Cozy warmth on cold winter days

The good old tiled stove, which provided cozy warmth in the living room in grandma's day, is enjoying increasing popularity. According to the German Association for Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning Technology (ZVSHK), it is primarily young families who are purchasing the ceramic stove with its integrated bench – as a counterpoint to the hectic pace of everyday life. Experts also believe that heating with wood satisfies a renewed connection to nature.

Similar to a fireplace, a tiled stove is usually used to heat a room, but the characteristics of the two stoves differ fundamentally: Unlike the spontaneous romance of a flickering fireplace fire, a masonry or tiled stove needs two to three hours to heat up. However, it stores the heat for a very long time, releasing it gradually and evenly into the room. The tiles, made of fired clay and often decorative, act as an additional heat storage medium.

Unlike conventional heating, the radiant heat from this stove warms the body through long-wave infrared rays, similar to gentle sunlight that literally penetrates the skin and creates a feeling of well-being. As with an infrared heater, the body is not warmed indirectly via the air, but directly by the radiation from the tiles.

"The tiled stove, also known as a masonry heater or storage heater, is suitable as a continuous heating system because of its long-lasting, consistent heat output," explains Tim Froitzheim from the German Association for Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning Technology in Sankt Augustin near Bonn. "Its high efficiency makes it ideal for low-energy houses."

To ensure the tiled stove is the right size and type for the house and doesn't overheat the rooms in winter, an experienced stove fitter calculates the dimensions individually and optimally adapts the heating system to the specific needs of the home. Its solid construction, individual planning, and installation effort naturally make a tiled stove more expensive than simple fireplace alternatives from a home improvement store. More affordable models are available for around €5,000. A spacious tiled stove with a sophisticated flue system for adjacent rooms and an attractive design can cost up to €10,000.