How to Maintain a Woodburning Stove

A wood-burning stove can be an efficient and effective way to warm your home. It is essential to maintain your woodburning stove in order to ensure its maximum performance.

Tip: Choose seasoned wood with a low moisture content. This will let you burn the wood for longer and generate more heat.

State environmental agencies are grappling with how to tackle the issue of particulate air pollution from old woodburning stoves.

How They Work

Like the name suggests woodburning stoves burn wood in order to generate heat. The fire is contained within an aluminum and glass body that helps to maintain a constant temperature in the home. It also acts as a barrier that prevents smoke from entering the living space.

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

Modern stoves usually use catalytic or non-catalytic technology in order to regulate this. Catalytic stoves are equipped with an catalytic convertor designed to reburn the gas that is generated during primary combustion to ensure they don't escape the room. Non-catalytic stoves, on other hand, do not contain a catalyst and rely solely on secondary combustion to take place within the firebox, thereby reducing emissions.

It is recommended to only burn seasoned wood in your woodburning stove. This means that it must have a moisture content of below 20 per cent, as this allows the fire to burn more efficiently. This will decrease the amount of the amount of smoke and harmful pollutants that are released from the flue. It will also stop the glass of your stove from being stained by creosote. Creosote is the by-product of burning wood, and it will build up over time.

The use of wood that is seasoned will reduce emissions and save you the cost of heating. It produces more heat per unit of fuel. This is due to the surface area of dry wood is larger and generates more heat per unit.

Smoke from wood can be harmful to anyone, however it is especially harmful to children and older adults with weakened lungs. It can also cause irritation for those with lung disorders such as asthma or chronic obstructive respiratory disorder (COPD). If you reside in an area designated as a smoke control zone, it is important to ensure that your stove is seasoned and installed with a chimney that is in compliance with the requirements for the location.

Burning Wood

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

Modern wood-burning stoves are more efficient than earlier models, and they are designed to stop the accumulation of creosote. However it is essential to keep an eye on the combustion. Creosote can be a dangerous byproduct of incomplete combustion and it can block the chimney if left to build up, resulting in lower efficiency and posing an hazard to fire. Using seasoned logs will keep creosote low and will save you money on logs. It also helps you avoid having to hire a professional to clean your chimney.

There are stoves that burn wood and coal, which gives you the option of carbon-neutral energy sources. It is crucial to remember that coal is not a sustainable fuel, and there are some concerns regarding the method by which it is extracted.

It is recommended to use a Defra approved stove and ideally one that is Ecodesign ready, since they will be in compliance with the most recent emission regulations. The UK building regulations define the kind of flue, the size of the hearth, and the distance between the stove and combustible material. It is recommended to consult our stove experts before buying the stove.

Other types of combustibles like garbage and paper are not suitable for use in wood-burning stoves because they could cause more pollution, and at worst, the possibility of a chimney fire and, at best, cause them to operate less effectively. This is because combustibles other than firewood have different density properties compared to firewood, which means they are able to burn at lower temperatures and produce more particles.

It is crucial to use only properly seasoned, split and dried firewood. This will help the wood burn more efficiently. Dry or damp wood generates more smoke and pollutants. It is recommended to use a stove pipe of high-quality in order to ensure that the temperatures of the flue are sufficient and that it is installed correctly.

Emissions

Wood-burning stoves release a variety of gasses and particles. They release a lot of fine particulate (PM2.5) which could enter the lungs, get into the bloodstream, and cause damage to the heart, liver, and brain. They also produce carcinogenic substances like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. Depending on the kind of fuel they're burning, some release out toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic.

There have been several attempts in the US to regulate how much wood-burning stoves pollute the environment, with varying degrees success. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency set emissions guidelines that essentially restricted how much pollution new stoves could release. Since then, there have been two changes to the regulations. The most recent one, in 2015 requires that all stoves catalytic or non-catalytic emit less than 4 grams of pollutants each hour.

Although these rules were strict, they did cause a significant shakeup in the industry, leading to hundreds of smaller companies to close up shop They also sparked the creation of well-designed and efficient stoves that were both durable and capable of producing lower levels of emissions than traditional models. Stove designers analyzed and studied combustion air flow, baffles, combustion chamber shapes, insulating materials, and recirculation systems to make their products better. In time, they were successful.

Emissions are largely dependent on the moisture content of the wood being burned. The higher the level of moisture of the wood, the more pollutants the stove will produce. For that reason, the best method of reducing emissions is to use well-seasoned firewood that has been properly dried over 6-8 months.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that a single woodburning stove, in the event of frequent use, can generate as much particle pollution as 15 diesel cars based on tests that aren't scientifically based comparing the exhaust-related PM2.5 only. However these studies don't consider that around half of the car's particle pollution comes from the brakes, engine and tyres instead of its exhaust.

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

Maintenance

Wood-burning stoves are efficient in heating homes, but they can be a challenge to maintain. A stove needs to be regularly cleaned to keep it looking and operating efficiently. A dirty stove can impact the health of the people who live there and how much heat it produces. Cleaning the stove isn't the only maintenance task that should be done to keep it running smoothly.

Cleaning the interior and exterior of a stove is easy to do. It is recommended to clean your stove on a weekly or fortnightly basis based on the frequency it is used. It is also recommended to empty the ash from the fire box each time after the stove has been used. Spread newspaper on the floor prior to scooping ashes from the stove, and put on gloves to protect your hands. Use a container made of metal instead of a bucket to avoid corrosion.

Cleaning the chimney and flue clean is equally important. It is recommended to hire an expert chimney sweep once or twice per year to thoroughly clean the stove and chimney. This will prevent creosote buildup and lower the risk of chimney fires.

Additionally, chimneys should be inspected for cracks in the flue liner, the masonry and creosote deposits that are excessive, bird nests, and other debris. A professional chimney sweep is able to repair these problems and restore a functioning, safe chimney.

The clear glass that is used on a wood-burning stove can become smudged and cloudy with soot build up over time. Spray ammonia and water on the glass, and wipe it clean with a clean cloth. Be careful not to scratch the glass, since this can cause it to weaken and shatter when it's hot.

Paint that is heat resistant can be used to re-paint wood burning fireplace in the event that the paint starts to chip. These paints can be purchased at the majority of retailers for wood stoves and are available in a broad selection of colors.