How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove
Wood stoves can be a cozy and inexpensive way to heat your home. However, the smoke they release can be harmful to health. It is important to know how these appliances operate and to use them correctly.
Many modern stoves rely upon secondary or catalytic combustion to control their emissions. Older stoves and open flames release high levels 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 simplest way to think of the firebox is to think of it as an enclosed combustion chamber that has walls and an entrance. The majority of fireplaces have a prefabricated metal firebox or a masonry firebox. The type of firebox you choose will depend on your preference and the type of fireplace that you have.
Most wood-burning fireplaces make use of a constant flow of air to create the fire and burn fuel. Fresh air is introduced into the stove via dampers which can be adjusted inside its doors. This lets the fuel burn efficiently and helps reduce toxic gases that are generated by unburnt or incomplete combustion. The exhaust gases are then drawn up through the chimney and safely out of your home.
Modern stoves with catalytic secondary combustion use a special catalyst that allows the unburned gasses to produce additional heat. This results in a much more clean and less polluting exhaust than traditional wood stoves that have no secondary combustion. Modern wood stoves that are not catalytic are available however they are generally less efficient than those that have catalytic second combustion.
contemporary wood stove that burn wood have backboilers, which can be used for space heating and water heating. These stoves are referred to as "hybrids" or "combination". They have been in use since the early 20th century.
Wood burning stoves should be used with well-seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has an extremely high moisture content that can lead to low flue temperatures as well as excessive creosote build-up in the chimney. This can lead to chimney fires that cause damage to the stove and can even be dangerous to your family's health.
If you're looking for an expert to examine your wood-burning stove, or make any firebox repairs ensure that the chimney expert you hire is CSIA certified and offers testimonials from customers on their website. You can inquire about their prices and the kind of work they can perform.
The ventilation pipe
Wood stoves require ventilation in order to remove emissions from the combustion process and keep the home warm and healthy. Ventilation is essential to remove carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from the process of combustion. It also helps to reduce the amount of air pollution and heat loss to the outdoors. Wood, gas and pellet stoves all have distinct venting requirements. It is crucial to keep the stove's venting systems on an every year to ensure security and efficiency.
The ventilation system is made up of the firebox as well as the ventilation pipe. The chimney and the pipe are used together to create a draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. Draft is created by the differences in density and temperature between hot wood smoke and cold outside air. The higher the temperature, more smoke will rise through the ventilation pipe and chimney.
The majority of modern wood stoves are certified as low-emission units by EPA. indoor wood burning stove means that they produce significantly less pollution than older models, and contribute to global warming as well as other environmental concerns. Most modern stoves have built-in pollution control systems to limit the amount of carbon dioxide released while making sure that they burn efficiently.
Older stoves that have open flues produce more carbon dioxide. This is a toxic gas that is toxic and should not be released into your home. Carbon monoxide can be a source when your chimney is dirty or has inadequate ventilation. Installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home is therefore essential.
Before installing a brand new or used wood stove determine the distance between where the stove sits on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiplying this distance by 2 will give you the minimum length of stovepipe that you will require. You can use either single-wall or double-wall stovepipes, but you must allow for the proper clearance from combustibles.
The vents for the stove's air must be adjusted when it is first lit up and maintained until a stable flame is created in the stove and its combustion process has stabilized. It is recommended to avoid using wood briquettes in the stove, since they aren't logs and can contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to fail and lead to a risky situation.
The chimney
The chimney is a complicated system which requires attention and care. The chimney is made up of many important components which are all essential to the safety and efficiency of your stove.
The ventilation pipe, the firebox and chimney work together to exhaust the gases from combustion produced by your woodburning fireplace to the outside. This is crucial to reduce carbon dioxide levels as well as prevent harmful emissions. To accomplish this the chimney and flue need to be hot enough to allow the gasses out of the fireplace, without cooling. This can be achieved by using a wood-burning fireplace that has a high output of heat, and by adding new logs frequently to the fire.
Modern woodburning stoves have a taller chimney than older models to improve the drafting effect. However, this could have its drawbacks in the event that the height of your chimney is higher than the maximum allowed for your location. If this occurs the chimney could be competing with the house stack for draft, which can cause the gases to cool before they exit. This could result in a pause in the flow of gas, and an accumulation of creosote.
One of the most common mistakes that homeowners make is to open and shut the fireplace door too often which can adversely affect the combustion. It is crucial to keep the door of your fireplace as tightly shut as you can, and only open it to add firewood or ash. If you leave the door open for too long can allow hot air to escape the stove, which causes the logs to become cooler and more difficult to light, and releases volatile compounds that are not burned into the room.
Another common mistake that people make is to use different types of combustibles in their woodburning stoves, which can result in higher emissions, or even a chimney fire. The fact is that woodburning stoves are designed and optimised to burn firewood, not other types of combustibles.
The flu
To ensure proper air flow, woodburning stoves require flues that are the correct size. The flue should be at a minimum 25% larger than the stove pipe that connects the chimney and the stove to allow sufficient smoke flow. Additionally, a wood stove must be installed on an open hearth made of a non-combustible substance and has a clear, unobstructed area that is in the front of the fireplace opening.
Modern stoves are equipped with a catalytic combustion system that reduces the amount harmful byproducts released into the chimney. This feature can help increase the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a flame which generates more heat while emitting less pollution. Using other types of combustibles than firewood, however, could cause issues like lower efficiency and higher emission levels.
It is important to use seasoned or dry wood when burning wood in your stove or fireplace. If your wood isn't well-seasoned or dried, it will release a large amount of water vapor to the chimney. This can result in low flue temperatures and a chimney fire.
Another way to avoid a chimney fire is to have a professional examine and clean your flue system regularly. This includes the stovepipe, the chimney and the chimney itself.
A dirty flue and stove could result in a poor chimney draft that could release carbon monoxide into your home. This could be harmful to your family and you should not allow it to occur.
It is a good idea to ensure that your stove and chimney are cleaned by a professional once a year. This will also help to keep the chimney and stove functioning efficiently.