How to Maintain a Woodburning Stove

A woodburning stove can be a powerful and effective method of heating the home. It is crucial to maintain your woodburning stove to ensure its maximum performance.

Tip: Select seasoned wood with a low amount of moisture. This will let you burn the wood for longer and produce more heat.

The state environmental agencies are trying to find a solution for the problem of particulate pollution caused by old wood-burning stoves.

How They Work

Wood-burning stoves as their name implies use wood to generate heat. The fire is contained in an aluminum and glass body that assists in maintaining a constant temperature within the home. It also acts as a barrier to prevent smoke from entering the living space.

The main way that stoves manage the combustion process is by controlling the amount of air they let into the fire. This is done via one or more air vents that can be closed and opened to control the amount of oxygen flowing in to the fire.

Modern stoves use either non-catalytical or catalytical technology to regulate this. Catalytic stoves come with catalytic converters that are designed to burn the gasses produced during primary combustion, so that they do not escape into the room. Non-catalytical stoves do not use an catalyser but rely on secondary combustion within the firebox to reduce emissions.

It is recommended to only use firewood that has been seasoned in your wood-burning fireplace. This means that it should have a moisture content less than 20, as this allows the fire to burn more efficiently. This will lessen the amount of smoke and harmful pollutants that escape through the flue. It will also prevent the glass of your stove from being stained by creosote. Creosote is a by-product of burning wood and can build up over time.

The use of seasoned wood can lower emissions and help you save money in your heating bills. It produces more heat per unit of fuel. This is because drier wood has a greater surface area and consequently produces more heat for a given quantity of fuel.

However, smoke from wood can be harmful for anyone, particularly children and older adults with weakened lungs. It can also cause irritation for those with lung disorders like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If you live in a smoke control zone, make sure your stove is properly seasoned. It must also be fitted with a chimney which meets the local standards.

Burning Wood

Woodburning stoves provide a clean energy source that is also a great choice to keep the house warm in a power cut. They also reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels like oil and gas which are harmful to the environment.

Modern woodburning stoves operate more efficiently than older models and are designed to avoid creosote build-up but it is still important to keep track of the combustion process. Creosote is a risky by-product of incomplete combustion and it can block the chimney if left to accumulate, leading to less efficiency and creating an hazard to fire. By using seasoned logs, you can keep creosote low and help you save money on logs. It can also help you avoid hiring a professional to clean your chimney.

You can also select stoves that use coal and wood, giving you a choice between carbon-neutral sources of energy. It is important to remember that coal is not a climate friendly fuel and there are concerns regarding the method by which it is mined.

It is recommended to choose a Defra approved stove and one that is also Ecodesign ready, as these will comply with the latest emission regulations. The UK building regulations have specific requirements regarding how the flue is fitted, the size of hearth and the distance the stove is from combustible materials and therefore it is always advisable to consult one of our stove experts before purchasing a new stove.

Paper and other combustibles like trash and paper should not be placed in wood-burning appliances. They can contribute to pollution and, in the worst case the possibility of a chimney fire. At best, they will make them less efficient. This is because combustibles other than firewood have different density properties compared to firewood, and therefore are able to burn at lower temperatures and produce more particles.

It is essential to only use properly seasoned, split and dried firewood. This will burn more efficiently. Wet or damp wood creates more smoke and pollution. It is recommended to also use a stove pipe of high-quality to ensure that the temperatures of the flue are adequate and that it is set up correctly.

Emissions

Wood-burning stoves produce a myriad of gases and particles. They produce a large amount of fine particulate (PM2.5), which can be absorbed into the lungs, enter the bloodstream and potentially damage the heart, liver, and brain. However, they also produce carbon monoxide, 913875.xyz nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs. Based on the type of fuel they are burning, some release out toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic.

In the US there are a variety of attempts to regulate how much pollution woodburning stoves generate, with varying degrees of success. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency established emission guidelines that restricted the amount of pollution new stoves were permitted to release. Since the time, there have been two revisions to the regulations. The most recent revision in 2015 stipulates that all units, catalytic or 913875 (navigate to this web-site) non-catalytic, emit not more than 4 grams of pollutants every hour.

While these strict rules did cause a significant change in the industry, leading hundreds of smaller manufacturers to close up shop They also sparked a race to create high-quality and efficient stoves that were both durable and able to produce less emissions than conventional models. Stove designers looked at and analysed combustion air flow, baffles, combustion chamber forms, insulating materials and recirculation systems in order to improve their products. In time, they were successful.

Emissions are mostly dependent on the moisture content of the wood that's burned. The greater the moisture content, the more the pollutants that a stove produces. This is why the best way to reduce emissions is to use well-seasoned firewood that has been properly dried over 6-8 months.

Several studies have shown that a single woodburning stove when used regularly, can generate particles as large as 15 diesel cars based on tests that aren't scientifically based that compare exhaust-related PM2.5 only. However, 913875 these studies fail to take into consideration that approximately half of a car's particle pollution originates from the brakes, engine, and tyres rather than its exhaust.

Ten blue states have been putting pressure on the EPA to review its carbon emissions and guidelines for air quality of wood-burning stoves. Attorney generals from New York, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, California, Alaska, Oregon and Vermont have announced plans to suit the EPA for continuing to allow high-emitting stoves to be sold and installed in homes across the country.

Maintenance

Wood-burning stoves are efficient at heating homes but can be difficult to maintain. A stove needs to be regularly cleaned to ensure that it looks and is functioning correctly. A dirty stove could be detrimental to the health of those who live there as well as how much heat it generates. Cleaning the stove isn't the only maintenance task that needs to be carried out to keep it functioning properly.

It is easy to clean the interior and exterior of a stove. Cleaning a stove is recommended on a weekly basis or every two weeks depending on the frequency at which it is used. It is also recommended to empty the ash from the firebox each time the stove has been used. Spread old newspaper on the floor, and wear gloves when taking out the ashes. It is also recommended to utilize a ash container made of metal rather than a bucket, as this will prevent rusting.

Maintaining the chimney and flue clean is also essential. A chimney sweep professional should be hired at least once or twice per year to clean the chimney and stove thoroughly. This will help to keep creosote off the chimney and decrease the chance of chimney fires.

A chimney should also be inspected for cracks and creosote buildup along with bird nests and 913875.xyz other detritus. A professional chimney sweep is able to repair these problems and restore a functioning, safe chimney.

Over time, the glass from a wood-burning stove can become clouded and smudged with soot. Spray an ammonia-based mixture and water on the glass and wipe it off with a clean cloth. Avoid scratching the glass, as this can weaken and shatter when it's hot.

If the paint on a woodburning stove starts to chip, it can easily be painted over with a high-quality heat resistant paint. These paints are available at the majority of retailers for wood stoves and are available in a wide variety of colors.