How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner

Outdoor wood burners are typically called wood boilers. They look like small sheds that have a short smokestack. They are used to heat water or a mixture of antifreeze and water which is then circulated through your home.

When combined with dry wood and EPA-approved outdoor boilers, they can be an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil heating. They still generate a lot of smoke.

Energy Efficiency

Wood heat has been a popular option for heating homes for a long time. With fluctuating fossil fuel prices, it is a reasonable alternative for many. Wood boilers are not all built with the same effectiveness. As a rule models that use wood gasification are more efficient than traditional outdoor wood furnaces.

There are several elements that affect the efficiency of energy used by an OWB. One of these is the quality of the firewood that is used. It is important to choose only firewood that has been seasoned and dried for at least six months; ideally for an entire year. Dry firewood releases more of its heat into the air than wet, green wood. It also burns better and releases less pollutants.

The boiler's combustion rate is a further aspect. This is the percentage of heat that is converted by the stove to useful heat. Many manufacturers advertise their OWBs' efficiency in combustion, but it is important to look for the delivered efficiency as well. This is a measure of how much of the available heat from the wood is absorbed by the home.

In the end, it is essential to properly operate the OWB to ensure its efficiency. This means cleaning it and ensuring that the vent is maintained regularly. The flue should be cleaned on a weekly basis during the heating season to prevent obstruction and to reduce the amount of smoke produced by the burner.

Unlike indoor stoves, which sit directly inside your home, an OWB is located between 90 and 200 feet away from your home. The heated water is then piped through insulated pipes to your home. The hot water is then circulated through a system of heat exchange units that provide warmth throughout your home.

Despite the disadvantages discussed above, an OWB is an extremely efficient way to heat your home and can reduce your energy bills. Be sure to choose a high-efficiency unit and follow the correct maintenance procedures to get the most benefit of it. Don't forget to only burn dry, seasoned wood in an OWB. This will keep the firewood from damaging your home and polluting the air.

Environmentally Friendly

Wood is a more environmentally friendly option to burning fossil fuels like propane, gasoline, and oil. It is a renewable source which means that new trees will be planted to replace those which were burned to provide warmth. Wood emits carbon dioxide when it burns however, it is absorbed by other trees and plants that convert it back into oxygen for us to breathe. Wood burning produces no other environmental pollution, unlike fossil fuels.

Wood furnaces can be used for heating homes, garages sheds, and other structures. They are economical as they do away with the need to pay high utility bills. These heaters can be used to heat hot tubs and pools, which are great for relaxing in winter. These heaters are EPAapproved and CSA-certified and are an environmentally friendly option for heating your home.

However, a wood Stove Wood Burning is not without its drawbacks. Wood smoke contains tiny air particles that can aggravate the symptoms of certain health conditions, such as heart and lung problems. These particles can also contribute to climate change and contaminate water supplies. It is important to use only seasoned firewood in your outdoor wood burner. If your wood isn't seasoned, it will release more smoke, which can irritate those with sensitive respiratory systems.

A substitute for a wood furnace is an electric heat pump, which extracts thermal energy from the ground or air and allows it to heat buildings and reduce the requirement for propane, natural gas or oil. These heat pumps are more eco-friendly than traditional wood stoves and they are more efficient. However they require a continuous supply of raw materials to function.

Nevertheless, wood-burning heating is still a favorite among some due to its low cost and green credentials. Many of the best 5kw wood burning stove models come with an 85% efficiency rating, which is superior to other heating options. Speak with an expert in outdoor wood burning to know about the most efficient and eco sustainable models.

Safety

If not properly maintained and installed, a wood burning stove could pose a serious risk of fire. Smoke from a fire could be contaminated by carbon monoxide, toxins and fine particles that can cause health issues, such as asthma and a reduced lung function. In addition, smoke can contaminate furniture, carpeting and clothing. Therefore, it is important to employ professionals to install your wood stove.

It is also a good idea to have a professional conduct an inspection of your chimney or wood-burning appliance and stovepipe on a regular basis. They will ensure that your OWB is operating safely and is in compliance with the local safety regulations. This will help to keep fires from forming within your home or other structures on your property.

When burning wood in an OWB it is essential to use only dry and seasoned logs. You should also ensure that the area around logs free of any debris and combustible substances such as plastic or paper, in order to avoid the risk of fire. Never burn treated wood, garbage or Stove wood Burning rubbish as they can release harmful pollutants into the air.

Wood smoke is harmful to everyone, but it is particularly harmful to children, teenagers and older adults, as well as people with heart or respiratory conditions. It is also recommended that pregnant women and newly-wed mothers avoid wood smoke as it could adversely affect their unborn child.

Using an OWB could also be a nuisance to your neighbors. Depending on the weather conditions and winds smoke from a fire could fly through windows. It can also cause irritation to the nose and eyes. It is recommended to close any windows or doors that are near the stove, and to keep pets away from the flame.

Installing carbon dioxide and smoke alarms in every bedroom of your home is an excellent idea. Check them frequently. You should also make a family evacuation strategy and practice it at the very least once a month. Contact your local PuroClean branch for help with blaze and smoke restoration services. We can restore your smoke-damaged property or business to its pre-fire condition.

Maintenance

Wood burning furnaces, also referred to as outdoor wood burners, or OWBs are ideal for heating your home using renewable energy sources and creating a warm, cozy atmosphere. But like any appliance that you use regularly, they require some maintenance to ensure that they are running smoothly.

You'll benefit the most from your outdoor wood stove if maintain it regularly. Regularly cleaning your wood stove's exterior, interior, and flue pipe is essential. Before you start any cleaning, be sure that the fire is gone and all electrical power to the wood stove is turned off. You should also prepare your tools prior to beginning cleaning - these should include newspaper (to cover the floor of your house) safety gloves, a toothbrush and a small shovel, as well as a ash-filled metal container instead of a bucket.

Every time you burn wood in your outdoor wood burner, it produces creosote residue, which must be cleaned regularly to ensure optimal air flow through the combustion system and to stop the accumulation of a substance that corrodes the inner layers of steel in the water jacket. Using a creosote removal tool like Creosote Buster sticks in your fire can reduce the amount of time and effort required for the cleaning process.

It is also necessary to clean the ash container on your wood burner on a weekly basis. It is better to empty the ash into a metal Ash container rather than dumping it in a regular garbage container that is filled with trash, plastics and other materials that could ignite and explode if you place the hot ashes in them.

Based on the type of fuel and amount of heat being attracted from your wood burner, as well as the conditions in the air it is possible to control smoke on a regular basis. If smoke is a concern it is recommended to consider having the flue pipe of your wood stove professionally cleaned regularly as well. This isn't an easy task for a do-it yourselfer. It is best left to professionals to avoid health problems that may arise from breathing in a lot of smoke from wood.