Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove
A wood stove is a wonderful method to warm your home and can also warm the entire home. Some of these devices emit harmful gases like creosote which can be dangerous for the health of your family and your property.
It is important to maintain these stoves. Some important things to remember are to avoid overheating the area, not messing around with the fire, and using properly-dried firewood.
Fuel
Wood stoves can burn a variety fuels which include dry wood as well as manufactured solid fuels like briquettes or fire logs. These clean burning alternative fuels are less prone to pollution than traditional house coal and wet wood, which means they are better for the environment and safer to use. However, they do still release gasses and smoke, and require regular maintenance to ensure they are operating at their peak.
Before you purchase or use any fuel, check the manufacturer's instructions and ensure that the type is recommended for your stove. Unsuitable fuels could damage your stove or chimney which can result in costly repairs and invalidating your warranty. It's illegal to use unapproved fuel, especially in smoke control zones. Look for the "Ready to Burn" logo. This means that the fuel is in compliance with sulphur limits and smoke emission limits and can be legally purchased for domestic use. The logo is usually displayed along with the price and brand details or on the packaging.
Fuels that are suitable for combustion should be dried or seasoned to reduce moisture content. This can increase heat output and combustion efficiency. The type of wood you select must also be suited to your heating needs. Softwoods like spruce and pine provide good value heat however, hardwoods like beech and oak produce more hot embers for longer durations. Fruitwoods such as cherry and apple can be used not only to heat the house and provide a pleasant scent.
If you have a stove that uses multiple fuels, you might want to consider a mixed-fuel fire. Combining wood with smokeless Briquettes will help maintain the flames for longer and keep your home warm. Briquettes can be a great backup option and can help prevent a chimney-fire by keeping the air moving.
A well-maintained stove will produce more heat, use less fuel, and produce fewer harmful particles. If you have a gas or oil-fired wood stove, ensure that it is installed by an approved installer (on a competent person scheme like HETAS, APHC, BESCA, Certsure or NAPIT). Regularly maintained appliances are more efficient and help protect the environment and your health by preventing harmful emissions.
Design
The design of wood stoves is a crucial aspect to consider when considering their use as a primary or complementing heating source. Smoke and carbon monoxide are undesirable byproducts that could be harmful to health and the environment. The key to minimizing the emission of these gases is to ensure proper operation and a careful design.
Modern wood stoves are much more environmentally green than older models. All EPA-certified stoves comply with strict emission and energy efficiency standards that optimize the amount of heat they produce. Look for the metal EPA certification label on the back of the stove or look through the EPA's current database to determine the stove is certified. Local hearth products retailers can also be a good resource for learning more about wood stoves, including the size and capacity that is the best fit for your space.
A key part of the EPA emission regulations is controlling the flow of air through the stove. The stove's firebox is surrounded by fireproof walls and there are air vents in these walls to allow for controlled airflow. Controlling airflow is vital to ensure that the combustion is optimal and emissions are minimal.
Many modern stoves use an air baffle that improves the combustion time of the fire, which lowers smoke output and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves include an catalytic converter to lower NOx emissions. This type of system is more expensive and is usually only used in high-end wood stoves.
Stoves employ different types of air control systems to regulate the flow of air. Most wood stoves use an inherently air supply that is passive and require that the owner (you) control the stove correctly to achieve maximum efficiency. Some stoves feature active air sources that are controlled by sensors. These sensors monitor the combustion process and adjust the air supply when required.
Wood stoves can be a fantastic alternative heating solution for homes in remote areas or who are not connected to the electricity grid. If you do not have a backup source of heat in case of an outage, or if there is a snowstorm, then the wood stove isn't your sole option for heating your home.
The output of heat
Many wood stoves advertise the maximum heat output in BTUs. This is not true however, since the actual capacity to heat a wood stove is contingent on a number of factors like the size of the room and how well it's insulated.
The climate also has an impact on the requirements for heat. To ensure comfort the colder regions require stoves with higher BTU ratings.
Other factors that influence the production of heat include the kind of wood used and the frequency of refilling. Dry, seasoned firewood generates more heat than freshly cut and wet logs. A stove fan can also assist in spreading the heat generated by the wood burner in the room instead of having the hot air rise up.
It is essential to remember that the maximum power of a wood heater is not to be reached frequently as a continuous high-fire can damage the stove's internals and cause carbon monoxide leakage into the home.
The performance of a stove could also be improved by regular fueling. When adding a log, ensure that it's not too large and then place it on the glowing embers so that it doesn't touch the walls of the stove or glass pane. It's also recommended to add smaller logs frequently, rather than leaving too much time between additions.
High efficiency stoves are designed to provide greater heat output using the same amount fuel. This is achieved by prewarming combustion air and by incorporating other features into the design. These stoves often produce less smoke, toxins and carbon monoxide than earlier models.
Some homeowners also choose to install a back boiler stove as part of their heating system. The heat produced 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 way to heat the home. However the installation process could take a long time. This method requires a flue that is not already installed and the energy needed to run the boiler will add to the overall cost.
Safety
Wood stoves and fireplaces are a beautiful and efficient method of heating homes. However, small wood burning heater are not without risk. Sparks and embers can spout out of a fire and ignite carpeting or furniture, and a hot chimney could cause fire damage to the structure of your home. These risks can be avoided by using and maintaining a wood-burning fireplace.
To keep wood-burning stoves safe and in good condition they must be regularly inspected and maintained. This includes checking the flue and chimney for signs of rust and wear and cleaning them at least two times per year. The chimney should also be inspected halfway through the season for creosote buildup, which 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 ensures that the stove complies with the safety standards set by the federal government and is designed to ventilate properly. Check the hinges, legs and grates to ensure they are in good shape and securely fastened to a stove's floor.
If you choose to install a wood stove in your cabin, make sure that the floor beneath it is non-combustible and reinforced. You can also install tiles that are not combustible over your flooring in the event that it is fire-proof.
Always burn only seasoned and dry hardwoods. Wet and green woods can cause excessive smoke and creosote. This flammable byproduct may build within your chimney, which releases harmful chemicals. Do not burn cardboard, paper, trash or other combustibles in your wood stove, since they can create dangerous fumes and may not completely burn.
Never "over-fire" your wood stove, i.e. create a larger fire than the stove is capable of handling. Over-fired stoves can result in flames escaping from the combustion chamber, causing damage to the chimney connector, the stove and chimney itself, and also burning other combustible materials in your home. small wood burner is also essential to make sure the fire is fully extinguished before leaving your cabin or going to sleep. Also, you must have functioning carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in your home.