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

Many communities have offered incentives to purchase wood stoves with EPA-certified models that produce less pollution. Undark discovered that some of the more recent stoves might not meet EPA standards.

In an era of high energy costs, cities are trying to cut down on the use of electric wood stove, especially in areas in which air quality is poor. Here are 10 strategies to improve the indoor air quality, and get more heat out of each log.

Efficiency

Wood stoves are one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. Modern wood stoves that are EPA-certified burn logs quickly and generate less smoke than older models. This lets you burn more energy into your fire and reduce your heating costs by up to 30%. When you only use wood that has been seasoned the efficiency of wood stoves will increase throughout the life of the stove.

Older wood stoves are efficient at 50 percent or less. This means that smoke and [empty] carbon dioxide are released into the air, which results in a loss of half the energy potential in the fire. Modern stoves can boast an efficiency of 85 percent or more. This is comparable to gas and oil furnaces.

The higher efficiencies of wood stoves are made by controlling the air, multi fuel stoves, and combustion process. Wood stoves with controlled airflow can slow down the speed at which the fire moves through wood, allowing gases produced to stay hot and completely burn.

In addition modern wood stoves are able to recycle the waste products of incomplete combustion into a new fire that is more efficient in burning. This process, called reburn, can increase the efficiency of wood stoves up to 10 percent.

outdoor wood burning stove (please click the next internet page) is also carbon neutral which is a further benefit. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while growing and release oxygen when they are burned. Wood is also an eco-friendly resource, especially if it comes from woodlands in the local area that are managed in a manner that encourages the growth of healthy trees.

Cleanliness

With 8.8 million households that use wood stoves in the United States, cleaning and maintenance are an important aspect of keeping your home warm. A dirty flue pipe or stove can lead to carbon monoxide and fire hazards. Clean stoves, chimneys and flue pipes are also more efficient.

Emptying the ashes is the primary task to do when cleaning your wood stove. This should be done on a cool day when the stove isn't as hot and you must wear gloves that are protective when handling the ashes. Choose a metal container that is that is large enough to hold all of the ashes, then take them in a safe place away from anything that could be able to ignite. Alternatively, you can add the ashes to your compost pile for a healthy addition to your garden.

After the ashes have been removed from the stove, you can sweep the floor to remove dust. It is important to leave at three feet of space between your wood stove and any combustible materials like curtains, pillows or toys. This will stop a fire from spreading and burning the items.

Regarding the inside of your stove a clear glass door lets you to see of the dancing flames and help you know when it is time to begin the fire again. Be sure to have a glass cleaning solution available to remove any tarred or smudged areas. Newspaper dipped into water and ash can be used to cleanse the glass if it's extremely dirty. Avoid scratching the glass because this can cause it to break or break when heated.

Creosote buildup on the inside of your flue is a major cause of chimney fires. Creosote is highly flammable, so an accumulation of just millimeters could cause an explosion in your chimney. Clean the flue frequently, especially in the event that burning soft or pine woods produces more creosote.

To avoid creosote vapors entering your home, you should only burn dry and seasoned wood that has been split in half or smaller. Do not burn artificial trash, logs or other objects in your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves emit harmful gases such as carbon monoxide or particulates. These toxins can enter the home, and have negative effects on the health of children, elderly adults, and those suffering from respiratory illnesses such as COPD or asthma. In time exposure to wood smoke can cause lung damage and heart disease.

To prevent these risks It is crucial to follow the proper wood stove burning practices. This includes ensuring the stove is working correctly and has sufficient heat output for the size and layout of the room. Only dry, well-seasoned, hard woods should be burned in the stove log burner. The moisture content of the wood must be less than 20%. If the moisture content of the wood is higher it will burn more quickly and produce smoke that is smoky and has more creosote on the chimney vent pipe wall.

Another crucial safety concern is to ensure that the stove has a sufficient draw by observing the amount of air flowing into the firebox and through the chimney. Most modern stoves have several options to alter the flow of air and the owner's guide contains procedures. When you operate the air controls correctly, you can ensure the highest efficiency of heating.

The chimney and flue pipes must be free of fire-prone materials, such as drapes, papers, trash or rug. Insufficient clearance between combustibles as well as wood-burning appliances is a leading cause of fires in homes caused by wood stoves.

Keep children away from wood stoves when the flame is burning or when ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious, and they might touch hot surfaces of a wood stove or place their hands in the flame. It is recommended to install a child-proof gate around the fireplace or to use the fireplace screen. It is also important to regularly inspect the fireplace and wood stove for signs of wear and tear.

Finally, it is essential to have your stove and chimney professionally inspected once per year for accumulation of creosote and bird nests, as well as other issues that could affect the safety of your chimney and stove. This will reduce the risk of fires and health hazards and also lessen the need for CO2 or smoke remediation services.

Maintenance

Wood stoves can be an excellent way to cut down your heating costs, but they need some additional maintenance. If you do not do the necessary maintenance on your wood stove, it could result in a fire which escapes the flue, a dangerous chimney fire, or a house fire. You should also clean the stove's surfaces and flue. Keep a fire extinguisher at your desk and check it frequently. It is also a good idea to put smoke detectors in the house particularly in the area with the stove.

In general, you should clean your stove and chimney at least once per year. The cleaning schedule can be altered based on how often the stove is used, and may need to be done more frequently in winter. Make sure to use only dry and seasoned wood to burn in the stove. Avoid using lots of oil or kerosene to ignite the fire. These fuels could release toxic gases and can be harmful to your health.

During your regular cleaning and maintenance, be sure to examine the gaskets on your doors. They are typically made of braided rope-like material that can degrade with repeated closing and opening. If you notice that the gasket is loose and needs to be fixed, purchase a replacement fiberglass seal and some gasket adhesive. The hinges on these doors should be inspected as well.

Chimneys and flues need to be inspected to ensure that they are free of creosote build-up and obstructions. During the inspection, chill.wiki look for cracks, and other indications of damage in the chimney lining. Stovepipes must be examined too, and any dents or gaps need to be filled.

It is essential to clean the glass door of your wood stove. This can be done easily by using a mixture of water and ammonia. A sponge or rag should be soaked with the solution and wiped across the surface of the glass until it is completely clean. For more difficult staining, leave the solution in place for a few minutes prior to wiping the glass again.