Why does an air tight wood burning stove give heat, and an open fireplace lose heat?
Air tight stoves (or anything which is air tight, such as a fireplace or insert), slowly allows air to combine with the wood. This allows the fire to be controlled, and to last for 6 to 8 hours, building up heat inside the firebox. This hot firebox temperature causes the mass of cast iron, steel, or soapstone to soak up the heat, and to radiate or convect the heat into the house.
