Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove

A wood stove provides a warm and cozy space to warm up and can heat a whole home. However, certain appliances release harmful gases, like creosote which can be hazardous to the health of your family and property.

The proper care of these stoves is vital. The most important things to keep in mind are: not overheating the space or tinkering with the stove, and using dried firewood.

Fuel

Wood stoves burn a variety of fuel types which include dry wood burning stoves small and manufactured solid fuels like briquettes and fire logs. These cleaner burning alternatives are healthier and more eco-friendly than traditional house coal or wet wood. However, they emit gasses and smoke, and require regular maintenance to keep them working at their best.

Make sure you read the manufacturer's guidelines prior to purchasing or using any kind of fuel. Make sure it's the correct fuel for your stove. The wrong fuel can cause damage to your chimney and stove which can result in costly repairs or voiding the warranty. It's illegal to use unapproved fuel particularly in smoke control zones. Look for the 'Ready To Burn logo, which indicates that the fuel is in compliance with the sulphur and smoke emission standards, and can be legally sold for domestic use. The logo is often placed alongside the details of the price and brand or on the packaging.

Suitable fuels must be seasoned (stored and then split for a few months prior to use) or kiln-dried to reduce the moisture content, which increases heat output and combustion efficiency. The type of wood you select must also be suited to your heating requirements. Softwoods like pine and spruce offer excellent value for money, but hardwoods like oak and beech generate more hot embers and do so over a longer time. Fruitwoods such as apple and cherry do not just provide effective heating but can improve the ambience of your home by their pleasant scents.

If you own a multi-fuel stove, consider a mixed fuel fire; Combining wood with smokeless briquettes can help maintain the flames and warm up your home for longer. Briquettes can be a great alternative and can stop a chimney fire by keeping the air moving.

A well-maintained stove will produce more heat, burn less fuel and create fewer harmful particles. If you have a gas or oil-fired wood stove, ensure it is installed by a registered installer (on a competent person scheme like HETAS, APHC, BESCA, Certsure or NAPIT). Regularly serviced appliances are more efficient and protect your health and the environment by preventing harmful emissions.

Design

Wood stoves are a great source of heat, however their design is important to think about. Unwanted byproducts from combustion, such as carbon monoxide and smoke can be harmful to the environment and health. The key to reducing the emission of these gases is to ensure proper operation and a well-planned design.

Modern wood stoves are designed to be more environmentally conscious than traditional models. All EPA certified stoves must comply with strict emission and energy efficiency regulations to maximize the amount of heat generated. Look for a metal EPA certification mark on the back of the stove or look through the EPA's current database to determine if a particular wood stove is certified. Hearth-related stores in your area are also a great source to learn more about wood stoves, including the size and capacity that is ideal for your home.

One of the most important aspects of EPA emission regulations is the control of the flow of air through the stove. The firebox of the stove is enclosed by a wall of fireproof materials and air vents are placed within the walls to allow controlled airflow. Airflow control is essential to ensure that combustion is optimal and emissions are reduced.

Many modern stoves use a baffle that increases the time to burn the fire, which reduces smoke output and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves include a catalytic converter to reduce NOx emissions. This kind of system is a little more expensive and is typically only found in top-end wood stoves.

Stoves use different types air control systems to regulate air flow. The majority of wood stoves employ a basic passive air supply, which requires the operator (you) to operate the stove in order to achieve peak performance. Some wood stoves have active air supplies that are controlled by sensors. These sensors are able to monitor the combustion process and adjust the air supply as required.

Wood stoves are an excellent alternative to heating homes in remote areas or those without access to the electric grid. However, if you do not have a backup heat source to depend on during a power outage or in case of snow storms, a cast iron wood burning stove stove should not be the only option for heating your home.

Heat output

Many wood stoves boast their peak heat output in BTUs. This is not true however, since the actual heating capacity of a wood stove is dependent on a variety of variables like the size of the room as well as how well it's insulated.

Climate also has an impact on the heat requirements. To maintain comfort the colder regions require stoves with higher BTU ratings.

The type of wood and the frequency with which you refuel your fireplace are additional elements that affect the amount of heat produced. Dry, seasoned firewood creates more heat than fresh cut and wet logs. A stove fan may aid in the circulation of heat produced by the very small wood burner burner within the room, rather than having the hot air rise.

It is crucial to remember that the maximum output of a wood heater stove is not to be reached often since continuous high fire can cause damage to a stove's innards and may cause carbon monoxide gas to leak into the home.

Regular refueling can also improve the performance of a fireplace. Make sure the log isn't too large and is placed on the glowing embers to ensure that it doesn't contact the glass or walls of the stove. It is also recommended to add smaller logs more frequently instead of allowing too much time between additions.

High efficiency stoves are designed to achieve a higher level of heat output from the same amount of fuel, by providing prewarmed combustion air and other design features. These stoves produce less carbon monoxide, toxic gases and smoke than earlier models.

Many people opt to install a boiler stove as a component of their heating system. The heat generated by a wood burning stove is used to heat water for a central heating system or hot water tank. This lets the heat be distributed in the house. This is a more efficient and cost effective way of heating a house even though the installation process is quite lengthy. This method requires a separate flue, and the additional energy required to run a back boiler will increase the running costs of a wood stove.

Safety

Fireplaces and wood burning stoves near me stoves are a practical and attractive way of heating your home. They are not without risks. Sparks and embers can spout out of a flame and ignite furniture or carpeting, and a hot chimney could cause fire 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 must be regularly inspected and maintained. This includes checking the chimney and flue for signs of wear and rust, and cleaning them at least two times per year. The chimney should also be examined halfway through the season to check for creosote accumulation, which is highly flammable and can cause chimney fires.

When you are buying a fireplace that burns wood select one that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories or another recognized testing laboratory. This guarantees that the stove is in compliance with the safety standards of the federal government and is engineered to vent properly. Examine the hinges, legs and grates to make sure they are in good shape and securely fastened to the floor of the stove.

If you choose to install a wood-burning fireplace in your home, make sure the floor underneath it is a sturdy and constructed of non-combustible materials. You might also want to lay a layer of non-combustible floor tile over the existing flooring, especially when you live in an old mobile home with flooring that is combustible.

Burn only seasoned, dry hardwoods. Dry and damp wood creates excessive smoke and creosote, which is a flammable byproduct, which can build up in your chimney and release toxic chemicals into your home. Avoid burning cardboard, paper, trash or other combustibles in your wood stove as they could release dangerous fumes and may not completely burn.

Never "over-fire" your wood stove, i.e. create a bigger fire than the stove can handle. Over-fired stoves can lead to flames escape from the combustion chamber, causing damage to the stove, chimney connector and the chimney itself, and also burning other combustible material in your home. Also, ensure that the fire is completely snuffed out before leaving your home or retiring to the bed. In addition, you should have functioning carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in your home.