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EPA-Certified Wood Stoves May Not Meet Your Health and Safety Standards

Many communities have offered financial incentives for replacing old wood stoves with EPA certified models that produce less pollution. Undark discovered that some of the more recent stoves may not meet EPA standards.

In these times of high energy prices, a lot of cities are looking for ways to reduce burning wood, particularly in areas where air quality is poor. Here are 10 ways you can improve indoor air quality and get more heat from every log.

Efficiency

Wood stoves are one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat your house. Modern wood stoves certified by the EPA burn logs fast and produce less smoke than older models. This lets you make use of a larger portion of the potential energy generated by your fireplace in a shorter time and cut down on your heating bill by up to 30 percent. If you use only seasoned hardwood, the efficiency of wood stoves will increase over the lifetime of the stove.

Older wood stoves generally have efficiency of less than 50 percent. This means that a significant portion of the potential energy in the fire is lost because carbon monoxide and smoke are released into the air. Modern stoves can achieve efficiencies of up to 85 percent or more, which is comparable to the efficiency of gas and oil furnaces.

Wood stoves can be improved by controlling the air as well as the fuel and combustion processes. Wood stoves that control the airflow are able to slow down how fast the fire is moving through the wood and permit the gases produced to stay hot and combust completely.

Modern wood stoves are able to recycle the byproducts of incomplete combustion to create a new fire which burns more efficiently. This process is referred to as reburn, and can boost the efficiency of wood stoves by as much as 10 percent.

Another benefit of using wood as a source for heat is that it is considered carbon neutral. When trees develop they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen when burnt. Wood is also an eco-friendly resource, especially if it is obtained from woodlands in the local area that are managed in a way that encourages the growth of healthy trees.

Cleanliness

Cleaning and maintenance of wood stoves is essential for www.5829186.xyz [view website] keeping homes warm. In the United States, 8.8 million households make use of wood stoves. A dirty stove or flue pipe could be an ignition source and www.5829186.Xyz can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean stoves, flue pipes and chimneys are more efficient.

Emptying the ashes is the most common task you can do when cleaning your wood stove. This should be done on a cool day when the stove is no longer hot, and you should wear gloves that are protective when handling the ashes. Choose a metal container that is big enough to hold all the ashes, and dump them outdoors away from anything that might cause a fire. You can also incorporate the ashes to your compost for a healthy addition to you garden.

Once the ashes have been removed from the stove, sweep the floor to remove any dust. It is also a good idea to put at least three feet space between your wood stove and any other combustible objects such as pillows or curtains. This will prevent a fire from spreading and burning the items.

For the inside of your stove a clear glass door lets you to enjoy a view of the dancing flames and will help you determine when it's time to light the fire again. Make sure to have a glass cleaner in your kitchen to get rid of any smudged or tarred areas. If the glass is very filthy you can make use of a newspaper that has been dipped in water and ash to clean it. Avoid scratching the glass as this could cause it to shrink and break when heated.

The accumulation of creosote in your chimney flue is one of the main causes of chimney fires. Creosote is highly flammable, which is why any layer of even a few millimeters can cause a chimney fire. Clean your flue often, especially if you burn pine or other soft woods that produce more creosote than other types of wood.

To ensure that creosote-free vapors do not enter your home, only burn dry and seasoned wood that has been cut in half or smaller. Never burn fake garbage, logs, or other items in your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves can emit toxic gases such as carbon monoxide or particulates. These harmful gases can be found in the home and could have adverse health consequences for children, elderly adults or those suffering from respiratory issues such as asthma or COPD. Exposure to wood smoke over time can also cause heart disease and cause lung damage.

It is crucial to adhere to the proper burning techniques for wood stoves to avoid these dangers. This includes ensuring that the stove is operating properly and www.5829186.xyz has enough energy output to meet the dimensions and shape of the room. In addition only dry, well-seasoned woods should be burned in the stove. The moisture content should be less than 20 percent. If the moisture content is higher, it will burn faster and produce a smoky fire with more creosote build-up on the chimney vent pipe's walls.

Another important safety issue is ensuring that the stove has a sufficient draw by observing the amount of air that flows into the firebox and through the chimney. The majority of modern stoves offer a variety of ways to adjust the air flow, and the owner's manual contains procedures. Properly operating the air controls can ensure the highest heating efficiency.

Finally, the flue and chimney pipes must be kept clear of any material that could ignite, such as drapes, papers, trash or carpets. Inadequate clearance between combustibles and wood-burning appliances is a major cause of house fires caused by wood stoves.

Keep children away from wood stoves when the fire is burning or 5829186.xyz the ashes are being removed. Children are naturally curious, and they can touch hot surfaces of the wood stove or put their hands on the fire. It is recommended to set up a child-proof barrier around the fireplace, or make use of a fireplace screen. It is also important to regularly inspect the fireplace and wood stove for signs of wear and tear.

It is also important to have your stove and chimney regularly inspected for creosote accumulation, bird nests and other problems that can affect stove and chimney safety. This will prevent fires and health hazards, as well as reduce the necessity for CO2 or smoke remediation services.

Maintenance

While wood stoves are a great way to save money on home heating however, they require additional maintenance. If you don't take care of the required maintenance on your wood stove, it could result in a fire which escapes the flue, which could lead to a chimney fire, or even an unintentional house fire. It is important to clean the surfaces of the stove and flue. Keep a fire extinguisher on your desk and check it frequently. Smoke detectors are a great idea throughout the house, but especially in the room where the stove is.

In general you should clean the chimney and stove every year. The cleaning schedule can be altered based on the amount that the stove is used, and may be required to be done more frequently in winter. You should also be sure to use only seasoned and dry wood to burn in the stove. Avoid using a lot oil or kerosene for starting the fire. These fuels can produce toxic gases and be harmful to your health.

When you clean your house regularly and maintenance, be sure to inspect the gaskets of your doors. They are typically made from a braided material that can become degraded over time. If you find that the gasket is not tight you can purchase a new fiberglass gasket and some gasket cement to fix it. Also, the hinges on these doors should be checked as well.

Chimneys and flues should be examined to ensure that they are free of creosote build-up and obstructions. During the inspection, check for cracks, and other indications of damage to the chimney lining. Stovepipes must be examined too and any holes or dents should be repaired.

If you have a glass door Www.5829186.xyz on your wood stove, it's important to keep this clean. It is easy to accomplish this by mixing water and ammonia. The solution is then applied to the glass with either a sponge or rag. For more difficult staining, leave the solution on for a couple of minutes before wiping again.