Wood Stoves & Installation
Enjoy the warmth, flame, and character of a real wood fire with a stove selected for your home.
Thompson’s Hearth & Home offers freestanding wood stoves from HearthStone, Jøtul, RAIS, and Morsø, with personal guidance from owners Guy and Nicole Thompson and installation by our own in-house team.
Visit our Issaquah showroom to compare traditional and contemporary designs. We help homeowners throughout Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Snoqualmie, North Bend, and nearby Eastside communities choose wood stoves that fit their space and heating needs.
Find the Right Stove for Your Home
Choosing a wood stove involves more than finding a style you like. The right appliance should suit the room, your home’s layout, and how often you plan to burn.
We’ll help you compare:
Heating capacity and a suitable operating range.
Firebox size, log length, and loading access.
Traditional and contemporary designs.
Catalytic, non-catalytic, and hybrid combustion systems.
Wall clearances, hearth protection, and chimney requirements.
Everyday operation and ongoing maintenance.
Bring a floor plan, room dimensions, or photos when you visit. These details help us recommend suitable models.
Wood Stove Brands We Carry
Our selection includes HearthStone, Jøtul, RAIS, and Morsø, offering a range of materials, styles, sizes, and combustion technologies.
Guy and Nicole personally select the products we carry, drawing on experience with installation, operation, and manufacturer support. We’ll explain the differences between specific models so you can choose confidently.
Plan Your Wood Stove Installation
The stove, hearth, connector pipe, and chimney need to work together as a complete system.
We’ll review the proposed location and discuss the appliance’s requirements, including clearances to nearby materials, floor protection, chimney configuration, and outside air where applicable.
If you’re replacing an existing stove, bring photos of the stove, hearth, connector pipe, and any accessible model label. An existing chimney may need evaluation before it can be used with a replacement appliance.
Our hearth pad calculator can help with preliminary planning. Final dimensions and floor-protection requirements must be checked against the selected stove’s installation manual.
Installation by Our Own Team
Thompson’s Hearth & Home has been owned and operated by Guy and Nicole since 2004, with Guy’s hearth-industry experience dating back to 1989.
Our own experienced in-house team handles stove installation. We’ll explain the proposed work, identify project-specific requirements, and help you understand the next steps toward an estimate.
Getting the Best Performance From Your Wood Stove
The stove you choose matters, but so do your firewood, chimney, and operating habits.
Dry fuel, proper installation, and maintenance help your stove deliver useful heat while limiting unnecessary smoke.
Use Dry, Seasoned Firewood
Burn dry, untreated firewood suited to your stove. The EPA recommends wood with a moisture content below 20%.
Store firewood off the ground with the top covered and the sides open to airflow. A moisture meter can help you check whether your wood is ready to burn.
Avoid wet wood, household rubbish, painted or pressure-treated timber, and other fuels the manufacturer does not approve.
Read the EPA’s wood-burning guidance.
Understand Emissions and Efficiency
An emissions rating describes particulate output under specified test conditions. An efficiency rating describes how effectively an appliance converts fuel energy into useful heat. They measure different things.
We’ll help you compare the ratings for the specific stoves you’re considering, along with their heating range and operating requirements.
Your results at home also depend on fuel quality, chimney draft, and how the stove is operated.
Check Burn Restrictions Before Lighting
Air-quality burn bans can restrict wood-stove use. EPA certification does not provide blanket permission to burn during every restriction.
Check the current requirements for your location before lighting a fire, including any conditions for exemptions.
Check Washington burn-ban information and find your local clean air agency.
Keep Up With Maintenance
Follow the stove manufacturer’s instructions for operation, inspection, and maintenance. Your stove and chimney need regular attention even when the appliance appears to be working well.
Our service page explains our support policy and provides referrals for chimney sweeping and related services.
Catalytic, Non-Catalytic & Hybrid Wood Stoves
These systems take different approaches to burning smoke and extracting additional heat from the fuel. Each has operating and maintenance considerations worth understanding before you buy.
Non-Catalytic Wood Stoves
Non-catalytic stoves use a hot, insulated firebox and secondary combustion air to burn gases released by the wood.
They do not have a catalytic combustor to maintain or replace. Internal components such as baffles and secondary-air parts still need inspection and may require replacement over time.
We’ll explain how to operate the models you’re considering and what routine maintenance involves.
Catalytic Wood Stoves
Catalytic stoves pass smoke through a coated combustor that helps burn smoke gases at lower temperatures. This can support steady heat during extended, lower-output operation.
The combustor needs appropriate care and eventual replacement. Correct fuel, proper operation, and maintenance influence its life and performance.
Hybrid Wood Stoves
Hybrid designs combine secondary combustion with a catalytic combustor.
They bring together features of both approaches, with operating procedures and maintenance requirements that vary by model. We’ll explain the controls and care required for any hybrid stove you’re considering.
Which Type Is Right for You?
Tell us whether you expect to burn occasionally, heat daily through winter, or use the stove mainly during colder weather.
We’ll help you compare specific models based on your heating needs, preferred operating routine, and willingness to perform maintenance.
For more background, see the EPA’s guide to choosing a wood stove.
Visit Our Issaquah Showroom
Bring photos, room dimensions, or plans, and talk through your project with Guy and Nicole.
If you’re looking to update an existing wood-burning fireplace instead of adding a freestanding stove, explore our wood inserts.
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