This area is provided to help answer some of the frequently asked questions that you may have. If your question is not listed here, please e-mail us at rainbow@rainbowstoves.com. We will answer your question by e-mail then post it here.
- Wood stoves
- Gas stoves
- Pellet stoves
- Fuel cost comparison chart (Comming soon)
Most Commonly Asked Questions About Wood Stove's
| Question | How many square feet will a wood stove heat? |
| Answer | Depending on the unit, a wood stove can heat as little as 700 sq ft or much as 2200 to 2500 sq ft. |
| Question | Does my wood stove need a blower? |
| Answer | No, but in some cases it does help. |
| Question | Are the new EPA certified wood stoves really more efficient? |
| Answer | Yes!!! A wood stove built in the late 70's to the early 80's is only about 25% to 35% efficient. versus todays 70% to 80% efficiencies. This means big savings in the amount of wood burned. |
| Question | What is the difference between Catalytic & Non Catalytic? |
| Answer | Catalytic is short for Catalytic Combuster. This honey combed device is made up of a conglomeration of dissimilar metals. It is placed near the exit of the stove and once heated up properly will burn any gases (smoke) that pass through it. Any stove without this device is considered a Non Catalytic. Both systems are approved by the EPA. |
| Question | What does secondary combustion mean? |
| Answer | This is the technology used in a Non Catalytic stove that produces the same effect without the use of a costly Catalytic Combuster. Secondary Air or secondary combustion is achieved by injecting oxygen into the hot gases (smoke) and burns it before it leaves the stove. This has rapidly become the industry standard. It is much easier to use and the least costly to maintain. |
| Question | Can I have an open fireplace in Shasta County? |
| Answer | No. Because on March 1st 1994 the Air Pollution Control Board of Shasta County duly adopted RESOLUTION NO. 94-1 RULE 3:23 Which states that no non EPA certified device can or will be installed within the county limits. An open fireplace does not fall under the guidelines for EPA certification. |
| Question | I can't have a open fireplace, but I still want the look, what can I do? |
| Answer | Not to worry. There are a few EPA certified *Zero Clearance (*can be built into a combustible frame work) fireplace models available now and more on the way. They give you the look of a fireplace and the high efficiency of a certified wood stove. |
Most Commonly Asked Questions About Gas Stove's
| Question | How many square feet will a gas stove heat? |
| Answer | Depending on the unit, a gas stove can heat as little as 200 sq ft or as much as 1700 to 2000 sq ft. |
| Question | Does a gas stove work without power. |
| Answer | Yes! Most all heater listed stoves will work without power. Although most gas stoves come equipped with a blower that does require power, the stove can be used without it. |
| Question | Are gas stoves really efficient? |
| Answer | Yes! The race for high efficiencies is on. The old days of the wall furnace with a 40 % efficiencies are gone. Todays gas stoves, F/S or inserts all carry between a 75% to 80% plus Stedy State efficiencies. All gas stoves have a BTU INPUT rating & a BTU OUTPUT rating the closer the 2 numbers the higher the efficiency. |
| Question | What is the difference between decorative and heater listed? |
| Answer | A gas stove that has a decorative rating typically means
2 things: 1) Does not have a Standing Pilot (Won't work without power). 2) Is not as efficient as a heater listed device. A gas stove that has a heater listed rating typically means that it has a 63% plus (AFUE) "Annual Fuel Utilization Expenditure" rating, generally has a standing pilot (works without power), has a dedicated heat exchanger and produces lower flue temperatures. |
| Question | Can you exhaust horizontally? |
| Answer | Yes. Some gas stoves do have a unique venting system called Direct Vent or Balanced Flue. The technology is not new, but we are just realizing its full potential. This system takes 100% of its combustion air and exhausts 100% of its flue gases using the same vent thus making a closed combustion chamber to the inside of the home. |
| Question | Will a gas stove work off a thermostat? |
| Answer | Yes! In 95% percent of all units sold have this capability. |
| Question | How big of a stove do I need? |
| Answer | This greatly depends on your needs. There are different
BTU input ratings to choose from; 17 to 20K plus (Room), 30K plus (1,200 to 1,700 sq.ft.) 40K plus(1,500 to 2,000 sq.ft.). |
Most Commonly Asked Questions About Pellet Stove's
| Question | How many square feet will a pellet stove heat? |
| Answer | Depending on the unit, a pellet stove can heat as little as 700 sq ft or as much as 2200 to 2500 sq ft. |
| Question | What happens if the power goes out? |
| Answer | The stove will not operate without power. If you live in an area that has power problems we recommend either a generator or a battery back up system. |
| Question | How much electricity does a pellet stove use? |
| Answer | Pellet stoves will use anywhere from 90 watts to 300 watts while in operation. |
| Question | Can a pellet stove be vented horizontally? |
| Answer | A pellet stove can be vented horizontally very similar to a dryer. |
| Question | How long will a pellet stove burn without attention? |
| Answer | Pellet stoves are designed to operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Most pellet stoves will burn between 30 and 50 hours without needing to have fuel added to the hopper. |
| Question | How often does a pellet stove need to be cleaned? |
| Answer | Most pellet stoves need to have the ash removed every 3 to 7 days. There will be approximately 3 to 5 cups of ash to remove. |
| Question | How much does the fuel cost and where can you get it ? |
| Answer | Pellet Fuel is sold in ton lots mostly. It ranges from $130 to $190 per ton and most grocery stores, hardware, and lumber yards all sell wood pellet fuel. But there is no better place to buy pellet fuel than Rainbow Pellet Hearth & Home. |
| Question | How much will it cost to heat with pellets? |
| Answer | In a home that is newly constructed the usage will typically
be 1 ton of fuel per 1000 sq ft. of heatable home per season. Example: 1700 sq ft home. 1.7 tons at $160 per ton = $272.00 for the year. |
| Question | Will a pellet stove work off a thermostat? |
| Answer | Yes. Some will even light themselves from the thermostat but most will turn the stove up and down to regulate the temperature. |
| Question | Do pellet stoves make much noise? |
| Answer | Not anymore! All manufactures have fought this one problem and finally we have stoves that you can hardly hear! |