Did you know that different woodstoves create different types of heating. And they work in very different ways.
Research shows that people are most comfortable in a room where they feel warm up to chest height, but where the air is not too heavy to breathe in.
Most cast iron woodstoves provide radiation heating. The rays of heat will heat people, surfaces and objects in a room, and it works quickly. Radiation heating is ideal for rooms with high ceilings. It creates an even heat where needed, so neither your feet nor your nose need be cold.
The concept of convection heating will draw cold air in under the woodstove, heat it up between double sidewalls and release it on the top. The heat rises to the ceiling and will gradually be “pressed” down. In the beginning your head will feel warmer than your feet. Convection woodstoves are a good choice if you want to place the woodstove near flammable materials or don’t have a firewall behind it.
Source: Jotul