Wood heating · advice from Hot Things
A modern slow-combustion wood heater is a wonderful way to warm your home, combining efficient heating with the natural beauty, comfort and ambience of a real wood fire.
With so many sizes and styles available, choosing the right model can sometimes be difficult. At Hot Things, we've put together this guide to explain the important differences and help you choose with confidence.
Today's wood heaters can warm generous living areas and, in the right home, provide substantial warmth from a single point. They use timber — a renewable fuel when sourced responsibly — and modern enclosed heaters must meet Australia's emissions and efficiency requirements.
01 · Understanding warmth
One of the first things to understand is how a wood heater warms the room. The two main methods are radiant heating and convection heating. Neither is universally better — it depends on the room and how you want the warmth to feel.
Direct warmth
A radiant heater sends heat directly from its hot surfaces towards people and objects around it. It's much like the feeling of standing in sunshine — you can enjoy the warmth before all the air in the room has heated up.
Radiant warmth can be particularly appealing in traditional rooms, spaces with high ceilings or places where you like sitting close to the fire. These heaters often need more clearance around their hot surfaces.
Circulating warmth
Convection heaters warm air as it moves around the firebox. That warm air rises and circulates through the room, while cooler air moves in to be heated in turn.
This gives a more even spread of warmth, particularly in well-insulated, open-plan living spaces. Some convection heaters use a fan to assist airflow; others rely on natural convection.
Good to know: Many wood heaters combine radiant and convection heating. A convection heater still radiates warmth through its glass, and a radiant heater also warms the surrounding air. If you enjoy both sensations, there are plenty of options.
02 · Getting the size right
The best starting point is the area you actually want to heat, not just the total size of your home. Work out the approximate floor area, then think about how easily warmth will travel through the rooms.
The heating capacities quoted for wood heaters are useful guides, but the same heater can perform differently in two homes of identical floor area.
Open-plan areas allow warm air to circulate more readily. Hallways, closed doors and separate levels can restrict heat movement.
A high or raked ceiling increases the volume to be warmed. Some of the warm air may collect above the living area.
Insulation helps retain warmth; draughts and extensive glazing can increase the heat your home loses.
The best location balances enjoying the fire with a sensible path for heat to move into adjoining rooms.
Don't automatically choose the biggest heater. An oversized heater can make the main room uncomfortably hot and encourage people to turn it down too far. An undersized heater may struggle to keep the area warm. Aim for a size that suits the home.
03 · Where the fire belongs
Where you position your wood heater is almost as important as choosing its size. Ideally, the heater should be somewhere you can see the fire and enjoy its look and feel. The dancing flames and warmth can make it a natural focal point of your living area.
A central position in a frequently used room can also help warmth move into adjoining spaces. Consider the surrounding furniture, access for loading firewood, and the route the flue will take through the ceiling and roof.
Wood heaters require suitable non-combustible floor protection. Ordinary ceramic tiles, stone or concrete can be suitable, provided the complete floor construction meets the particular heater's requirements.
If your floors are timber, carpet, laminate or another combustible material, a suitable non-combustible hearth will generally be needed beneath and around the heater.
04 · Browse the range
We've grouped the range into three approximate heating-area categories to make browsing easier. The right category is a useful starting point — compare each model's stated coverage, heat style and dimensions before making a decision.
Up to 160 m²
Suited to smaller living areas and compact homes. The range includes models with very different outputs.
Explore small heaters
160–220 m²
A useful starting range for medium-sized homes and larger, well-connected living areas.
Explore medium heaters
Over 220 m²
For substantial living areas and larger homes. Heat distribution becomes especially important.
Explore large heatersThese are browsing categories, not rigid manufacturer classifications; models near 160 m² or 220 m² may appear in adjoining ranges.
05 · Put the guide into practice
Answer a few simple questions, see actual heaters from the Hot Things range, then choose up to three to compare side by side — just like our BBQ Selector.
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Heater prices are drawn from the current Shopify product listings when this page loads. See each product page for current options and complete specifications.
06 · What else is needed?
Every wood heater needs a properly matched flue system to carry combustion gases outside and provide the draught the fire needs to operate. The flue is more than the visible pipe above the heater — its components, height, shielding and roof termination are all part of the installation.
Some existing fireplaces or chimneys can be used with a suitable new system, but they must be assessed first. Your installer will determine the correct flue for the heater and your house, following the manufacturer's instructions and the applicable Australian installation standard.
07 · Installation
Whether you're replacing an existing heater or fitting one into a new location, the installer needs to confirm the hearth, flue, clearances to surrounding materials and any other site requirements. Inbuilt heaters also need an approved fireplace cavity or enclosure.
Yes. We can contact independent installers on your behalf to help arrange the work. A standard single-storey installation is approximately $800, although the installer will confirm the final price once the requirements are known.
Installation is paid directly to the installer, separately from your heater purchase.
Hot Things also provides free Perth metro delivery on wood heaters. Contact our team if you'd like to discuss a possible position or arrange a quotation.
08 · Traditional warmth, modern standards
People have gathered around wood fires for centuries. Modern slow-combustion heaters preserve that atmosphere while using more sophisticated firebox and combustion technology to deliver useful heat and reduce smoke compared with older, less efficient designs.
New enclosed wood space heaters sold in Australia must meet applicable Australian and New Zealand standards for efficiency and particulate emissions, including AS/NZS 4012 and AS/NZS 4013. Their installation must meet the applicable requirements of AS/NZS 2918 and the manufacturer's instructions.
Timber is a renewable fuel when it comes from responsibly managed supplies. Burn only suitable, dry, seasoned and untreated firewood, and operate and maintain the heater correctly. Even compliant heaters produce emissions, so good fuel and correct operation matter.
Choosing with confidence. The right heater is one that suits your home, distributes the type of warmth you enjoy, and is installed properly. Our guide and comparison selector are here to help you understand those decisions — without pushing you towards any particular brand or model.
Learn more: WA Government BurnWise guidance and Australian Home Heating Association installation advice.
