes with high-pitched or cathedral ceilings. They also tend to be slightly less expensive, hence their popularity.

2. Freestanding – Convection
This Wood Fire heats the air immediately around it. Hot air becomes lighter (less dense) and will rise above the heater. This drags in cooler air from the surrounding room which is in-turn heated, creating a ‘convection swirl’ inside the room. This convection air-current means that the warmest air in the room ends up near the ceiling which is why convection fires are the best all-round choice in lower, flat ceiling homes. Simply put, convection fires warm the air mass.
 
3. Insert or Inbuilt
These are convection fires, available in two different types:

Open Fire Insert to retro-fit into an old type of open fire place.

Artificial Fire Surround which is an insert fire that fits inside a fire-proof ‘zero-clearance’ box. This allows the fire to be built into an artificial fire surround and artificial chimney. Great for new house design fire installs.

Some come with booster fans to force hot air into the room. 

Heat Output