How to Maintain a Woodburning Stove

A wood-burning electric stove fireplace can be an efficient and effective way to warm your home. It is important to maintain your woodburning appliance to ensure its maximum performance.

Tip: Select seasoned wood with a low moisture content. This will result in more time to burn and a higher heat output.

The state environmental agencies are trying to find a solution to the issue of particulate matter pollution caused by the old wood burner stoves-burning stoves.

How They Work

Wood-burning stoves as their name suggests are made of wood that produces heat. They accomplish this by enclosing the fire within a metal and glass body. This also helps to keep the temperature inside your home at an even level. It also serves as a barrier that prevents smoke from entering the living space.

Stoves control combustion by controlling the amount of oxygen they allow into the fire. This is accomplished through one or more air vents that can be opened and closed to control the amount of oxygen that is pumped into the fire.

Modern stoves usually use non-catalytic or catalytic technology to control this. Catalytic stoves have catalytic converters that are designed to burn the gasses generated during primary combustion so that they don't escape into the room. Non-catalytic stoves on the contrary, do not have a catalyst, and rely solely on secondary combustion to occur within the firebox, thereby reducing emissions.

It is recommended that you only use seasoned wood in your woodburning stove. This means that it should have a moisture content of less than 20 which allows the fire to burn more efficiently. This will reduce the amount of smoke and harmful pollutants that escape from the flue. It will also prevent the glass of your stove from getting blackened by creosote. Creosote is the by-product of burning wood and can accumulate over time.

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

However, wood smoke can be harmful to anyone, particularly children and older adults who have lungs that are vulnerable. It can also affect those with lung disorders such as asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). If you reside in a smoke control zone, ensure that your stove is properly seasoned. It must also be fitted with a chimney which meets the local standards.

Burning Wood

Woodburning stoves offer clean and renewable source of heat. They are also a great choice to keep the home warm during power outages. They also reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, such as oil and gas which can be harmful to the environment.

Modern woodburning stoves operate more efficiently than older models and are designed to avoid creosote build-up but it is still important to monitor the process of combustion. Creosote is a potentially dangerous byproduct of combustion that is not properly slowed, can clog the chimney and cause it to lose its efficiency. It can also pose an hazard to fire. Using seasoned wood will help to 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 use wood and coal, giving you a choice between carbon-neutral sources of energy. It is crucial to remember that coal is not a climate friendly fuel, and there are some concerns about the way it is extracted.

It is best to use the Defra approved stove, and ideally one that is also Ecodesign ready, as they will be in compliance with the most recent emission regulations. The UK building regulations specify the kind of flue used, the size of the hearth and the distance between the stove and the combustible material. It is always best to talk to our stove experts before purchasing an appliance.

Paper and other combustibles like trash and paper should not be placed in woodburning appliances. They could cause more pollution and, in the worst case, a chimney fire. At best, they will make them less efficient. Other combustibles are lighter than firewood and therefore will burn at lower temperatures and produce more particles.

It is essential to use only well-seasoned, split, and dried firewood. This will burn more efficiently. Wet or damp wood produces more smoke and pollution. It is also recommended to use a high-quality stove pipe in order to ensure that the flue temperatures are sufficient and that it's installed correctly.

Emissions

Woodburning stoves emit a variety of gases and particles. They release a lot of fine particulate (PM2.5) that can enter the lungs, get into the bloodstream and possibly harm the liver, heart and brain. However they also produce carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs. Some of them even release harmful metals such as mercury and arsenic, depending on what they're burning.

In the US there have been numerous attempts to regulate the amount of pollution woodburning stoves produce with different levels of success. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency established emission guidelines that regulated the amount of pollution new stoves were allowed to release. Since since then, there's been two modifications to the guidelines. The most recent revision in 2015 stipulates that all units, catalytic or non-catalytic, release no more than 4 grams of pollutants every hour.

These strict rules caused a major shake-up within the industry, forcing hundreds of smaller manufacturers out of business. However, they also sparked an effort to create efficient stoves that were durable and produced lower emissions than conventional models. Stove designers looked at and analysed combustion air flows, baffles, combustion chamber forms, insulating materials and recirculation systems to make their products better. They eventually succeeded.

The moisture content of wood is a key factor in determining the emissions. The higher the moisture level of the wood, the more harmful emissions the stove will produce. Therefore, the best method to reduce emissions is to use firewood that has been seasoned that has been properly dried over 6-8 months.

According to several studies which compare the impact of exhaust-related particles only wood-burning stoves can produce as much particle contamination as 15 diesel vehicles. These tests were not scientifically valid. However, these studies fail to take into consideration that approximately half of a car's particle pollution is caused by the brakes, engine, and tyres rather than its exhaust.

Ten blue states are pushing on the EPA to review their carbon emissions and guidelines for air quality for wood-burning appliances. Attorney generals from New York, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, California, Alaska, Oregon and Vermont have announced plans to sue the EPA for allowing high-emitting stoves to be sold and installed in homes across the country.

Maintenance

Wood-burning stoves are efficient at heating homes but aren't easy to maintain. To keep your stove looking and functioning efficiently, you'll have to keep it clean regularly. A dirty stove could be detrimental to the health of occupants and also the amount of heat it generates. In addition to cleaning the stove, there are also maintenance tasks that must be carried out to ensure that it is working properly.

Cleaning the interior and exterior of a stove is simple to do. It is recommended to clean your stove every week or on a fortnightly basis, depending on how frequently it is used. It is recommended to remove ash from the fire box every time the stove has been used. Spread an old newspaper over the floor before scooping ashes out of the stove, and put on gloves to protect your hands. Make use of a metal container instead of a bucket in order to avoid the rusting.

Cleaning the chimney and flue clean is also important. A professional chimney sweep is required once or twice a year to clean the stove and chimney thoroughly. This will stop the buildup of creosote and reduce the risk for chimney fires.

A chimney must be examined for cracks in the flue liner, masonry and creosote deposits that are excessive or bird nests, as well as other debris. A professional chimney sweep is in a position to fix these issues and restore a safe, functional chimney.

Finally, the glass of a wood burning stove can become smudged or cloudy as soot builds up over time. A mixture of water and ammonia can be sprayed on the glass and then cleaned with a clean cloth until it is clear. Avoid scratching the glass, because this could cause it to cause it to shatter and weaken when hot.

If the paint on a woodburning stove begins to crack it can be easily repainted with a quality paint that is heat resistant. These paints are usually available at places where wood stoves are sold and are available in a variety of colors.