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How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove Wood stoves are an inexpensive and cozy way to heat your home. However, the smoke they produce can be harmful to health. It is important to know how these appliances operate and to use them correctly. Modern stoves utilize catalytic or secondary combustion to control emissions. But 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 most simple way to think about the firebox is that it's an open-air combustion chamber that has walls and an entrance. Most fireplaces come with an already-built metal firebox or masonry firebox. The type of firebox you pick will depend on your preferences and the type of fireplace you have. The majority of wood-burning stoves utilize a constant flow of air to create the fire and burn the fuel. Fresh air is pumped into the stove through dampers that can be adjusted inside its doors. This allows the fuel to burn efficiently and helps reduce toxic gases that are generated by unburnt or incomplete combustion. The exhaust gases are drawn up through the chimney and safely out of your house. Modern stoves that have catalytic second combustion employ a special catalyst that reburns unburned gases to produce additional warmth. This produces a more clean and less polluting smoke than traditional wood stoves with no secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic wood stoves are available, but these are typically less efficient than those that have catalytic second combustion. Some wood-burning stoves have backboilers that are used to heat water in addition to space heating. They are also known as “combination” or “hybrid” stoves and have been around since the beginning of the 20th century. Wood burning stoves should be lit with well-seasoned wood. Freshly cut wood (green) has high levels of water. This could lead to low flue temperatures, as well as excessive creosote accumulation within the chimney. This can cause chimney fires that damage the stove, and could be harmful to your family's health. If you're in search of a professional to inspect your wood-burning stove, or to make any repairs to your firebox ensure that the chimney expert you hire is CSIA certified and provides customer testimonials on their website. It is also essential to inquire about their rates and what type of work they do. The ventilation pipe Wood stoves require ventilation to eliminate the smoke from the combustion process and keep your home warm and healthy. Venting carries away carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and excess moisture from the combustion process. It also helps reduce the amount of air pollution and heat loss outside. Gas, wood and pellet stoves all have different venting requirements. It is crucial to keep the stove's venting systems on an every year to ensure safety and efficiency. The ventilation system consists of the firebox and the ventilation pipe. The chimney and the ventilation pipe are used in conjunction to create draft, drawing smoke from the stove through the fireplace to the outside air. Draft is created through the differences in density and temperature between hot wood smoke and cold air outside. The more hot the smoke, the more it can rise up the chimney and ventilation pipe. Modern wood stoves have been certified as low-emission units by EPA. This means that they emit far fewer pollutants than older models, and contribute to global warming as well as other environmental issues. The majority of modern stoves come with pollution control systems that reduce the amount of emissions, while ensuring that they are burned efficiently. Older stoves that have open flues create much more carbon dioxide, which is an extremely poisonous gas and should not be allowed to escape into your home. This could happen if the chimney is not clean or there is inadequate ventilation. It is essential to install carbon monoxide detectors within your home. Measure the distance between the chimney's opening in the wall or ceiling and the place where the wood stove is on the floor. Multiplying this distance by 2 will provide you with the minimum length of stovepipe you require. You can choose a single-wall or a double-wall stovepipe but you must ensure proper clearance from combustibles. When the stove is lit for the first time, adjust the air vent until a stable flame has been established and combustion process is stable. It is recommended to avoid using wood briquettes in the stove, because they are not logs and can contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to fail and lead to a risky situation. The chimney The chimney may not be something that homeowners pay a lot of attention to, but it's an intricate system that requires care and attention. From top to bottom, the chimney is comprised of several important components, all of which are crucial to ensure that your stove functions effectively and safely. log burning stoves near me , ventilation pipe and chimney work together to exhaust the combustion gases generated by your woodburning stove the outside. This is essential to lower carbon dioxide levels as well as prevent harmful emissions. To accomplish this, the chimney and flue need to be hot enough to carry the gases out of the fireplace without cooling. This can be accomplished by using a wood-burning stove that has a high output of heat, and by adding new logs on a regular basis to the fire. Modern woodburning stoves are taller chimney than older models to improve the drafting effect. However, this can be a disadvantage in the event that the height of your chimney exceeds the maximum allowed for your particular location. If indoor wood burning stove happens, the chimney may compete with the house stack for draft, which can cause the gases to cool before exiting. This can impede the flow of gases and create creosote accumulation, which poses a potential fire risk. One of the most frequent mistakes that homeowners make is to open and close the fireplace door too often which could negatively impact the combustion. It is important to keep the fireplace door closed whenever you can and only open it when you need to add more ash or firewood. The door shouldn't be left open for too long. This allows the hot air from the stove to escape, making the logs cooler and harder to light. Another common mistake that people make is using other kinds of combustibles with their woodburning stove, which could result in higher emissions or even chimney fire. Woodburning stoves were designed and optimized to burn wood for fire. They are not suitable for other combustibles. The flu A woodburning stove needs a correctly sized flue to allow for proper draft development and air flow. Typically, the size of the flue should be at 25 percent greater than the stove pipe (which connects the stove to the chimney) to ensure adequate room for smoke circulation. A wood stove should be placed on a non-combustible hearth with a clear area in front of the fireplace opening. Modern stoves feature the feature of a catalytic combustor that can cut down on the amount of harmful byproducts that are released into the chimney. This feature is also able to increase the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a fire that produces more heat and less pollution. Making use of other types of combustibles other than firewood however, could cause issues like lower efficiency and higher emission levels. When you are burning wood in a stove or fireplace it is crucial to use dried or seasoned wood. If your wood isn't seasoned or dried, it will release a lot of water vapor 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 a fire in your chimney by regularly checking and cleaning the flue system. This includes the stovepipe, the chimney and the chimney itself. A dirty stove or system may lead to a poor draft in your chimney, which can cause carbon monoxide build-up in your home. This can be dangerous for your family members and should never be allowed to happen. A good rule of thumb is to have a professional chimney sweep sweep your stove and chimney every year. This will help keep your chimney and stove in good working order.