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 produce less pollutants. However, Undark found that some of these newer stoves might not be up to EPA standards.

In an era of high energy costs, a lot of cities are seeking to reduce the use of wood, especially in areas where air quality is low. Here are 10 strategies to improve the indoor air quality, and get more heat out of each log.

Efficiency

Wood stoves are among the most efficient ways to heat your house. Modern EPA-certified wood stoves burn logs fast and produce less smoke than older models. This lets you use a greater proportion of the energy of your fire in a shorter time and reduce your heating bills by up to 30 percent. The efficiency of wood stoves increases over the lifetime of the stove when you use only seasoned hardwood.

Older small wood burning stove stoves typically have efficiencies of 50 percent or less. This means that a significant portion of the energy potential in the fire is lost when carbon monoxide and smoke are released into the atmosphere. Modern stoves can boast an efficiency of up to 85% or more. This is similar to oil and gas furnaces.

Wood stoves can be made more efficient by controlling the air as well as the multi fuel stoves, please click Web 018 Dmonster, and combustion processes. wood fire stove stoves that control the airflow can slow down how fast the flame moves through the wood, and permit the gases produced to remain hot and fully combust.

In addition modern wood stoves are able to recycle the byproducts from incomplete combustion into a new fire that burns more efficiently. This process, referred to as reburn, can boost the efficiency of wood stoves by as much as 10%.

Another advantage of using wood as a source for heat is that it is carbon neutral. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while growing and release oxygen when they burn. Wood is also an environmentally sustainable resource, particularly if it comes from woodlands in the local area that are managed in a way that encourages the growth of healthy trees.

Cleanliness

Cleaning and maintenance of wood stoves is crucial to keeping homes warm. In the United States, 8.8 million households use wood stoves. A dirty stove and pipe could be an ignition source and can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean stoves as well as flue pipes and chimneys are more efficient.

Emptying the ashes is the primary task you can do when cleaning your wood stove. Wear gloves that are protective and wait until the stove is cool down. Choose a metal container that is big enough to accommodate all the ashes, and then dump them outdoors away from anything that might be able to ignite. You can also incorporate the ashes into your compost to create an excellent addition to your garden.

Once the ashes have gone out of the stove, it's the perfect time to sweep the floor and remove any dust that remains. It is also a good idea to keep at minimum 3 feet of space between your wood stove and any other combustible objects such as curtains, pillows or toys. This helps to prevent the fire from getting 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 will help you determine when it's time to light an all-new fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaning solution on hand in order to clean any smudged or tarred areas. If the glass is very filthy, you can make use of a newspaper that has been dipped in ash and water to clean it. Avoid scratching the glass as this can cause it to weaken and break when heated.

The accumulation of creosote within your chimney flue is one the primary causes of chimney fires. Creosote is highly flammable, and an accumulation of just one millimeter can trigger an explosion in your chimney. Clean the flue frequently particularly if you are burning pine or other soft woods that produce more creosote than other kinds of wood.

To avoid creosote vapors entering your home, you should only burn seasoned and dry wood that has been split in half or smaller. Never burn fake trash, logs or other items inside your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves can emit toxic gases like carbon monoxide and particulates. These toxins can make their way into the home, and have negative effects on the health of young people, older adults, and those suffering from respiratory ailments like COPD or asthma. In time, wood smoke exposure can cause lung damage and heart disease.

It is essential to adhere to the proper burning techniques for wood stoves to reduce the risk. This includes ensuring the stove is operating correctly and has sufficient heat output for the size and shape of the room. Additionally only dry, well-seasoned hardwoods should be burned in the stove. The moisture content of the wood should not exceed 20 percent. If the moisture content of the wood is higher, the fire will burn more quickly and produce smoke that is smoky and has more creosote on the chimney vent pipe wall.

Another important aspect of safety is to ensure that the stove has a good draw by monitoring the amount of air flowing into the firebox and through the chimney. Most modern stoves have a variety of ways to regulate the flow of air, and the owner's manual has documented the procedures. The highest heating efficiencies can be achieved if the control of the air flow is properly used.

The chimney and flue pipes must be free of fire-prone materials, such as drapes, paper, or rugs. Inadequate clearance between combustibles and wood-burning appliances is a leading reason for house fires caused by wood stoves.

Keep children away from wood stoves when the flame is burning or the ashes are being removed. Kids are naturally curious and may want to touch the hot surfaces of a wood stove or put their hands into the flame. It is recommended to set up a child-proof gate around the fireplace, or employ the fireplace screen. It is also important to regularly inspect the fireplace and wood stove for signs of wear.

Lastly, it is important to ensure that your chimney and stove are regularly inspected for creosote accumulation, bird nests and other problems that can affect the safety of your chimney and stove. This will prevent fires and health hazards and also reduce the need for CO2 or smoke remediation services.

Maintenance

Wood stoves are an excellent method of saving money on heating bills, they do require some additional maintenance. If you don't perform the required maintenance on your wood stove, it could cause a dangerous fire to escape from the chimney or flue and could even trigger an explosion in your home. In addition to sweeping the chimney and cleaning the stove, you need to clean and sweep the surfaces in the stove and flue. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and test it regularly. Smoke detectors are beneficial throughout the house, but particularly in the room where the stove is located.

As a rule cleaning your chimney and stove at least once per year. Cleaning schedules should be adjusted in accordance with how frequently the stove is used. It might be necessary to clean it more often in winter. It is also important to use only seasoned and dry wood to burn in the stove. It is recommended to stay clear of using a lot of oil or kerosene for starting the fire, as these fuels burn differently and produce toxic gases that could be harmful to your health.

During your regular cleaning, you should check the gaskets on your doors. These are usually made of a braided material which can become degraded over time. If you find that the gasket is loose and needs to be repaired, buy a new gasket made of fiberglass and adhesive. Also, the hinges on these doors should be checked as well.

It is important to inspect chimneys and flues to make sure that they are clear of obstructions and creosote. During this inspection, you should look for cracks in the chimney liner and any other indications of damage. Stovepipes must also be inspected and any dents must be fixed.

If you have a glass door on your wood stove, it's crucial to keep it clean. You can do 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 clean. It is possible to leave the solution for a few minutes before wiping it off again.