EPA-Certified Wood Stoves May Not Meet Your Health and Safety Standards
Many communities have offered financial incentives to replace wood stoves with EPA-certified models that emit less pollution. Undark discovered that some of the newer stoves may not be up to EPA standards.
In an era of high energy costs, a lot of cities are looking to reduce the use of wood, especially in areas where air quality is poor. Here are ten tips to improve the quality of indoor air and get more heat from each log.
Efficiency
Wood stove burning is one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. Modern wood stoves certified by the EPA burn logs quickly and generate less smoke than older models. This allows you to make use of a larger percentage of the potential energy of your fire in a shorter amount of time and cut down on your heating bill by up to 30 percent. The efficiency of wood stoves also increases over the lifetime of the stove when you use only seasoned hardwood.
Older wood stoves typically have efficiency of less than 50 percent. This means that half of the potential energy generated by the fire is lost because carbon monoxide and smoke are released into the air. Modern stoves can have an efficiency of 85% or more. This is comparable to gas and oil furnaces.
The higher efficiencies of wood stoves are achieved by controlling the fuel, air and combustion process. Wood stoves that control the airflow can slow down the speed at which the fire moves through the wood and permit the gases produced to stay hot and wood stove burning fully combust.
In addition modern wood stoves can recycle the byproducts from incomplete combustion into a new one that burns more efficiently. This process is referred to as reburn and Wood stove burning can improve the efficiency of wood stoves by up to 10 percent.
Another advantage of using wood as a source for heat is that it is considered carbon neutral. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air while growing and release oxygen when they burn. Wood is also an eco-friendly resource, particularly when it is obtained from woodlands in the local area that are managed in a way that encourages the growth of healthy trees.
Cleanliness
With 8.8 million households using wood stoves in the United States, cleaning and maintenance are an important element of keeping your home warm. A dirty stove and pipe could be a fire hazard, and could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean stoves chimneys, flue pipes and stoves are more efficient.
The most frequent task associated with cleaning your wood stove is emptying the ashes. Wear protective gloves and wait until the stove has cool down. Choose a container made of metal that is large enough to hold all the ashes, and dump them outdoors away from anything that might burn. You can also add the ashes to your compost for an organic addition to your garden.
Once the ashes have gone out of the stove, it's an ideal time to sweep the floor and remove any residual dust. It is important to leave at three feet of space between your wood woodburner stove and any combustible items like curtains, pillows or toys. This helps to prevent the fire from getting out of control and burning these things.
A clean glass door that is placed on the inside of your stove will allow you to see the dancing flames, and it can also assist you in determining the best time to start a fresh fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaner on hand in order to get rid of any smudged or tarred areas. If the glass is extremely filthy you can make use of newspaper soaked in ash and water to wipe it down. Avoid scratching the glass since this can cause it to shrink and break when heated.
The accumulation of creosote in your chimney flue is one of the main causes of chimney fires. A few millimeters of creosote can cause a fire to the chimney. Clean the flue frequently particularly if you burn pine or other soft woods that produce more creosote than other kinds of wood.
To prevent creosote vapors from entering your home, you should only burn dry, seasoned wood that has been cut in half or smaller. Also, don't burn artificial wood or trash in your wood stove.
Safety
Wood stove burning can produce extremely toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide and particulates. These toxins enter the home and could have adverse health effects on children, elderly adults or those suffering from respiratory issues such as asthma or COPD. In time exposure to wood smoke can cause lung damage and heart disease.
To reduce the risk of these issues It is crucial to adhere to the correct wood stove burning practices. This includes ensuring that the stove is functioning correctly and has enough heat output for the room size and style. Only dry, well-seasoned, hard woods are suitable for burning in the stove. The moisture content should be below 20 percent. If the moisture content of the wood is higher the fire will burn faster and produce a smoky fire with more creosote on the chimney vent pipe wall.
A strong draw is an important safety feature. This can be accomplished by monitoring how much air is flowing into the firebox as well as through the chimney. The owner's guide will provide specific instructions on how you can adjust air flow in most modern stoves. The best efficiency of heating can be achieved if the air controls are operated correctly.
The flue and chimney pipes must be kept clear of any fire-prone materials, such as drapes, papers, trash or rug. The fires that occur in wood stoves are usually caused by inadequate clearance between combustibles, wood-burning appliances and combustibles.
