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

Many communities have offered financial incentives for replacing old wood stoves with EPA certified models that emit less pollution. But Undark discovered that some of these modern stoves may not be able to meet EPA standards.

In the current climate of high energy costs, a lot of cities are looking to reduce wood combustion, especially in areas in which air quality is poor. Here are 10 things you can do to improve the quality of your indoor air and gain more heat out of every log.

Efficiency

Wood stove burning is one of the most efficient methods to heat your home. Modern EPA certified wood stoves burn up logs quickly and produce less creosote than previous models. This allows you to burn more of the energy in your fireplace and cut down on heating expenses by as much as 30%. If you use only seasoned hardwood, the efficiency of wood stoves will increase throughout the life of the stove.

Older wood stoves usually have efficiency of less than 50 percent. This means that carbon dioxide and smoke are released into the air, leading to losing half of the energy potential of the fire. Modern stoves can have an efficiency of up to 85 percent or more. This is similar to oil and gas furnaces.

The higher efficiencies of wood stoves are achieved by controlling the air, fuel, 913875 and combustion process. Wood stoves with controlled airflow can slow down the speed at which the fire moves through wood, allowing the gases produced to stay hot and fully burn.

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

Another advantage of using wood as a source of heat is that it is considered carbon neutral. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they are growing and release oxygen when they burn. Wood is a renewable resource for the environment, particularly when it is sourced from local woodlands that are managed in a way that encourages healthy tree growth.

Cleanliness

With 8.8 million households using wood stoves in the United States, cleaning and maintenance are an essential part of keeping the home warm. A dirty stove and pipe could be a fire hazard, and could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean chimneys, stoves and flue pipes are also more efficient.

The most commonly-asked task with cleaning your wood stove is emptying the ashes. This should be done on a day that is cool, when the stove isn't as hot and you must wear protective gloves when handling the ashes. Choose a container made of metal that is that is large enough to accommodate all the ashes, and dump them outside away from anything that could cause a fire. Alternatively, you can add the ashes to your compost pile for an excellent addition to your garden.

Once the ashes have gone out of the stove, it's the perfect time to sweep the floor and sweep up any residual dust. It is also a great idea to put at least three feet between your wood stove, and any combustible things such as curtains or pillows. This will stop a fire from spreading and burning the items.

A clean glass door that is placed on the inside of your stove will let you see the dancing flames and it will also help you determine when to light a fire. Make sure you have a glass cleaner on hand to get rid of any tarred or smudged areas that could be present. If the glass is very dirty it is possible to make use of newspaper soaked in water and ash to clean it. Avoid scratching the glass because this could cause it to break or break when heated.

Creosote accumulation on the inside of your flue is a major cause of chimney fires. A few millimeters of creosote may cause a fire in a chimney. Clean your flue often particularly if you burn pine or other soft woods that produce more creosote than other types of wood.

To avoid creosote vapors entering your home, you should only burn seasoned and dry wood that has been cut in half or smaller. Also, do not burn fake garbage or logs in your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves can release toxic gasses like carbon monoxide or particulates. These toxins enter the home and can have negative health effects on children, elderly adults or those with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD. As time passes, wood smoke exposure can cause heart disease and lung damage.

To prevent these risks to avoid these risks, it is vital to adhere to the correct methods for burning wood on your stove. This includes making sure that the stove is operating correctly and Www.913875.xyz has enough heat output for the room size and style. Only dry, well-seasoned and dry woods should be burned in the stove. The moisture content should not exceed 20 percent. If the moisture content of the wood is higher, the fire will burn faster and produce smoke that is smoky and has more creosote forming on the chimney vent pipe wall.

Another important aspect of safety is to ensure that the stove has a good draw by observing the amount of air that flows into the firebox and through the chimney. The owner's manual will give specific instructions on how you can alter the flow of air in most modern stoves. Correctly operating the air controls will ensure the highest efficiency in heating.

The flue pipe and 913875.xyz chimney must be free of fire-prone materials, like drapes, trash or paper. The fires that occur in wood stoves are usually caused by insufficient clearance between combustibles wood-burning appliances and combustibles.

It is also important to keep children away from wood stoves while the fire is burning or when ashes are being removed. Kids are naturally curious and may try to touch the hot surfaces of a wood stove, or put their hands into the flame. It is recommended to put up a child-proof barrier around the fireplace, or use a fireplace screen. It is also crucial to check the fireplace and stove regularly for signs of wear.

Finally, it is essential to ensure that your chimney and stove are professionally inspected once per year for the accumulation of creosote, bird nests and other problems that can affect the safety of your chimney and stove. This will help prevent fires and health hazards, and will also reduce the need for CO2 or smoke remediation services.

Maintenance

Although wood stoves are a great way to save money on home heating however, they require additional maintenance. If you fail to take care of the required maintenance on your wood stove, it could cause a fire that escapes the flue, which could lead to a chimney fire, or a house fire. It is also recommended to clean the stove's surfaces and flue. Keep an extinguisher in your house and test it often. It is also recommended to install smoke detectors in the house, especially one in the room that houses the stove.

As a general rule cleaning your chimney and stove at least once per year. The frequency of cleaning should be adjusted based on the amount that the stove is used, and may require more frequently during winter. Make sure to use only dry and seasoned wood to burn in the stove. Avoid using a lot of oil or kerosene for starting the fire. These fuels can produce toxic gasses and pose a danger to your health.

In the course of your regular cleaning, you should check the gaskets on your doors. They are usually made of rope-like braids which can be damaged by repeated opening and closing. If you find that the gasket is leaking and needs to be repaired, buy a new gasket made of fiberglass and adhesive. Likewise, the hinges on these doors should be checked as well.

Chimneys and flues should be examined to ensure that they are free of creosote build up and obstructions. During this inspection, look for cracks in the chimney liner, as well as any other indications of damage. Stovepipes must be examined as well, and 913875 (please click the next page) any holes or dents should be repaired.

It is important to clean the glass door Www.913875.Xyz of your wood stove. This can be accomplished easily with a mix of ammonia and water. The solution is then applied to the glass using an abrasive or sponge. It is possible to leave the solution for a couple of minutes before wiping it off again.