Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove
A wood stove is an excellent way to warm up your home, and it can also warm the entire home. However, certain appliances emit harmful gases like creosote, which can be hazardous to the health of your family and property.
Proper care of the stoves is crucial. Some of the most important points to be aware of include making sure the room isn't overheated making a mess of the fire, and using appropriately dried firewood.
Fuel
Wood stoves can be used to burn a variety of fuels, including dry wood as well as manufactured solid fuels like briquettes or fire logs. These cleaner burning alternatives are healthier and better for the environment than traditional house coal or wet wood. However, they do still release smoke and harmful gases and require regular maintenance to keep them operating at their peak.
Before you purchase or use any fuel, make sure you read the instructions of the manufacturer and make sure that the fuel you choose to use is suitable for your stove. Incorrect fuels can cause damage to your chimney or stove, leading to expensive repairs and invalidating your warranty. It is illegal to use unapproved fuel particularly in smoke control zones. Look for the "Ready to Burn" logo. This means that the fuel is within sulphur limits and smoke emission limitations and can be sold legally for domestic use. The logo is often placed alongside the price and brand details or on the packaging.
Fuels that are suitable for burning should be seasoned or kiln dried to reduce the moisture content. This can increase the heat output and efficiency of combustion. The kind of wood you choose must also be suited to your heating needs. Softwoods such as spruce and pine provide good value heat, but hardwoods such as beech and oak produce more hot embers over longer periods. Fruitwoods such as apple and cherry can be used not only to heat your home and provide a pleasant scent.
If you have an appliance that runs on multiple fuels, you may think about a mixed-fuel fire. Combining wood with smokeless Briquettes can help maintain the flames for longer, and will keep your home warm. Briquettes can be used as a back-up and can help to in preventing a fire from a chimney by keeping the air moving.
A well-maintained stove will generate more heat, use less fuel and create less harmful particles. If you have a gas or wood-burning stove, make sure that it is installed by an authorized installer. Regularly maintained appliances are more efficient and safeguard your health and the environment by preventing harmful emissions.
Design
Wood stoves are an excellent source of heat, however their design is something to take into consideration. The unwelcome byproducts of combustion, such as carbon monoxide and smoke are a concern for environmental and health impacts. Correct operation and careful design are essential to reducing the emission.
Modern wood stoves are much more environmentally friendly than older models. All EPA certified stoves must adhere to strict emission and energy efficiency regulations to maximize the amount of heat produced. Look for the metal EPA certification label on the back of the stove or check out the EPA's current database to determine if a particular wood stove is certified. Visiting local hearth products retailers who know the performance characteristics of their selection is an excellent way to find out more about wood stoves and which size and capacity is most suitable for your space.
Controlling air flow through the stove is a crucial element of EPA emission regulations. The firebox of the stove is surrounded by a wall of fireproof materials, and air vents are placed in the walls to provide controlled airflow. Airflow control is essential to ensure that combustion is optimal and emissions are minimal.
A lot of modern stoves come with baffles that extend the duration of the fire and reduces the amount of gas and smoke that can cause harm. Certain wood stoves employ catalyst converters to cut down on NOx emission. This is more costly and is used only in top-quality wood burning stoves.
Stoves employ different types of air control systems to regulate the flow of air. Most wood stoves have an inherently air supply that is passive, which requires that the owner (you), operate the stove in a way that allows maximum performance. Some stoves feature active air sources that are controlled by sensors. These sensors are able to monitor the combustion process and adjust the air supply when needed.
One of the greatest benefits of wood stoves is that it does not require electricity to operate, making it a great alternative heating option for homes that are remote or do not have access to an electric power grid. However, if you do not have a backup heat source that you can rely on during a power outage or an upcoming snowstorm, a wooden stove is not the only option for warming your home.
Heat output
Many wood stoves advertise their peak heat output in BTUs. This is a false statement however, since the actual capacity to heat a wood stove is dependent on a variety of factors such as the size of the room as well as the degree of insulation.
Climate can also affect the requirements for heat. Regions that are colder require stoves with more BTU rating to maintain the comfort.
wood burning stoves on sale that influence the production of heat are the kind of wood used and the frequency of fueling. Dry, seasoned wood produces more heat than freshly cut and wet logs. A stove fan can also help circulate the heat produced by the wood stove in the room rather than have the hot air rise.
It is essential to remember that the maximum power of a wood heating stove should not be reached often because a continuous fire could damage the stove's internals, and result in carbon monoxide leakage into the home.
The performance of a stove could also be improved through regular refueling. When adding a log ensure it's not large and then place it on the embers glowing so that it doesn't touch the wall of the stove or the glass pane. It is also recommended to add smaller logs more frequently instead of allowing too much time between additions.
High efficiency stoves are designed to produce a greater amount of heat output from the same amount of fuel by providing prewarmed combustion air and other design features. These stoves typically produce less smoke, toxins and carbon monoxide than previous models.
A few people also decide to install a back boiler stove as part of their heating system. The heat produced by the wood burning stove to heat the water in the hot water tank or central heating system, allowing heat to be distributed throughout a house. This is a more efficient and cost effective way of heating a house, although the installation process can be very extensive. This method requires an additional flue and the energy required to run the boiler will add to overall costs.
Safety
Fireplaces and wood stoves are a practical and attractive way to heat your home. They do come with risks. Sparks and embers can spout out of a flame and ignite carpeting or furniture, and a hot chimney could cause fire destruction to the structure of your home. These risks can be avoided by maintaining and using the fireplace with wood burning.
Wood-burning stoves need to be checked and maintained regularly to keep them safe and in good condition. This includes examining the chimney and flue for signs of rust and wear and having them cleaned at least once a year. The chimney should also be examined halfway through the season for creosote buildup. This is highly flammable and can cause chimney fires.
When buying a stove for wood burning make sure you choose one that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or another lab that is recognized as a testing lab. This guarantees that the stove meets the safety standards set by the federal government and is engineered to vent properly. Check the hinges, legs and grates to make sure they are in good condition and securely secured to a stove's floor.
If you choose to install a wood stove in your cabin, ensure that the floor underneath it is insulated and non-combustible. You may also want to lay a sheet of non-combustible floor tile over the flooring you have, particularly if you live in an old mobile home with flooring that is combustible.
Always burn only seasoned and dry hardwoods. Green and damp wood produces excessive smoke and creosote, a flammable byproduct that can build up in your chimney, releasing toxic chemicals into your home. Do not burn cardboard, trash, paper, or any other combustibles, because they can release dangerous fumes, and could not even ignite.
Do not "over-fire" your wood stove, i.e. create a larger fire than the stove is capable of handling. Over-fired stoves can lead to flames leaving the combustion chamber and causing damage to the chimney connector, the stove and chimney itself, and also burning other combustible materials in your home. It is also crucial to make sure the fire is completely extinguished prior to leaving your home or going to sleep. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must be working at all times.