10 Wood Stove Burning Tricks All Pros Recommend

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. However, Undark found that some of these newer stoves may not be able to meet EPA standards.

In the midst of rising energy prices, many cities are looking for ways to cut down on wood burning, especially in areas where air quality is poor. Here are 10 ways to improve the indoor air quality and extract more heat of each log.

Efficiency

Wood stoves are among 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 allows you to burn more energy into your fire, and reduce heating expenses by up to 30%. The efficiency of wood stoves also increases over the lifetime of the stove if you only use seasoned hardwood.

Older wood stoves generally have efficiencies of less than 50 percent. This means that half of the potential energy generated by the fire is lost because smoke and carbon monoxide are released into the air. Modern stoves can boast an efficiency of 85% or more. This is comparable to gas and oil furnaces.

Wood stoves can be more efficient by controlling airflow as well as the fuel and combustion processes. Wood stoves that have controlled airflow can slow down the speed at which the fire moves through wood, allowing gases produced to stay hot and fully burn.

Additionally modern wood stoves can recycle the waste products of incomplete combustion into a new one that is more efficient in burning. This process, known as reburn, can boost the efficiency of wood stoves by as much as 10 percent.

Wood is also carbon-neutral, which is another advantage. As trees expand, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen when burnt. Wood is a sustainable resource for the environment, especially when it comes from local woodlands, which are managed in a way that encourages healthy tree growth.

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 stove or flue pipe could cause carbon monoxide to build up and create fire dangers. Clean stoves chimneys, flue pipes and stoves are more efficient.

The most common task associated with cleaning your wood stove is to empty the ashes. Wear gloves that are protective and wait until the stove has cool down. Choose a metal container that can hold all the ashes and then dispose of it outside away from anything that may ignite. Alternately, you can add the ashes to your compost for an organic addition to your garden.

While the ashes have been removed from the stove, you can sweep the floor to remove dust. It is also a great idea to put at least three feet space between your wood stove, and any combustible items such as curtains or pillows. This helps to prevent the fire from growing out of control and burning these items.

A clean glass door on the interior of your electric stove heaters will allow you to see the dancing flames and it will also aid you in determining when to light a fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaner on hand in order to remove any smudged or tarred areas. If the glass is very filthy you can make use of newspaper soaked in ash and water to wipe it down. Be careful not to scratch the glass because scratches can weaken the glass and cause it to shatter when the glass is heated.

Creosote build-up on the inside of your flue is the primary cause of chimney fires. Creosote is highly flammable, so an accumulation of just a few millimeters can cause an explosion in your chimney. Clean the flue frequently, especially if burning pine or soft woods create more creosote.

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

Safety

Wood stoves can release toxic gasses like carbon monoxide or particulates. These toxins enter the home and could have adverse health consequences for young people, older adults or people suffering from respiratory ailments such as asthma or COPD. Exposure to wood smoke in the long run can lead to heart disease and eventually lung damage.

To prevent these risks, it is essential to follow proper wood stove burning practices. This includes making sure that the stove is operating properly and that it is able to produce enough heat for the room size and design. Only dry, well-seasoned and dry woods are suitable for burning in the stove. The moisture content should be less than 20 percent. If the moisture content of the firewood is higher, the fire will burn more quickly and produce smoke that is smoky and has more creosote on the chimney vent pipe's wall.

Another important aspect of safety is ensuring that the stove has a sufficient draw by observing the amount of air that flows through the firebox and the chimney. Most modern stoves have a variety of ways to adjust the air flow and the owner's guide includes procedures. The highest heating efficiencies can be achieved when the air controls are properly operated.

The flue pipe and chimney should be free of materials that could ignite, including drapes, paper or trash. Insufficient clearance between combustibles as well as wood-burning appliances is the most common cause of fires in homes caused by wood stoves.

Be sure to keep children away from wood stoves while the fire is burning or the ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious, and might try to touch the hot surfaces of a wood stove or put their hands in the fire. It is recommended to install a child-proof gate around the fireplace or to use the fireplace screen. Additionally, it is important to regularly check the fireplace and wood stove for signs of wear.

It is also important to have your stove and chimney regularly inspected for creosote accumulation and bird nests, as well as other issues that could affect the safety of your chimney and stove. This will help avoid fires, health hazards and reduce the need for carbon monoxide remediation services.

Maintenance

Wood stoves are an effective way to lower your heating expenses, but they require some extra maintenance. If you don't perform the necessary maintenance on your wood stove, it could cause a fire that is dangerous to escape from the chimney or flue or even start a housefire. In addition to cleaning the chimney and cleaning the stove, it is essential to clean and sweep the stove's surfaces and flue. It is also advisable to keep an extinguisher in your house and test it often. It's also an excellent idea to place smoke detectors around the house, especially one in the room that houses the stove.

In general, you should clean the stove and chimney once a year. The cleaning schedule should be adjusted based on how often the stove is being used, and it might need to be done more frequently in winter. Make sure to use only dry and seasoned wood for burning in the stove. It is recommended to stay clear of using a lot of kerosene or oil for starting the fire, as these fuels burn differently and generate toxic gases that can be very detrimental to your health.

During your regular cleaning it is important to inspect the gaskets of your doors. They are typically made of rope-like braids which can be damaged by repeated opening and closing. If you find that the gasket is loose and needs to be repaired, buy an alternative gasket made of fiberglass and adhesive. The hinges of these doors should also be checked.

Chimneys and flues need to be inspected to ensure they are free of creosote accumulation and obstructions. During this inspection, look for cracks in the chimney liner, as well as any other signs of damage. Stovepipes need to be checked too, and any gaps or dents should be repaired.

It is essential to clean the glass door of your wood stove. You can easily do this by mixing water with ammonia. A sponge or rag must be soaked in the solution and wiped across the glass's surface until it is completely clean. For more difficult staining, leave the solution on for a couple of minutes before wiping it off again.