How to Maintain a Woodburning Stove

A wood-burning stove can be efficient and efficient way to warm your home. It is important to maintain your stove to ensure maximum performance.

Tips: Choose wood that is seasoned with a low moisture content. This will let you use the wood longer and generate more heat.

State environmental agencies are wrestling with the problem of particulate air pollution from old wood burning stoves.

How They Work

Like the name suggests woodburning stoves burn wood in order to generate heat. They do this by enclosing the fire inside a steel and glass body, which can help keep the temperature in your home at an even level. It also serves as a barrier to smoke entering the living area.

The primary way stoves regulate the combustion process is through controlling the amount of air they allow into the fire. This is done via one or more controllable air vents that can be opened and closed to regulate the amount of oxygen flowing in to the fire.

Modern stoves utilize non-catalytical or catalytical technology to regulate this. Catalytic stoves come with a catalytic convertor that is designed to reburn gases produced during primary combustion so they do not escape from the room. Non-catalytical stoves are not equipped with the catalyser, and instead rely on secondary combustion inside the firebox to reduce emissions.

It is recommended to burn seasoned firewood in your fireplace that burns wood. This means that it must have a moisture content of less than 20 and this will allow the fire to burn more efficiently. This will help to reduce the amount of smoke and harmful pollution from the flue system and also make the glass in your stove less likely to get blackened due to creosote which is a result of burning wood that can develop over time.

The use of wood that is seasoned will lower emissions and help you save money in your heating bills. It produces more heat per unit of fuel. This is because the surface area of drier wood is larger and produces more heat per unit.

However, it can be harmful to everyone, especially older adults and children with weakened lungs. It can also cause irritation for those suffering from lung diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If you live in a designated smoke-control zone, make sure your stove is properly and properly seasoned. It should also be equipped with a chimney that is in compliance with the requirements of the local area.

Burning Wood

Woodburning stoves are a clean and renewable source of heat. They can be used to keep your home warm during an power outage. They also aid in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which can be harmful to the environment from fossil fuels like oil and gas.

Modern woodburning stoves are more efficient than previous models, and are designed to prevent the accumulation of creosote. However it is essential to keep an eye on the combustion. Creosote, a dangerous byproduct of combustion that is not properly slowed, can clog the chimney and cause it to lose efficiency. It also poses the risk of fire. Using seasoned wood will help keep the levels of creosote low and save on the cost of logs, and also help avoid the need for professional cleaning services.

There are stoves that can burn wood and coal and give you a choice of carbon neutral energy sources. However, it is important to keep in mind that coal is not a green fuel, and there are concerns about how it is mined and transported.

It is recommended to pick the stove that is Defra-approved, and one that is Ecodesign ready. They will be compliant with the latest regulations on emissions. The UK building regulations define the kind of flue and the size of the hearth and the distance between the stove and combustible material. It is recommended to speak with our stove experts before buying an appliance.

Paper and other combustibles like trash and paper should not be placed in wood-burning appliances. They can contribute to pollution, and at worst the possibility of a chimney fire. At best, they will cause them to be less efficient. Other combustibles are less dense than firewood and therefore will burn at lower temperatures and create more particles.

It is crucial to only use properly seasoned, split and dried firewood. This will burn more efficiently. Wet or damp wood creates more pollutants and smoke. It is also recommended that you make use of a top quality stove pipe to ensure that the flue temperatures are high enough and that it has been installed correctly.

Emissions

Woodburning stoves emit a variety of gases and particles. They release a lot of fine particulate (PM2.5), which can be absorbed into the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and cause damage to the liver, heart, and brain. They also produce carcinogenic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. Some even release toxic metals like arsenic and mercury, based on the type of fuel they're burning.

In the US, there have been a number of attempts to regulate how much pollution woodburning stoves can produce, with varying degrees of success. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency established emission guidelines that restricted the amount of pollution new stoves were permitted to release. Since the time, there have been two modifications to the guidelines. The most recent one, in 2015 requires that all stoves, catalytic or non-catalytic, emit less than 4 grams of pollutants each hour.

These strict rules led to a major shake-up of the industry and forced hundreds of smaller manufacturers out of business. However they also sparked the development of efficient stoves which were durable and could produce lower emissions than traditional models. To improve their products, stove designers looked at and analysed combustion flow, baffles and the shape of the combustion chamber. They also looked into insulating materials and recirculation system. They eventually succeeded.

The moisture content of the wood is a key element in determining the emission. The higher the moisture level, the more pollutants the stove produces. Therefore, the best way to reduce emissions is to use firewood that has been seasoned that has been properly dried over 6-8 months.

According to numerous studies, comparing exhaust-related particle pollution only wood-burning stoves can produce as much particle contamination as 15 diesel vehicles. These tests were not scientific. These studies don't take into account that the majority of particle pollution from cars comes from its brakes, engine and tyres, rather than its exhaust.

Ten blue states have been pushing on the EPA to review its carbon emissions and air quality guidelines for wood-burning stoves. Attorneys general from New York, Washington and Illinois have announced that they will sue the EPA for continuing to allow high-emitting stoves to continue to be sold in homes across the nation.

Maintenance

Wood burning stoves are efficient in heating homes, but can be a challenge to maintain. A stove will need to be cleaned regularly to ensure it is clean and operating efficiently. A dirty stove could have an impact on the health of the occupants and also the amount of heat it produces. In addition to cleaning the stove, there are additional maintenance tasks that must be completed to ensure that it functions properly.

It is simple to clean the interior and exterior of the woodburner stove. It is recommended to clean the stove every week or on a fortnightly basis based on the frequency it is used. It is recommended to remove ash from the fire box each time the stove has been used. Spread old newspaper on the floor, and wear gloves prior to scooping out the ashes. Use a container made of metal instead of a bucket in order to avoid rusting.

Keeping the flue and chimney clean is equally important. A professional chimney sweep should be hired once or twice a year to clean the stove and chimney thoroughly. This will stop the buildup of creosote and decrease the risk of chimney fires.

A chimney should also be examined for cracks and creosote buildup, bird nests, and other debris. A professional chimney sweep can fix these issues and restore a safe and working chimney.

Over time, the glass from a wood-burning stove can be clouded and stained with soot. A mixture of ammonia and water can be sprayed over the glass, then wiped with a cloth until clean. Avoid scratching the glass since this can cause it to cause it to shatter and weaken when hot.

Paint that is heat-resistant can be used to re-paint woodburning fireplace in case the paint begins to chip. These paints are typically found at stores where wood stoves are sold and are available in a variety of colors.