How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove
Wood stoves can provide an affordable and cozy method to heat your home. But the smoke they emit can be harmful to your health. It is important to know how these appliances operate and how to use them safely.
Many modern stoves rely on secondary combustion or catalytic to control their emissions. But older stoves and open fires generate 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 most simple way to think of the firebox is that it's an enclosed combustion chamber that has walls and a door. Most fireplaces have an already-built metal or brick firebox. The type of box you select is based on your personal preferences and the type of fireplace you have.
The majority of fireplaces that burn wood make use of a constant flow of air to create the flame and burn fuel. Fresh air is drawn into the stove through adjustable dampers located inside the stove's doors. This lets the fuels burn properly and reduces the harmful gases produced by incomplete or unburnt combustion. The exhaust gases are then taken up by the chimney, and safely out of your house.
wood burning stoves near me with catalytic secondary combustion use a special catalyst to reburn the unburnt gasses to create additional heat. This produces a more clean and less polluting exhaust than traditional wood stoves that have no secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic stoves are also available, but they're generally less efficient than stoves that have secondary combustion that is catalytic.
Certain fireplaces that burn wood have a backboiler, which can be used for space heating and water heating. They are known as "combination" or "hybrid" stoves and have been in use since the early 20th century.
Wood burning stoves should only be lit with seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has a high content of moisture that can lead to low flue temperatures as well as excessive creosote buildup in the chimney. This can cause chimney fires that damage the stove, and they could be harmful to your family's health.
If you're looking for an expert to examine your wood burning stove or make any firebox repairs, make sure the chimney specialist you choose is CSIA certified and provides customer testimonials on their website. It is also essential to inquire about their prices and the type of work they do.
The pipe for ventilation
Wood stoves require ventilation to eliminate emissions from the combustion process and keep the home warm and healthy. Venting carries away carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and excess moisture from the process of combustion. It also helps reduce air pollution and heat loss outside. Wood, pellet and gas stoves have different requirements for venting to accommodate the ways they operate. It is essential to maintain the stove's venting systems on an annually to ensure safety and efficiency.
The ventilation system is comprised of the firebox, the ventilation pipe, and the chimney. The chimney and the ventilation pipe are used in conjunction to create draft, bringing smoke from the stove through the fireplace and into the outside air. Draft is created through the differences in temperature and density between hot wood smoke and cold outside air. The higher the temperature, more smoke rises through the vent pipe and chimney.
Most modern wood stoves are EPA-certified low-emission units. This means that they emit far fewer pollutants than older models, which contribute to global warming as well as other environmental issues. The majority of modern stoves come with pollution control systems to limit the amount of emissions while making sure that they burn efficiently.
Older stoves that have open flues create much more carbon dioxide, which is poisonous gas that should not be allowed to escape into the home. Carbon monoxide can be produced when your chimney is dirty or has inadequate ventilation. Installing carbon monoxide alarms inside your home is therefore essential.
Before installing a new or used wood stove determine the distance between the place where the stove is placed on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiply this distance by two to determine the length of stovepipe that you require. You can use either single-wall or double-wall stovepipes but you must allow for the adequate clearance from burning combustibles.
The vents for the stove's air should be adjusted when it is first lit up, until a good flame is established within the stove and its combustion process has stabilised. It is recommended to avoid using wood logs in the stove because they could contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vents to fail.
The chimney
The chimney is a complex system that requires careful care. The chimney is comprised of numerous important parts that are 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 in preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels within your home. To accomplish this the chimney and flue have to be hot enough to remove the gases out of the fireplace without cooling. This is achieved by using a woodburning stove with a high heat output and by regularly adding new logs to the fire.
Modern woodburning stoves are taller chimney than older models to increase the effect of drafting. However, this could have its drawbacks if the height of your chimney exceeds the maximum allowed for your location. In this scenario the chimney may compete with the house's stack for airflow, causing the gases to cool before leaving. This could result in a pause in the flow of gas and a buildup on creosote.
One of the most frequent mistakes homeowners make is to open and shut the fireplace door too often which could negatively impact combustion. It is important to keep the door of your fireplace as tightly shut as you can, and only open it when you need to add ash or firewood. The door should not be open for long. This allows the hot air from the stove to escape, making the logs cooler and more difficult to light.
Other types of combustibles can produce higher emissions or the possibility of a chimney fire. The reality is that woodburning stoves are designed and optimised to burn firewood and not other kinds of combustibles.
The flu
A woodburning stove needs a correctly size flue to permit proper air flow and draft development. The flue should be at least 25 percent larger than the pipe connecting the stove and chimney to allow for sufficient smoke passage. Additionally the wood stove should be placed on a hearth that is made of a non-combustible material and is clear and unobstructed area in the front of the opening for the fireplace.
Modern stoves come with an engineered combustion system which reduces the amount of harmful byproducts released into the chimney. This feature can help increase the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a flame which produces more heat while emitting less pollutants. Making use of other types of combustibles, other than firewood however, can result in problems with lower efficiency and more emission levels.
It is essential to use dry or seasoned wood when burning wood in your stove or fireplace. If your wood isn't seasoned or dry it will release high levels of water vapor and creosote into the chimney. This can result in low flue temperatures, and even a fire in the chimney.
A professional can also assist you in avoiding an explosion in your chimney by regularly inspecting and cleaning the flue system. This includes the stovepipe, chimney and the chimney itself.
A dirty stove or system could cause an unclean draft in your chimney, which could cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home. This can be dangerous for your family members and should not be allowed to happen.
A good rule of thumb is to hire an experienced chimney sweep sweep your stove and chimney once per year. This will help keep your chimney and stove in good condition.