Keep children away from wood stoves when the fire is burning or the ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious and they can touch hot surfaces on the wood stove or put their hands on the fire. It is recommended to install a child-proof gate around the fireplace or use a fireplace screen. It is also important to inspect the fireplace and electric stove heaters regularly for signs of wear and tear.
Lastly, it is important to ensure that your chimney and stove are regularly inspected for accumulation of creosote, bird nests and other issues that could affect the safety of your chimney or stove. This will help prevent fires and health hazards, as well as reduce the need for smoke or carbon monoxide remediation services.
Maintenance
While wood stoves are an excellent way to save the cost of heating your home however, they require additional maintenance. If you don't perform the required maintenance the wood stove could cause a fire that is dangerous to escape the flue or chimney, and even cause an explosion in your home. In addition to cleaning the chimney and cleaning the stove, it is essential to sweep and clean the stove's surfaces and flue. Keep an extinguisher in your house and test it regularly. It is also an excellent idea to place smoke detectors in the house, especially one in the room that houses the stove.
In general it is recommended to clean your chimney and stove at least once a year. Cleaning schedules should be adjusted depending on how often the stove is used. It is possible to clean it more frequently in winter. You should also be sure to make sure you use only dry and well-seasoned wood to use in the stove. It is recommended to stay clear of using a lot of kerosene or oil for starting the fire, as these fuels burn differently and can produce toxic gases that could be extremely detrimental to your health.
In the course of your regular cleaning, you should examine the gaskets on your doors. They are typically made of braided rope-like material that can be damaged by repeated opening and closing. If you notice that the gasket is loose you can purchase a new gasket made of fiberglass as well as some gasket cement to repair it. The hinges of these doors should be inspected as well.
It is important to inspect flues and chimneys to ensure that they are free of creosote and obstructions. During this inspection, look for cracks in the chimney liner and any other signs of damage. Stovepipes should be inspected as well, and any gaps or dents should be repaired.
It is important to clean the glass door of your wood burning stove for sale stove. You can accomplish this by mixing water and ammonia. A sponge or rag must be soaked with the solution and wiped across the glass's surface until it is completely clean. For tougher staining, you can leave the solution in place for a couple of minutes before wiping the glass again.
Many communities have offered financial incentives to replace wood stoves with EPA-certified models that emit less pollution. Undark discovered that some of the newer stoves may not be up to EPA standards.
In an era of high energy costs, a lot of cities are looking to reduce the use of wood, especially in areas where air quality is poor. Here are ten tips to improve the quality of indoor air and get more heat from each log.
Efficiency
Wood stove burning is one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. Modern wood stoves certified by the EPA burn logs quickly and generate less smoke than older models. This allows you to make use of a larger percentage of the potential energy of your fire in a shorter amount of time and cut down on your heating bill by up to 30 percent. The efficiency of wood stoves also increases over the lifetime of the stove when you use only seasoned hardwood.
Older wood stoves typically have efficiency of less than 50 percent. This means that half of the potential energy generated by the fire is lost because carbon monoxide and smoke are released into the air. Modern stoves can have an efficiency of 85% or more. This is comparable to gas and oil furnaces.
The higher efficiencies of wood stoves are achieved by controlling the fuel, air and combustion process. Wood stoves that control the airflow can slow down the speed at which the fire moves through the wood and permit the gases produced to stay hot and wood stove burning fully combust.
In addition modern wood stoves can recycle the byproducts from incomplete combustion into a new one that burns more efficiently. This process is referred to as reburn and Wood stove burning can improve the efficiency of wood stoves by up to 10 percent.
Another advantage of using wood as a source for heat is that it is considered carbon neutral. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air while growing and release oxygen when they burn. Wood is also an eco-friendly resource, particularly when it is obtained from woodlands in the local area that are managed in a way that encourages the growth of healthy trees.
Cleanliness
With 8.8 million households using wood stoves in the United States, cleaning and maintenance are an important element of keeping your home warm. A dirty stove and pipe could be a fire hazard, and could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean stoves chimneys, flue pipes and stoves are more efficient.
The most frequent task associated with cleaning your wood stove is emptying the ashes. Wear protective gloves and wait until the stove has cool down. Choose a container made of metal that is large enough to hold all the ashes, and dump them outdoors away from anything that might burn. You can also add the ashes to your compost for an organic addition to your garden.
