How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove
Wood stoves are an excellent way to heat your home. They're also affordable. Smoke from wood stoves can be hazardous to your health. It is important to know how these appliances function and to use them correctly.
Modern stoves use catalytic or secondary combustion to reduce emissions. However, older stoves and open fires produce 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 firebox is considered an open-air combustion chamber with walls and lid. Most fireplaces have prefabricated metal or a masonry fireboxes. The type of firebox you choose will depend on your preferences and the type of fireplace you have.
The majority of fireplaces that burn wood utilize a continuous flow of air to start the fire and burn fuel. Fresh air is pumped into the stove through dampers that can be adjusted within its doors. This allows the fuels to be burned correctly, and also reduces the toxic gases that are produced by incomplete or unburnt combustion. The exhaust gases will be dragged through the chimney and safely away from your home.
Modern stoves with catalytic second combustion make use of a specific catalyst to reburn unburnt gases to produce additional warmth. This results in a much cleaner and less polluting emission than traditional wood stoves with no secondary combustion. Modern wood stoves that are not catalytic are available however they are usually less efficient than those with secondary combustion that is catalytic.
Certain wood-burning stoves come with a backboiler that can be used to heat water, in addition to space heating. These stoves are called "hybrids" or "combination". They have been in use since the early 20th century.
Wood burning stoves should only be lit with seasoned wood. Freshly cut wood (green) has an excessive amount of water. This can result in low flue temperatures, as well as excessive creosote accumulation in the chimney. This can cause chimney fires that destroy the stove and can be hazardous to your family's health.
If you're in search of an expert to inspect your wood-burning stove, or make repairs to your firebox, make sure that the chimney technician you choose is certified by CSIA certification and has testimonials from their customers on their website. You can inquire about their prices and the kind of work they perform.
The pipe for ventilation
Ventilation is essential for wood stoves in order to remove smoke and keep the home healthy and warm. Ventilation is necessary to remove carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from the process of combustion. It also helps reduce air pollution and heat loss to the outdoor. Gas, wood and pellet stoves have different requirements for venting. Properly maintaining the stove's venting system every year is essential to ensure safety and efficiency.
The ventilation system is made up of the firebox as well as the ventilation pipe. The chimney and the ventilation pipe work together to create draft, bringing smoke from the stove through the fireplace to outside air. Draft is generated by the differences in temperature and density between hot wood smoke and cold air outside. The more hot the temperature, the more smoke will rise through the ventilation pipe and chimney.
Modern wood stoves are EPA-certified low-emission units. They emit less pollution than older models, which contribute to global heating and other environmental issues. Modern stoves are equipped with pollution control systems that limit the amount of emissions while making sure that they burn efficiently.
Older stoves with open flues produce more carbon dioxide. This is a poisonous, toxic gas and it should not be released into your home. Carbon monoxide can be produced when your chimney is dirty or has inadequate ventilation. Installing carbon monoxide alarms inside your house is therefore important.
Before installing a brand new or used wood stove take note of the distance from the place where the stove is placed on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiplying this distance by 2 will give you the shortest length of stovepipe that you need. You can use a single-wall or double-wall stovepipes however, you must ensure proper clearance from combustibles.
When the stove first starts to burn, adjust the air vent until a good flame has been established and combustion is stable. It is also a good idea to stay clear of using wood briquettes in the stove, since they aren't logs and may contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to malfunction and lead to a risky situation.
The chimney
The chimney may not seem like something that homeowners give a lot of thought to, but it's actually a complex system that requires care and attention. From top to bottom, the chimney is made up of a variety of essential components, all of which are crucial to ensure that your stove functions safely and efficiently.
The firebox, the ventilation pipe and chimney work together to vent the combustion gases produced by your woodburning stove to the outside. This is crucial to reduce carbon dioxide levels and to prevent harmful emissions. To accomplish this, the chimney and flue must to be sufficiently hot to carry the gasses out of the fireplace without them cooling. This can be achieved by using a woodburning stove with a high heat output and by regularly adding new logs to the fire.
Modern woodburning stoves are designed to operate with a chimney which is higher than older systems in order to get a better draft effect. However, this may have disadvantages if the size of your chimney is greater than the maximum allowed for your particular location. If this occurs the chimney could compete with the house stack for draft, which can cause the gases to cool before exiting. This could result in a pause in the flow of gas, and a buildup on creosote.
One of the most common mistakes that homeowners make is to open and close the fireplace door too frequently which can adversely affect the combustion. It is important to keep the door of your fireplace closed whenever you can and only open it when you are required to add more ash or firewood. The door should not be left open for too long. This allows the hot air from the stove to escape, making the wood cooler and more difficult to light.
Another mistake that many make is using other kinds of combustibles inside their woodburning stoves. This can result in more emissions or even a chimney fire. Woodburning stoves were designed and optimized for burning firewood. They are not suitable for other combustion products.
The flu
To ensure proper air flow, woodburning stoves require an exhaust pipe that is the proper size. The flue should be at a minimum 25 percent larger than the pipe connecting the chimney and the stove to allow adequate smoke passage. Additionally the stove must be placed on a hearth constructed of a non-combustible material and has a clear, unobstructed area that is in front of the fireplace opening.
Modern stoves have a feature called catalytic combustor which can help reduce the amount of harmful byproducts that are released into the chimney. This feature can increase the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a wood which generates more heat while emitting less pollutants. Making use of other types of combustibles other than firewood however, can result in problems like lower efficiency and more emission levels.
When burning wood in a stove or fireplace it is essential to use dried or seasoned wood. If your wood isn't seasoned or dried, it will release a large amount of water vapor into your chimney. This could lead to low flue temperatures and a chimney fire.
Another method to avoid the possibility of a chimney fire is to have a professional inspection and clean your flue system on a regular basis. This includes the stovepipe, chimney and the chimney itself.
A dirty stove or system may lead to a poor draft in your chimney, which could cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home. This could be harmful for your family members and you should not let it occur.
modern wood stove of thumb is to have a professional chimney sweep clean your chimney and stove once per year. This will help keep your stove and chimney in good condition.