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Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove A wood stove can be a warm and cozy space to warm up and can heat a whole home. However, certain appliances release harmful gases, like creosote, which can be dangerous to the health of your family and property. It is essential to maintain these stoves. A few important factors to be aware of include making sure the room isn't overheated making a mess of the fire and using correctly dried firewood that is properly dried. Fuel Wood stoves burn a range of fuel types which include dry wood and manufactured solid fuels like briquettes and fire logs. These clean burning alternative fuels are less polluting than traditional house coal and wet wood, which means they are more eco-friendly and healthier to use. They still emit some harmful smoke and gases, and require regular maintenance in order to perform at their best. Before purchasing or using any fuel, read the instructions of the manufacturer and ensure that the fuel is suitable for your stove. Incorrect fuel could damage your chimney and stove, causing expensive repairs or invalidating the warranty. It's illegal to use fuel that is not approved particularly in smoke control zones. Look for the “Ready to Burn” logo. This means that the fuel is within smoke emission and sulphur limit limitations and can be legally purchased for domestic use. The logo is typically displayed on the packaging or alongside the name of the brand and price. Suitable fuels are seasoned (stored and split for several months before use) or kiln dried to reduce the amount of moisture, which increases the amount of heat produced and improves the efficiency of combustion. The kind of wood you choose will also depend on your heating needs. Softwoods such as pine and spruce are an excellent value for money but hardwoods like oak and beech produce more hot embers and do so over a longer time. Fruitwoods like cherry and apple not only provide efficient heating but also enhance the ambience by releasing pleasant aromas. If you have a stove that uses different fuels, you might think about a mixed-fuel fire. Combining Smokeless Briquettes with wood will aid in keeping the flames going for longer and help keep your home warm. The briquettes can be used as a back-up and can also in preventing a fire from a chimney by keeping the air moving. A well-maintained stove will produce more heat and burn less fuel while releasing fewer harmful particles. If you have a gas or wood stove, make sure it is installed by a licensed installer. Regularly serviced appliances are more efficient and safeguard your health and the environment by preventing harmful emissions. Design The design of wood stoves is an important factor to be considered when evaluating their use as a primary or complementing heat source. Carbon monoxide and smoke are undesirable byproducts that could cause harm to health and the environment. The key to minimizing the emissions is to operate with a proper manner and careful design. Modern wood stoves are designed to be more environmentally conscious than traditional models. All EPA-certified stoves comply with strict emissions and energy efficiency guidelines that optimize the amount of heat they generate. You can check whether a stove is certified by looking for a metal EPA label on the back of the stove or by checking the EPA database. Local hearth products retailers are also a great source for information on wood stoves, including the size and capacity that is the best fit for your space. One of the main components of EPA emission regulations involves controlling air flow through the stove. The firebox of the stove is enclosed by walls that are fireproof, and there are air vents in these walls to allow for controlled airflow. The control of airflow is essential to ensure that the combustion process is efficient and that the emissions are reduced. Many modern stoves have baffles that prolong the duration of the fire and reduces the amount of fumes and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves include catalytic converters to cut down on NOx emissions. This system is more costly and is used only in high-end wood burning stoves. Stoves also employ different kinds of air control systems to regulate the airflow through the stove. The majority of wood stoves use a basic passive air supply, which requires the operator (you) to operate the stove properly in order to achieve peak performance. Certain wood stoves have active air supplies that are controlled by sensors. These sensors are able to monitor the combustion process and adjust the air supply when required. One of the greatest benefits of a wood stove is that it does not require electricity to operate, making it an ideal alternative for heating homes that are located in remote areas or do not have access to an electric grid. If you do not have a backup source of heat in the event of a power outage, or if there is snow, then wood stoves shouldn't be the only option to heat your home. The output of heat Many wood stoves are advertised with the maximum heat output in BTUs. This is not accurate as the actual heat output of a wood-burning stove is dependent on a variety of factors such as the size of the room, and how well insulated it is. The climate also has an impact on the requirements for heat. The colder regions require stoves with a a higher BTU rating to maintain comfort. Other factors that influence the production of heat include the kind of wood used and the frequency of refilling. Dry, seasoned wood produces more heat than freshly-cut and wet logs. A stove fan can assist in spreading the heat generated by the wood burner in the room, rather than having the hot air rise up. It is essential to remember that the maximum power of a wood heater is not to be reached frequently because a continuous fire could damage the stove's internals and cause carbon monoxide to leak into the home. The performance of a stove can also be improved by regular refills. Make sure that the log is not too big and that it is placed on the glowing embers so that it doesn't touch the glass or the walls of the stove. Make smaller logs more often instead of being too long between additions. High efficiency stoves are engineered to provide a higher amount of heat output using the same amount of fuel, by supplying pre-heated combustion air as well as other design features. These stoves produce less carbon monoxide, toxins and smoke than older models. Some people choose to install boiler stoves as part of their heating system. The heat produced by a wood burning stove is used to heat water for central heating systems or a hot water tank. This lets the heat be distributed throughout the house. This is an efficient and cost effective way to heat a home even though the installation process can be very extensive. This method requires a separate flue, and the additional energy needed to run a back boiler will raise the operating costs of wood stoves. Safety Wood stoves and fireplaces are a practical and attractive method of heating your home. However, woodburning stoves without risk. Sparks and embers can spout out of a fire and ignite furniture or carpeting and a hot chimney could cause fire destruction to the structure of your house. The proper use and maintenance of a wood-burning stove reduces these dangers. Wood-burning stoves should be inspected and maintained regularly to keep them safe and in good working condition. This includes checking the flue and chimney for signs of rust and wear, and having them cleaned at least once a year. The chimney should also be inspected halfway through the season for creosote buildup, which is highly flammable and may cause chimney fires. When buying a wood-burning fireplace, choose one that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories or another recognized testing laboratory. This will ensure that the stove is built to comply with federal safety standards and is designed for proper venting. It is also important to check the legs, hinges and grates on a stove to ensure they are in good shape and securely attached to the floor. If you decide to install a wood-burning stove in your cabin, make sure the floor beneath it is sturdy and made from non-combustible materials. You might also want to lay a layer of non-combustible floor tiles on top of the existing flooring, especially if you live in an old mobile home with combustible floors. Always burn only seasoned and dry hardwoods. Green and damp wood produces excessive smoke and creosote. wood heater stove could build in your chimney, which releases toxic chemicals. Avoid burning cardboard, paper, trash or other combustibles in your wood stove, as they can release dangerous fumes and may not completely burn. Never “over-fire” your wood stove, i.e. create a bigger fire than the stove is capable of handling. Overfiring can cause flames to escape from the combustion chamber, which can damage to the chimney, stove connector, as well as the chimney itself. It could also ignite other combustible materials within your home. Also, make sure that the fire has been completely extinguished before leaving your home or going to bed. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should be working throughout the day.