Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove
A wood stove is a wonderful way to warm your home and can also warm the entire home. Certain stoves emit harmful gases, such as creosote, which can be dangerous for health and property.
Proper care of the stoves is crucial. Some of the most important points to keep in mind include making sure that the room is not overheated and not tampering with the fire, and using appropriately dried firewood that is properly dried.
Fuel
Wood stoves burn a variety of fuel types, including dry wood and manufactured solid fuels, such as briquettes and fire logs. These clean burning alternative fuels are less polluting than traditional household coal and wet wood, which means they are more eco-friendly and safer to use. However, they release toxic gases and smoke. They also require regular maintenance to keep them operating at their best.
Before you purchase or use any fuel, read the manufacturer's instructions and make sure that the fuel is suitable for your stove. Unsuitable fuels can damage your stove or chimney, leading to expensive repairs and voiding your warranty. The use of a fuel that is not approved could be illegal, especially in areas with smoke control. Look for the "Ready to Burn" logo. This confirms that the fuel is in compliance with limits of sulphur and smoke emission limits and is legally sold for domestic use. The logo is often placed alongside the price and details about the brand or on the packaging.
The fuels suitable for burning must be dried or seasoned to reduce moisture content. This will improve the amount of heat produced and improve the efficiency of combustion. The type of wood selected must also be suited to your heating needs. Softwoods such as spruce and pine are good for heating but hardwoods like oak and beech produce a higher output of hot embers over a longer period of time. Fruitwoods like apple and cherry are not just used to heat your home but also provide a pleasant aroma.
If you own an appliance that is multi-fuel, you should consider a mixed fuel fire. combining wood with smokeless briquettes will help keep the flames burning and keep your home warm for a longer time. Briquettes can be a great backup option and can help prevent a chimney-fire by ensuring that the air is moving.
A well-maintained stove will create more heat, burn less fuel and create fewer harmful particles. If you own a wood or gas-fired stove, ensure it is fitted by a registered installer (on a competent person scheme such as HETAS, APHC, BESCA, Certsure or NAPIT). Regularly serviced appliances are more efficient and help protect the environment and your health by preventing harmful emission.
Design
The design of wood stoves is an important consideration for those considering them as a primary or complementing heat source. Unwanted byproducts from combustion, such as carbon monoxide and smoke are a concern for environmental and health impacts. A well-planned and efficient operation are the most important factors in reducing these emissions.
Modern wood stoves are designed to be more eco conscious than traditional models. All EPA certified stoves must comply with strict energy efficiency and emission regulations to maximize the amount of heat produced. Look for a metal EPA certification mark on the back of the stove, or go through the EPA's latest database to see whether a particular stove is certified. Going to local hearth stores who are knowledgeable about the performance capabilities of their inventory is also an excellent way to find out more about wood stoves and which size and capacity may be the best fit for your home.
A key part of the EPA emission regulations is 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. Controlling airflow is crucial to ensure that combustion is efficient and emissions are minimal.
Modern stoves often have baffles that extend the amount of time that the fire burns which reduces the amount fumes and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves utilize catalyst converters to decrease NOx emission. This system is more costly and is used only in high-end wood burning stoves.
Stoves utilize different air control systems to regulate air flow. Most wood stoves have the basic passive air supply which requires that the operator (you), operate the stove properly to ensure maximum efficiency. A few wood stoves also come with active air supply that are controlled by sensors that track the combustion process and adjust the amount of air according to the needs.
One of the biggest advantages of wood stoves is that it doesn't require electricity to operate, making it an excellent alternative to heating homes that are isolated or aren't connected to a power grid. However, if your home does not have a backup heating source to depend on in the event of an outage or in case of snow storms, a wood stove is not the sole option for heating your home.
The output of heat
A lot of wood stoves advertise their peak heat output in BTUs. This is misleading since the actual amount of heat produced of a wood-burning fireplace is contingent on a variety of factors including the size of the room, and the degree of insulation it has.
Climate also has an impact on the requirements for heat. To ensure comfort the colder regions require stoves with higher BTU ratings.
The type of wood used and the frequency you replenish your fireplace are other elements that affect the amount of heat produced. Dry, seasoned wood creates more heat than freshly-cut and wet logs. The use of a stove fan can also help circulate the warmth produced by the wood burner into the room instead of having the hot air rise.
It is important to remember that the highest output of wood heater stoves should not be a constant event as continuous high firing causes damage to the stove's internals and can cause carbon monoxide to escape into the home.
Regular refueling can also enhance the performance of a fireplace. Make sure that the log isn't too large and is placed on the embers that are glowing to ensure that it doesn't touch the glass or the walls of the stove. Make smaller logs more often, rather than waiting too long between additions.
High efficiency stoves are engineered to produce more heat output from the same amount fuel. This is accomplished by prewarming combustion air and by incorporating other features into the design. These stoves often produce less smoke, toxins and carbon monoxide than previous models.
Some people also opt to install a back boiler stove as part of their heating system. The heat generated by a wood-burning stove is used to heat water for central heating systems or hot water tank. This lets the heat be distributed throughout the home. This is an efficient and cost-effective method to heat the home. However, the installation process can take quite a long time. This method requires a separate flue, and the additional energy needed to run back boilers will increase the running costs of wood stoves.
Safety
Wood stoves and fireplaces are an attractive and convenient method of heating homes. However, they are not without their risks. Sparks and embers can spout out of a fire and ignite carpeting or furniture A hot chimney can lead to destruction to the structure of your home. A proper use and maintenance of a wood-burning stove reduces these dangers.
To ensure that wood-burning stoves are safe and in good working order They should be regularly checked and maintained. This includes checking the chimney and flue for signs of rust and wear and having them cleaned at least twice per year. The chimney should also be inspected halfway through the season for creosote buildup. This is highly flammable and may cause chimney fires.
When you are buying a fireplace that burns wood make sure you choose one that has been endorsed by Underwriters Laboratories or another recognized testing laboratory. This assures that the stove meets the safety standards of the federal government and is designed to ventilate properly. Check the legs, hinges and grates to ensure they are in good shape and securely secured to the floor of the stove.
If you opt to install a wood-burning fireplace in your cabin, make sure the floor beneath it is sturdy and made from non-combustible materials. It is also possible to lay a layer of non-combustible floor tiles over the existing flooring, especially in the case of an old mobile home that has combustible floors.
Only burn Fireplaces & Stoves that is dry and well-seasoned. Dry and damp wood creates excessive smoke and creosote. This is an ignitable byproduct that could build up in your chimney and release harmful chemicals into your home. Do not burn trash, cardboard, paper or other combustibles in your wood stove, since they can create dangerous fumes and may not fully burn.
Don't "over-fire" your wood stove, i.e. create a larger fire than the stove can handle. Over firing can result in flames leaving the combustion chamber, causing damage to the stove, chimney connector and chimney itself, as well as burning other combustible material in your home. Also, make sure that the fire is completely extinguished prior to leaving your cabin or going to sleep. Finally, you should always have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home.