How to Maintain a Woodburning Stove
A wood-burning stove is an efficient and efficient way to warm your home. But, it's essential to maintain your stove in order to ensure maximum performance.
Tips: Choose wood that is seasoned that has a low content of moisture. This will let you use the wood longer and generate more heat.
State environmental agencies are wrestling with how to address the issue of particulate air pollution from old wood burning stoves.
How They Work
As the name implies, woodburning stoves burn wood to generate heat. They do this by containing the fire within a metal and glass body, which also helps to keep the temperature in your home at an even level. It also acts as a barrier to prevent smoke from entering the living space.
Stoves regulate combustion by regulating the amount of oxygen they let into the fire. This is done by opening and closing one or more air vents.
Modern stoves use either catalytical or non-catalytical technology to control this. Catalytic stoves have an catalytic convertor designed to reburn gases generated during primary combustion to ensure they do not escape from the room. Non-catalytic stoves, on other hand, do not have a catalyst, and rely solely on secondary combustion taking place within the firebox to minimize emissions.
It is recommended to only burn seasoned wood in your woodburning stove. This means that it should have a moisture level of less than 20, as this allows the fire to burn more efficiently. This will decrease the amount of the amount of smoke and harmful pollutants that escape from the flue and will also prevent the glass of your stove from being stained by creosote. Creosote is the by-product of burning wood, and it can build up over time.
In addition to reducing emissions, seasoned wood can save you money on heating costs, as it will produce more heat for a given amount of fuel. This is due to the surface area of dry wood is greater and produces more heat per unit.
Wood smoke can be harmful to anyone, however it is particularly harmful to children and
5829186.Xyz adults with weak lungs. It can also irritate those with lung disorders like asthma or chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD). If you live in a designated smoke-control zone, make sure your stove is properly maintained. It must also be fitted with a chimney that is in compliance with the requirements of the local area.
Burning Wood
Woodburning stoves provide a clean, renewable heat that is also a great choice to keep the home warm during power cuts. They also aid in reducing carbon dioxide emissions,
5829186 which are harmful for the environment, from fossil fuels, such as oil and gas.
Modern woodburning stoves operate more efficiently than older models and are engineered to stop the build-up of creosote, however, it is important to monitor the combustion process. Creosote is a risky by-product of a poorly burned fire and can block the chimney if it is allowed to accumulate, leading to lower efficiency and posing the risk of a fire. The use of seasoned wood can aid in keeping creosote levels low and can save on the cost of logs, as well as helping to avoid the need for professional cleaning services.
You can also choose stoves that burn coal and wood offering you the option of choosing between carbon-neutral energy sources. However, it is worth remembering that burning coal is not a sustainable fuel and there are some concerns about how it is mined and transported.
It is recommended to select the stove that is Defra-approved, and one that is Ecodesign ready. These will meet the latest regulations on emissions. The UK building regulations have specific requirements for the way that the flue is positioned, the size of hearth, and the distance that the stove is from combustible substances It is therefore advisable to speak with one of our stove experts before buying a stove.
Other types of combustibles like paper and
5829186 garbage are not suitable for use in wood-burning stoves as they could cause more pollution, and at worst, an explosion in the chimney, and at best cause them to operate less efficiently. This is due to the fact that other combustibles have different density properties than firewood, and therefore burn at a lower temperature and produce more particulates.
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 pollutants. It is also recommended to use a stove pipe of high-quality in order to ensure that the flue temperatures are sufficient and that it is installed correctly.
Emissions
Wood-burning stoves release a variety of gases and particles. They mostly produce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which is tiny enough to enter the lungs and get into the bloodstream, potentially damaging the heart, liver and brain. They also produce carcinogenic substances like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. Some even release poisonous metals,
5829186 such as mercury and arsenic, depending on the fuel they're burning.
In the US There have been a number of attempts to regulate the amount of pollution woodburning stoves produce with different levels of success. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency set emissions guidelines that essentially restricted the amount of pollution that new stoves could emit. Since the time, there have been two modifications to the guidelines. The most recent revision in 2015 stipulates that all stoves whether catalytic or not, emit less than 4 grams of pollutants each hour.
While these strict regulations caused a significant shake-up in the industry causing hundreds of smaller manufacturers to shut down their operations and create a race to create efficient and well-designed stoves that were both durable and capable of producing less emissions than conventional models. Stove designers looked at and analysed combustion air flows, baffles combustion chamber forms, insulating materials and recirculation systems to make their products better. They eventually succeeded.
The emission levels are mostly influenced by the moisture content of the wood being burned. The more moisture content, the greater the pollutants that a stove produces. The best method to cut down on the amount of emissions is by making use of seasoned firewood that is properly dried over a time of 6-8 months.
According to numerous studies which compare the impact of exhaust-related particles only wood burning stoves could create as much particle pollution as 15 diesel vehicles. These tests were not scientifically based. However these studies fail to take into account that about half of car's particle pollution comes from the brakes, engine and tyres rather than its exhaust.
Ten blue states have been pressing on the EPA to review its carbon emissions and guidelines for air quality for wood-burning stoves. Attorneys general from New York, Washington and Illinois have declared that they will sue the EPA for continuing to allow high-emitting wood-burning stoves to to be sold in homes across the nation.
Maintenance
Wood burning stoves are efficient in heating homes, but they can be difficult to maintain. To keep your stove looking and operating efficiently, you'll need to clean it frequently. A dirty stove may impact the health of those who use it and the amount of heat it generates. In addition to cleaning the stove, there are also maintenance tasks that should be performed to ensure it functions properly.
It is simple to clean the exterior and interior of the stove. It is recommended to clean a stove on a weekly or fortnightly basis, depending on how frequently it is used. It is also recommended to empty ash from the fire box each time after the stove has been used. Spread newspaper on the floor and put on gloves when scooping out the ashes. Make use of a metal container instead of a bucket in order to avoid the rusting.
It is essential to keep the flue and chimney clean. A chimney sweep professional should be employed every year or once to clean the chimney and stove thoroughly. This will prevent creosote from building up and lessen the risk of fires on chimneys.
A chimney must be examined for cracks in the flue liner, the masonry, excessive creosote deposits as well as bird nests and other debris. A professional chimney sweep is capable of repairing these issues and restore a safe, working chimney.
Finally, the glass of a wood burning stove may become smudged and cloudy due to the buildup of soot over time. A mixture of water and ammonia can be sprayed over the glass and then wiped with a cloth until it is clean. Avoid scratching the glass because this could cause it to cause it to shatter and weaken when hot.
If the paint on a woodburning stove begins to chip, it can easily be repainted with a quality paint that is resistant to heat. These paints are typically available at the places where stoves are sold and are available in many colors.
