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Wood burning Stoves - Essential
Information Cast Iron or Steel - Which is best ? |
|
Wood burning Stoves - Essential
Information Cast Iron or Steel - Which is best ? |
| Is woodburning eco-friendly Is it safe to buy on the Internet Is my home suitable for a stove How big does the stove need to be Woodburning, Multi-fuel. What's the difference Which Fuel is best Can I burn coal I live in a smoke control area, what's defra? What is EN13240 & Does it affect me Where can I buy wood Which type of wood is best Cast Iron or Steel - Which is best Why should my chimney be lined What is "Airwash" What is "Cleanburn" What is HETAS and how does it affect me What size of flue do I need I have not got a chimney What clearances do I need around the stove Do I need a hearth Who should fit it, can I fit it myself Do I need to inform the Local Council |
Those with a vested interest, can
make a good case for either Cast Iron or Steel. The Cast
Iron advocate will say that Steel warps and The Steel
promoter will say that Cast Iron cracks. Both have an element of truth, but in high quality stoves, such damage is usually due to abuse. Good quality stoves will, if looked after, give decades of reliable service. The emphasis is on the term "good quality". There are top quality stoves in both materials but, with traditional stoves, the best stoves tend to be cast iron. Steel is a little more common in Contemporary stoves due to their design. With the exception of the cheap Chinese stoves being sold at the bottom of the market, the budget stoves tend to be steel and the cheapest tend to be made from much thinner gauge steel which will not last long before distortion sets in. The worst case we have seen is displayed on the shelves of a well known DIY shed. The steel on that stove is so thin, it would be more suited to a biscuit tin rather rather than something designed to withstand routine temperatures of 450 degrees C. The old saying "you only get what you pay for" is particularly true with stoves. |