How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove
Wood stoves can be an affordable and cozy method to heat your home. Smoke from wood stoves can be dangerous to your health. It is crucial to know how these appliances function and how to use them properly.
Modern stoves utilize catalytic or secondary combustion to control emissions. Older stoves and open flames emit large amounts of particulates.
The firebox
The firebox is the heart of any fireplace system. It's where you create a fire to heat your home and provide ambiance. It's a simple concept, but there are many important details that must be accounted for to keep your wood burning stove safe and efficient.
The firebox is thought of as an open-air combustion chamber with walls and a lid. The majority of fireplaces have an already-built metal firebox or masonry firebox. The type of box you select is based on your personal preferences and the type of fireplace you have.
Most fireplaces with
wood burning stove for sale burning utilize a continuous flow of air to create the flame and burn fuel. Fresh air is drawn in through adjustable dampers located inside the stove's doors. This allows the fuels to burn correctly, and also reduces the toxic gasses that result from incomplete or unburnt burning. The exhaust gases will then be drawn up the chimney, and then away from your home.
Modern stoves with catalytic second combustion employ a special catalyst to reburn the unburnt gasses to produce additional heat. This produces a more clean and less polluting exhaust than traditional wood stoves that have no secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic wood stoves are available, but these are typically less efficient than those with secondary combustion that is catalytic.
Some wood-burning stoves include backboilers that are used to heat water as well as for space heating. These stoves are called "hybrids" or "combination". They have been around since early 20th century.
Wood burning stoves must be operated with well-seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has a high moisture content that can lead to low flue temperatures and excessive creosote build-up in the chimney. This can lead to chimney fires that destroy the stove and can be hazardous to your family's health.
If you're looking for an expert to inspect your wood-burning stove, or make repairs to your firebox, be sure the chimney expert you hire is certified by CSIA certification and provides reviews from customers on their website. Ask about their pricing and the kind of work they can perform.
The pipe that allows for ventilation
Ventilation is essential for wood stoves to help remove fumes and keep the house healthy and warm. Venting carries away carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and excess moisture from the process of combustion. It also reduces the amount of air pollution and heat loss to the outdoors. Gas, wood and pellet stoves have different venting requirements to accommodate the ways they function. Maintaining the stove's ventilation system annually is critical for safety and efficiency.
The ventilation system is comprised of the firebox, the ventilation pipe, and the chimney. The chimney and ventilation pipe work together to create a draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. The differences in temperature and densities between the hot wood smoke and the cold outside air creates draft. The higher the temperature, the more smoke rises through the ventilation pipe and chimney.
Most modern wood stoves are EPA-certified low-emission units. This means that they emit less pollutants than older models, and contribute to global warming as well as other environmental issues. Most newer stoves also come with pollution controls built-in to limit the amount they release while ensuring the emissions are disposed of in an efficient manner.
Older stoves with open flues emit a lot more carbon dioxide, an extremely poisonous gas and should not be allowed to escape into the home. Carbon monoxide can be produced if your chimney is dirty or has inadequate ventilation. Installing carbon monoxide alarms inside your house is therefore important.
Before installing a new or used wood stove, determine the distance between the point where the stove is on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiply this distance by two to find the length of stovepipe you require. You can use single-wall or double-wall stovepipes and be aware of the proper clearances from combustibles for either type.
When the stove is first lit then adjust the air vent until a stable flame has been established and combustion is stable. It is recommended to avoid using briquettes of wood in the stove, because they are not logs and could contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to malfunction and lead to a risky situation.
The chimney
The chimney is a complex system that requires attention and care. The chimney is composed of numerous important parts which are all essential to the safe and efficient operation of your stove.
The firebox, ventilation pipe and chimney work together to vent the combustion gases generated by your woodburning fireplace to the outside. This is crucial to reduce carbon dioxide levels and to prevent harmful emissions. To accomplish this the chimney and flue need to be sufficiently hot to allow the gases out of the fireplace, without cooling. This can be achieved by using a wood-burning stove that has a high heat output and by adding fresh logs regularly to the fire.
The majority of modern woodburning stoves (
sneak a peek here) are designed to operate with a chimney that is taller than older models to get a better draft effect. However, this can have disadvantages if the height of your chimney is higher than the maximum permitted for your particular location. If this happens, the chimney may compete with the house stack for draft, which can cause the gases to cool before exiting. This can impede the flow of gases and lead to a buildup of creosote which could pose a fire risk.
One of the most frequent mistakes that homeowners make is to open and close the door to the fireplace too often which can adversely affect the combustion. It is important to keep the door shut whenever you can and only open it when you are required to add additional firewood or ash. The door should not be open for long. This lets hot air from the stove to escape, making the wood cooler and less likely to light.
Other kinds of combustibles may create higher emissions, or even the possibility of a chimney fire. The truth is that woodburning stoves were designed and optimised to burn firewood and not other types of combustibles.
The flu
To ensure proper air flow, woodburning stoves require an exhaust pipe that is the right size. Usually, the size of the flue must be at least 25 percent greater than the stove pipe (which connects the stove to the chimney) to provide enough space for smoke circulation. A wood stove must be set on a non-combustible hearth with a clear area in front of fireplace opening.
Modern stoves come with an engineered combustion system which reduces the amount of harmful byproducts that are released into the chimney. This feature can also assist to increase the efficiency of a
corner wood heater stove by burning a flame that produces more heat and less pollution. However, using different types of combustibles, such as coal, can lead to problems, including lower efficiency and more emissions.
It is essential to use seasoned or dry wood when you are burning
small corner wood burning stove in your fireplace or stove. If your wood isn't seasoned or dry, it will emit high levels of creosote and water vapour into the chimney. This can result in low flue temperatures and possibly a chimney fire.
A professional can also assist you in avoiding an explosion in your chimney by regularly checking and cleaning the flue system. This includes the chimney, stovepipe and the chimney itself to ensure that they are all in good working order.
A dirty stove or flue system may lead to an unclean draft in your chimney, which could cause carbon monoxide to accumulate in your home. This could be harmful to your family and you shouldn't let it happen.
A good guideline is to hire a professional chimney sweep clean your chimney and stove every year. This will help keep the chimney and stove working efficiently.