Once the ashes have gone out of the stove, it's an ideal time to sweep the floor and remove any residual dust. It is important to leave at three feet of space between your wood woodburner stove and any combustible items like curtains, pillows or toys. This helps to prevent the fire from getting out of control and burning these things.
A clean glass door that is placed on the inside of your stove will allow you to see the dancing flames, and it can also assist you in determining the best time to start a fresh fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaner on hand in order to get rid of any smudged or tarred areas. If the glass is extremely filthy you can make use of newspaper soaked in ash and water to wipe it down. Avoid scratching the glass since this can cause it to shrink and break when heated.
The accumulation of creosote in your chimney flue is one of the main causes of chimney fires. A few millimeters of creosote can cause a fire to the chimney. Clean the flue frequently particularly if you burn pine or other soft woods that produce more creosote than other kinds of wood.
To prevent creosote vapors from entering your home, you should only burn dry, seasoned wood that has been cut in half or smaller. Also, don't burn artificial wood or trash in your wood stove.
Safety
Wood stove burning can produce extremely toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide and particulates. These toxins enter the home and could have adverse health effects on children, elderly adults or those suffering from respiratory issues such as asthma or COPD. In time exposure to wood smoke can cause lung damage and heart disease.
To reduce the risk of these issues It is crucial to adhere to the correct wood stove burning practices. This includes ensuring that the stove is functioning correctly and has enough heat output for the room size and style. Only dry, well-seasoned, hard woods are suitable for burning in the stove. The moisture content should be below 20 percent. If the moisture content of the wood is higher the fire will burn faster and produce a smoky fire with more creosote on the chimney vent pipe wall.
A strong draw is an important safety feature. This can be accomplished by monitoring how much air is flowing into the firebox as well as through the chimney. The owner's guide will provide specific instructions on how you can adjust air flow in most modern stoves. The best efficiency of heating can be achieved if the air controls are operated correctly.
The flue and chimney pipes must be kept clear of any fire-prone materials, such as drapes, papers, trash or rug. The fires that occur in wood stoves are usually caused by inadequate clearance between combustibles, wood-burning appliances and combustibles.
Keep children away from wood stoves when the fire is burning or the ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious and they can touch hot surfaces on the wood stove or put their hands on the fire. It is recommended to install a child-proof gate around the fireplace or use a fireplace screen. It is also important to inspect the fireplace and electric stove heaters regularly for signs of wear and tear.
Lastly, it is important to ensure that your chimney and stove are regularly inspected for accumulation of creosote, bird nests and other issues that could affect the safety of your chimney or stove. This will help prevent fires and health hazards, as well as reduce the need for smoke or carbon monoxide remediation services.
Maintenance
While wood stoves are an excellent way to save the cost of heating your home however, they require additional maintenance. If you don't perform the required maintenance the wood stove could cause a fire that is dangerous to escape the flue or chimney, and even cause an explosion in your home. In addition to cleaning the chimney and cleaning the stove, it is essential to sweep and clean the stove's surfaces and flue. Keep an extinguisher in your house and test it regularly. It is also an excellent idea to place smoke detectors in the house, especially one in the room that houses the stove.
In general it is recommended to clean your chimney and stove at least once a year. Cleaning schedules should be adjusted depending on how often the stove is used. It is possible to clean it more frequently in winter. You should also be sure to make sure you use only dry and well-seasoned wood to use in the stove. It is recommended to stay clear of using a lot of kerosene or oil for starting the fire, as these fuels burn differently and can produce toxic gases that could be extremely detrimental to your health.
In the course of your regular cleaning, you should examine the gaskets on your doors. They are typically made of braided rope-like material that can be damaged by repeated opening and closing. If you notice that the gasket is loose you can purchase a new gasket made of fiberglass as well as some gasket cement to repair it. The hinges of these doors should be inspected as well.
It is important to inspect flues and chimneys to ensure that they are free of creosote and obstructions. During this inspection, look for cracks in the chimney liner and any other signs of damage. Stovepipes should be inspected as well, and any gaps or dents should be repaired.
It is important to clean the glass door of your wood burning stove for sale stove. You can accomplish this by mixing water and ammonia. A sponge or rag must be soaked with the solution and wiped across the glass's surface until it is completely clean. For tougher staining, you can leave the solution in place for a couple of minutes before wiping the glass again.