EPA-Certified Wood Stoves May Not Meet Your Health and Safety Standards

Many communities have provided financial incentives to replace old wood stoves with EPA certified models that emit less pollution. But Undark found that some of these newer stoves may not meet EPA standards.

In a time of high energy prices, a lot of cities are looking for ways to cut down on wood burning, especially in areas with poor air quality. Here are 10 strategies to improve the indoor air quality, and to get more heat out of each log.

Efficiency

Wood stove burning is one of the most efficient methods to heat your home. Modern wood stoves that are EPA-certified burn logs fast and produce less smoke than older models. This lets you burn a higher percentage of the potential energy generated by your fireplace in a shorter period of time and cut down on your heating bill by as much as 30 percent. If you use only well-seasoned wood, the efficiency of wood stoves improves over the life of the stove.

Older wood stoves have an efficiency of 50 percent or lower. 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 achieve efficiency of up to 85 percent or more, which is similar to the efficiency of gas and oil furnaces.

Wood stoves can be more efficient by controlling the air combustion, fuel, and processes. Wood stoves that regulate the airflow are able to slow down how fast the flame moves through the wood and permit the gases produced to stay hot and combust completely.

Modern wood stoves can recycle the byproducts from incomplete combustion to create a new fire that burns more efficiently. This process, called Reburn, can improve the efficiency of wood stoves by as much as 10%.

Wood is also carbon-neutral, which is another advantage. As trees develop, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen when burned. Wood is a sustainable resource for the environment, particularly when it is sourced from local woodlands that are managed in a way that promotes healthy tree growth.

Cleanliness

Cleaning and maintaining wood stoves is crucial to keeping homes warm. In the United States, 8.8 million households use wood stoves. A dirty stove or flue pipe could cause carbon monoxide to build up and create fire hazards. Clean chimneys, stoves and flue pipes are more efficient.

The removal of ashes is the primary task when cleaning your wood stove. This is best done on a cool day, when the stove is no longer hot, and you should wear gloves that are protective when handling the ashes. Choose a metal container that can hold all the ashes and then dispose of it outside, away from anything that could ignite. Alternatively, you can add the ashes to your compost pile for an excellent addition to your garden.

When the ashes have been cleared of the stove, it's an ideal time to sweep the floor and vacuum up any residual dust. It is important to have at least 3 feet of space between your wood stove and any combustible items like curtains, pillows or toys. This will stop the fire from growing out of control and burning these things.

Regarding the inside of your stove, glass doors that are clean allow you to take a look of the dancing flames and can help you tell when it is time to light a new fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaner on hand in order to get rid of any smudged or tarred areas. Newspaper dipped into ash and water can be used to wash the glass if it's extremely dirty. Be careful not to scratch the glass, since scratches can weaken glass and cause it to shatter when the glass is heated.

The buildup of creosote inside your chimney flue is one of the main causes of chimney fires. A few millimeters of creosote may cause a fire to the chimney. Clean the flue frequently particularly in the event that burning soft or pine woods produces more creosote.

Burn only seasoned, dry wood that has been cut in half or smaller. Never burn fake logs, trash or other objects in your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves can release toxic gasses like carbon monoxide and particulates. These harmful gases can be absorbed into the home, and have negative health effects for young people, older adults, or those with respiratory ailments like COPD or asthma. In time exposure to wood smoke can cause lung damage and heart disease.

To reduce the risk of these issues to avoid these risks, it is vital to adhere to the correct wood stove burning procedures. This includes ensuring that the stove wood burning is working correctly and has the right energy output to meet the dimensions and shape of the room. Only dry, well-seasoned, hard woods should be burnt in the stove. The moisture content should be less than 20%. If the moisture content of the firewood is higher it will burn more quickly and produce a smoky fire with more creosote on the chimney vent pipe's wall.

Another important safety issue is to ensure that the stove has a good draw by observing the amount of air that flows into the firebox and through the chimney. Modern stoves come with a variety of ways to regulate the flow of air, and the owner's manual contains procedures. Properly operating the air controls can achieve the highest efficiency in heating.

The flue pipe and chimney must be free of all materials that could ignite, including drapes, trash or paper. The wood stove fires are often caused by an inadequate clearance between combustibles wood-burning appliances as well as combustibles.

Be sure to keep children out of wood stoves when the fire is burning or the ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious and may try to touch the hot surfaces of a wood stove or put their hands into the fire. It is recommended to install a child-proof barrier around the fireplace or employ a fireplace screen. It is also important to regularly check the fireplace and wood stove for signs of wear and tear.

Finally, it is essential to ensure that your chimney and stove are regularly inspected for accumulation of creosote, bird nests and other issues that could affect stove and chimney safety. This will help prevent fires and health hazards and also lessen the necessity for CO2 or smoke remediation services.

Maintenance

While wood stoves are an excellent way to save the cost of heating your home, they do require some additional maintenance. If you don't take care of the required maintenance, your wood stove can cause a dangerous fire to escape the flue or chimney, and even cause a housefire. It is also recommended to clean the stove's surfaces and flue. Keep a fire extinguisher in the counter and test it frequently. Smoke detectors are also a great idea throughout the home, but they are especially useful in the room where the stove is.

In general you should clean the chimney and stove once a year. The frequency of cleaning should be adjusted based on how much the stove is used, and may require more frequently during winter. It is also important to make sure you use only dry and well-seasoned wood to use in the stove. Avoid using a lot oil or kerosene for starting the fire. These fuels can release toxic gases and be harmful to your health.

You should inspect the gaskets on your door at the time of your regular cleaning. They are typically made from a braided substance that may be damaged over time. If you find that the gasket is loose and needs to be replaced, purchase a new gasket seal made of fiberglass and adhesive. The hinges of these doors must be inspected as well.

Chimneys and flues should be examined to ensure that they are free of creosote build up and obstructions. During the inspection, check for cracks, and other indications of damage in the chimney lining. Stovepipes must be examined too and any holes or dents should be repaired.

It is essential to clean the glass door of your wood stove. You can accomplish this by mixing water and ammonia. A sponge or rag should be saturated with the solution and then wiped across the surface of the glass until it is completely clean. You can let the solution sit for a couple of minutes before wiping it again.