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What size stove & kW output do I need for my room?

13 November 2014

The age old question, that we get asked time and time again is what output size do I need for my room from my stove and how do I work this out.

The calculation for the stove heat output is used almost universally by stove manufacturers and installers alike, and can give you a realistic idea of what sized heat output your room will need to heat your room to an ambient temperature of 21°C.

To help you work it out yourself we’ve broken the calculation down into 3 relatively simple steps, and a handy graph – because who doesn’t love a good graph!

1.       Measure the dimensions of you room in metres. For example: H 2.5m W 6m D 4m

2.       Decide which description suits the insulation quality of your room best.

                A. Poor Insulation.
            No double glazing or cavity wall insulation – for example a draughty Victorian     or earlier house

             B. Reasonable Insulation.
             Some double glazing and cavity wall insulation - for example a 1930s semi detached house

             C. Good Insulation.
             State of the art, modern insulation – for example a new build home.

3.       Use the following formula to work out what size stove you need to heat your room effectively or use the graph!

INSULATION	FORMULA
A Poor	H X W X D (m) = Volume m³ ÷ 10 = kW Output
B Reasonable	H X W X D (m) = Volume m³ ÷ 14 = kW Output
C Good	H X W X D (m) = Volume m³ ÷ 24 = kW Output

For Example:

A = H 2.5m W 6m D 4m = V 60 m³÷ 10 = 6kW

B = H 2.5m W 6m D 4m = V 60 m³÷ 14 = 4.2kW – This can be rounded up to 5kW

C = H 2.5m W 6m D 4m = V 60 m³÷ 24 = 2.5kW – This can be rounded up to 3kW

By using this formula you can get a good idea which stove is going to be suitable to heat your room.

This is just a guide and your HETAS registered installer and one of our authorised dealers can also help you in deciding what output is best for your room.

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