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Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove A wood stove provides an ideal place to relax and heat a whole home. However, certain appliances release harmful gases, like creosote, which can be hazardous to your health and property. Proper care of these stoves is vital. A few important factors to consider include making sure the room isn't overheated, not messing with the fire and using properly dried firewood that is properly dried. Fuel Wood stoves can be used to burn a variety of fuels that include dry wood as well as manufactured solid fuels such as briquettes or fire logs. These alternative fuels that burn cleanly are less polluting than traditional house coal and wet wood, therefore they are more eco-friendly and safer to use. However, they emit smoke and harmful gases and require regular maintenance to keep them working at their peak. Before you purchase or use any fuel, make sure you read the manufacturer's instructions and ensure that the fuel is suitable for your stove. Unsuitable fuels can damage your chimney or stove which can result in costly repairs and voiding your warranty. It is illegal to use unapproved fuel particularly in smoke control zones. Look for the 'Ready To Burn logo, which indicates that the fuel meets sulphur and smoke emission limits and is legally sold for domestic use. The logo is typically displayed on the packaging or alongside the name of the brand and its price. The appropriate fuels must be seasoned (stored and then split for several months before use) or kiln-dried to reduce the amount of moisture which improves heat output and efficiency in combustion. The kind of wood you choose must also be suited to your heating requirements. Softwoods like spruce and pine provide good value heat, but hardwoods such as beech and oak produce a higher output of hot embers over a longer period of time. Fruitwoods such as apple and cherry can not only be used to heat the home but also provide an appealing scent. If you own a multi-fuel stove, think about a mixed fuel stove; combining wood with smokeless briquettes will help keep the flames burning and warm up your home for a longer period of time. Briquettes can be used as a backup and can also in preventing a fire from a chimney by keeping the air moving. A well-maintained stove will produce more heat, use less fuel and generate less harmful particles. If you have a gas or oil-fired wood stove, make sure it is fitted by a registered installer (on a competent person scheme like HETAS, APHC, BESCA, Certsure or NAPIT). Regularly serviced appliances are more efficient and safeguard your health and the environment by preventing harmful emission. Design The design of wood stoves is an important consideration for those considering them as a primary or complementing heating source. Smoke and carbon monoxide are unwanted byproducts that can have a negative impact on health and the environment. large wood burning stove and careful design are essential to reducing the emission. Modern wood stoves are much more environmentally friendly than older models. All EPA certified stoves must comply with strict energy efficiency and emission regulations to maximize the amount of heat produced. You can determine whether a stove is certified by looking for an iron EPA label on the back or by looking through the EPA database. Hearth stores in your area are also a great source for information on wood stoves, and what size and capacity is ideal for your home. Controlling air flow through the stove is an essential element of EPA emission regulations. The firebox of the stove is enclosed by fireproof walls, and there are air vents inside these walls, which allow for controlled airflow. Airflow control is essential to ensure that combustion is optimal and emissions are reduced. A lot of modern stoves come with baffles that prolong the amount of time that the fire burns and reduces the amount of smoke and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves include an catalytic converter to lower NOx emissions. wood burning fires of system is a little more expensive and is generally only found in top-end wood stoves. Stoves also utilize different types of air control systems to regulate airflow through the stove. The majority of wood stoves still employ a basic passive air supply which requires the owner (you) to operate the stove correctly to ensure maximum performance. Some wood stoves are also available with active air supplies that are controlled by sensors that monitor the combustion process and adjust the amount of air based on the need. Wood stoves can be a fantastic alternative for heating homes in remote areas or without access to the electric grid. However, if your home does not have a backup energy source to depend on during a power outage or in case of snow storms, a wood stove is not the sole option for heating your home. Heat output Many wood stoves boast their maximum heat output in BTUs. This is misleading because the actual output of a wood-burning fireplace is contingent on many factors including the size of the room, and how well it is insulated. The climate also affects the heat requirements. Regions that are colder require stoves with more BTU rating to maintain comfort. relevant resource site of wood you use and the frequency with which you refuel your fireplace are additional factors that influence heat production. Dry, seasoned firewood produces more heat than freshly cut and wet logs. The use of a stove fan also helps to move the heat generated by the wood burner into the room, rather than having the hot air rise. It is vital to keep in mind that the maximum output of a wood heater stove is not to be reached often since continuous high fire can cause damage to the stove's internals and may cause carbon monoxide to escape into the home. The performance of a stove can also be improved through regular refills. Make sure that the log isn't too big and placed on the glowing embers so that it doesn't touch the glass or the walls of the stove. Add smaller logs more frequently, rather than waiting too long between additions. High efficiency stoves are engineered to produce a greater amount of heat output using the same amount of fuel, by providing pre-heated combustion air, as well as other design features. They produce less carbon monoxide, toxic gases and smoke than earlier models. Some homeowners also choose to install a back boiler stove as part of their heating system. The heat produced by the wood burning stove to warm water in a hot water tank or central heating system, allowing the heat to be distributed throughout a house. This is a cost-effective and cost-effective method to heat a home. However the installation process could take quite a long time. This method requires a separate flue, and the additional energy needed to run back boilers can increase the overall running costs of wood stoves. Safety Wood stoves and fireplaces are an attractive and convenient method of heating homes. They are not without risks. A fire can cause carpets or furniture to catch fire and a hot fireplace can cause structural damage to your home. A proper use and maintenance of a wood-burning stove reduces these dangers. To ensure that wood-burning stoves remain safe and in good working order, they should be regularly inspected and maintained. This includes checking the flue and chimney at least once a year for signs of rust or wear and cleaning them. The chimney should also be examined every season for creosote buildup, which is highly flammable and can cause chimney fires. When purchasing a fireplace with wood burning select one that is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or another recognized testing laboratory. This ensures that the stove is in compliance with the safety standards set by the federal government and is designed to vent properly. Also, you should examine the hinges, legs and grates of the stove to ensure that they are in good working order and are securely fastened to the floor. If you decide to install a wood stove in your cabin, make sure that the floor underneath it is reinforced and non-combustible. You might also want to lay a layer of non-combustible floor tile over the flooring that is in place, especially if you live in an old mobile home that has flooring that is combustible. Only burn hardwoods that are dry and well-seasoned. Wood that is damp and green produces an excessive amount of smoke and creosote. It is an ignitable byproduct that could build up in your chimney, releasing toxic chemicals into your home. Do not burn cardboard or paper, trash or any other combustibles, because they can release dangerous fumes, and may not even ignite. Never “over fire” your wood stove — that is, generate a larger flame than the stove can handle. Over-fired stoves can lead to flames leaving the combustion chamber and causing damage to the chimney connector, the stove and the chimney itself, and also burning other combustible material in your home. It is also crucial to ensure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving your cabin or going to bed. Finally, you should always have functioning carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in your home.