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Proper Use and Maintenance of a Wood Heater Stove A wood stove is a wonderful way to warm your home, and it can also heat the entire house. However, certain appliances emit harmful gases like creosote, which can be dangerous to the health of your family and property. The proper care of the stoves is crucial. Some important things to keep in mind include: avoiding overheating the room, not messing with the fire and using correctly dried firewood. Fuel Wood stoves burn a range of fuel types that include dry wood as well as manufactured solid fuels, such as briquettes and fire logs. These more clean burning options are healthier and better for the environment than traditional house coal or wet wood. However, they do still emit toxic gases and smoke. They also require regular maintenance to keep them operating at their best. Before purchasing or using any fuel, make sure you read the manufacturer's directions and make sure that the fuel is suitable for your stove. Unsuitable fuels could damage your chimney or stove and cause costly repairs and invalidating your warranty. It is illegal to use fuel that is not approved particularly in smoke control zones. Check for the 'Ready to Burn logo, which demonstrates that the fuel is in compliance with the sulphur and smoke emission standards and can be legally sold for domestic use. The logo is usually placed on the packaging or alongside the name of the brand and its price. The fuels that are suitable for combustion should be seasoned or kiln dried to reduce moisture content. This will increase the amount of heat produced and improve the efficiency of combustion. The type of wood you select will also depend on your heating needs. Softwoods like spruce and pine are good for heating, but hardwoods such as beech and oak produce a higher output of hot embers over longer periods. Fruitwoods such as cherry and apple can not only be used to heat the house but also provide a pleasant aroma. If you own an appliance that runs on multiple fuels, you may think about a mixed-fuel fire. Combining Smokeless Briquettes with wood will allow the flame to last longer and keep your home warm. The briquettes can be used as a backup and also help keep a chimney from burning by keeping the air moving. A stove that is maintained will produce more heat and burn less fuel while releasing fewer harmful particles. If you own a wood or gas-fired stove, make sure it is installed by an approved 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 emission. Design The design of wood stoves is an important aspect to consider when considering their use as a primary or complementing source of heat. The unwelcome byproducts of combustion, such as carbon monoxide and smoke are a concern for environmental and health impacts. The key to minimizing these emissions is correct operation and careful design. Modern wood stoves are much more environmentally friendly than older models. All EPA-certified stoves meet strict emissions and energy efficiency guidelines that maximize the amount of heat they produce. Look for an iron EPA certification mark on the back of the stove or go through the EPA's latest database to determine whether a particular stove is certified. Visiting local hearth products retailers who are aware of the performance capabilities of their products is a great way to learn more about wood stoves and what size and capacity is best for your space. One of the main components of EPA emission regulations is the control of the flow of air through the stove. The stove's firebox is surrounded by walls of fireproof material and air vents are placed in the walls to provide controlled airflow. Controlling airflow is crucial to ensure that the combustion is optimal and emissions are reduced. A lot of modern stoves come with baffles that extend the amount of time that the fire burns which reduces the amount smoke and harmful gases. Certain wood stoves utilize catalyst converters to decrease NOx emission. This method is more expensive and used only in top-quality wood burning stoves. Stoves use different types air control systems to regulate air flow. Most wood stoves use a basic passive supply of air, which requires that the owner (you) control the stove in a way that allows maximum efficiency. A few wood stoves come with active air supplies, which are controlled by sensors that track the combustion process and adjust the flow of air according to the needs. cast iron wood burner are an excellent alternative to heating homes in remote areas or those without access to the electric grid. If you do not have a backup source of heating in case of an outage or an imminent snow storm, wood stoves shouldn't be your sole option for heating your home. Heat output A lot of wood stoves are advertised with an output of heat at the peak in BTUs. This is not true, however, as the actual capacity to heat a wood stove is contingent on a number of factors such as the size of the room and the degree of insulation. The climate of the region is also a factor in the heating demands. Regions that are colder require stoves with greater BTU rating to ensure comfort. The type of wood and the frequency at which you refuel your fireplace are additional factors that affect the production of heat. Dry, seasoned firewood generates more heat than freshly cut and wet logs. A stove fan may assist in spreading the heat generated by the wood burner in the room instead of having the hot air rise up. It is vital to keep in mind that the highest output of wood heater stoves is not to be reached often since continuous high fire can cause damage to the stove's internals and may cause carbon monoxide gas to leak into the home. Regular refueling can also improve the efficiency of the fireplace. When adding a log, ensure it's not large and set it on the embers that are glowing so that it doesn't touch the walls of the stove or the glass pane. It's also best to add smaller logs more often instead of allowing too much time between additions. High efficiency stoves are engineered to produce greater heat output using the same amount fuel. This is achieved by prewarming combustion air, and employing other design features. These stoves often produce less smoke, toxins and carbon monoxide than older models. Many people opt to install boiler stoves as component of their heating system. The heat produced by a wood burning stove is used to heat water for central heating systems or a hot water tank. This lets the heat be distributed throughout the home. This is an efficient and cost effective way of heating a home, although the installation process can be very extensive. This method requires a flue that is not already installed and the energy required to run the boiler will add to the overall cost. Safety Fireplaces and wood stoves are a beautiful and efficient method of heating a home. However, cast iron wood burning stove are not without risk. A fire can cause furniture or carpets to catch fire and a fireplace that is hot can cause structural damage to your home. These risks can be avoided by using and maintaining an open fireplace that burns wood. Wood-burning stoves should be inspected and maintained regularly to ensure they are safe and in good condition. This includes checking the flue and chimney at least two times a year for signs of wear or rust and cleaning them. The chimney should also be inspected every season to check for creosote accumulation, which is highly flammable and may cause chimney fires. When purchasing a wood-burning stove be sure to choose one that is certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or another lab recognized for testing. This ensures that the stove meets federal safety standards and is engineered to vent properly. Check the hinges, legs, and grates to ensure they are in good condition and securely fastened to the floor of the stove. If you opt to install a wood-burning stove in your home, make sure the floor underneath it is a sturdy and constructed from non-combustible materials. You can also lay a non-combustible floor tile over the flooring you have in place if it is inflammable. Burn only seasoned, dry hardwoods. Wood that is damp or green produces excessive smoke and creosote. This flammable byproduct can build up inside your chimney, releasing harmful chemicals. Avoid burning trash, cardboard, paper or any other combustibles inside your wood stove, since they could release dangerous fumes, and they may not fully burn. Never “over-fire” your wood stove, i.e. create a bigger fire than the stove can handle. Overfiring can cause flames to escape from the combustion chamber, which can damage to the stove, chimney connector, and the chimney itself. It can also burn other combustible materials in your home. Also, make sure that the fire has been completely snuffed out before leaving your home or going to the bed. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be in working order throughout the day.