A fireplace in a room looks almost too romantic and of course, it is high on utility too, particularly in those places where the mercury goes down to near freezing or even lower levels. 

However, you might be surprised to know that the traditional open fire systems are not really that efficient. The fact is, as much as 80% of the heat produced by the open fireplace goes out through the chimney. 

The better option could be a cast iron wood stove. In fact, there are some people who say that the wood cast iron stove generates three times more heat than the open fireplace – it is that much more efficient. 

These multi-fuel stoves look great too – but they work better as well. Other than wood, you could also use coal, peat briquettes, anthracite, and turf.

The stove will surely heat up the room where it is kept better than an open fireplace, and often it can also heat up the entire house too. Yes, it might take up a little more time to heat up, but once done, it does indeed work very well. And it will transmit heat, even hours after you have doused the flame. 

In a traditional fireplace, you will have to shove out the ash and it is not fun after a while. But with this stove, maintenance is really easy. The cast iron wood stove is available in many types and they are porcelain enamel, classic black and antique.

To get the best out of the stove, you will need to keep it clean, both from the outside and the inside. So dust it and remove any residue or debris once it is empty and cold. You can use a wire brush to scrub off the exterior surface. There can be some calcified deposits. Use some steel wool or sandpaper to gently rub these spots away.

Of course, the interior needs to be cleaned too. All you will need is a vacuum that has a flexible hose. Once you have vacuumed the interiors, use the wire brush to scrub the inside. You can clean the grate too with the brush – but remove it first.

If you are using wood in your cast iron wood stove, then you must ensure that it is dry. This is because when the wood is dry, you will need less of it for heating, and it will also be easier to break such wood into small pieces for the stove. Damp wood, on the other hand, may cause creosote and there can be tar formation as well both in the chimney and the stove. So keep your wood safely in the garage or the cellar because it will remain dry in such places.

There are some people who even use the cast iron wood stove for cooking. But this might not be the best way to cook your food because it can take longer. 

However, when it comes to heating your room, the stove really works very well. And so, it is indeed a great choice.