How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove
Wood stoves are a cozy and inexpensive way to heat your home. Smoke from wood stoves can be dangerous to your health. It is important to know how these appliances operate and how to use them properly.
Modern stoves employ 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 thought of as a combustion chamber with walls and an enclosure. Most fireplaces have either a prefabricated metal or the masonry fireboxes. The type of box you choose depends on your preferences and the kind of fireplace 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 allows the fuel to burn efficiently and helps reduce harmful gases generated by unburnt or incomplete combustion. The exhaust gases are then taken up by the chimney and safely out of your home.
Modern stoves with catalytic second combustion employ a special catalyst to reburn unburnt gases to produce additional warmth. This results in cleaner and less polluting smoke than traditional wood stoves without secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic stoves are also available, but they're usually less efficient than stoves that have secondary combustion catalytically.
Certain fireplaces that burn wood have backboilers, which can be used for space heating or water heating. These stoves are referred to as "hybrids" or "combination". They have been around since early 20th century.
Wood burning stoves can only be operated with well-seasoned wood. Freshly cut wood (green) has an excessive amount of water. This could lead to low flue temperatures and an excessive accumulation of creosote in the chimney. This could lead to chimney fires, which can damage your stove and even be harmful to the health of your family.
If you're looking for an expert to inspect your wood-burning stove or perform repairs to your firebox, be sure the chimney professional you hire is certified by CSIA certification and has customer testimonials on their site. Find out their rates, and what type of work they do.
The pipe for ventilation
Wood stoves require ventilation to eliminate emissions from the combustion process and keep your home warm and healthy. Venting helps eliminate carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and excess moisture from the process of combustion. It also reduces the impact of air pollution and heat loss to the outdoor. Wood, pellet and gas stoves have different venting requirements to accommodate the different ways they function. It is crucial to keep 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 chimney. The chimney and the ventilation pipe are used together to create a draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. The difference in temperature and densities of the hot wood smoke and cold outside air creates draft. The greater the temperature of the smoke, the better it can rise through the chimney and through the ventilation pipe.
Most modern wood stoves are EPA-certified low-emission units. They emit less pollution than older models that contribute to global heating and other environmental issues. Modern stoves are equipped with pollution control systems that reduce the amount of emissions while making sure that they burn efficiently.
Older stoves with open flues emit a lot more carbon dioxide, which is a poisonous gas that must not be allowed to escape into the home. This can happen if the chimney is not clean or there is inadequate ventilation. It is important to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
The distance you measure is between the opening of the chimney in the wall or ceiling and the place where the wood stove is on the floor. Multiplying this distance by 2 will give you the minimum length of stovepipe that you will require. You can use either single-wall or a double-wall stovepipe but you must ensure proper clearance from the combustibles.
The vents for the stove's air must be adjusted when it first gets lit until a proper flame is established within the stove and its combustion process has stabilised. It is advised to avoid using wood logs in the stove as they could contain volatile chemicals which can cause the air vents to fail.
The chimney
The chimney is a complex system that requires attention and care. The chimney is made up of a variety of components that are all crucial to the safe and efficient operation of your stove.
The ventilation pipe, the firebox and chimney work together to vent the combustion gases generated by your woodburning stove to the outside. This is essential to preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels within your home. To achieve this the chimney and flue must be hot enough to remove the gases from the fireplace without cooling. This can be accomplished by using a wood-burning stove that produces a large amount of heat and by adding fresh logs on a regular basis to the fire.
Modern woodburning stoves are built to work with a chimney that's taller than older systems in order to create a more drafting effect. This can be a problem in the event that your chimney's height exceeds the maximum for your location. If this occurs the chimney could be competing with the house stack for draft, causing the gases to cool prior to exiting. This can cause a restriction in the flow of gas and a buildup on creosote.
The most common mistake homeowners make is to open the fireplace door and close it frequently. This can negatively affect combustion. It is important to keep the door shut as much as possible and only open it when you're required to add more firewood or ash. Keeping the door open too long permits hot air to escape from the stove, causing the logs to cool and more difficult to light. It also releases unburned volatile compounds into the room.
Another common mistake that people make is using other kinds of combustibles with their woodburning stoves. This can result in higher emissions, or even a chimney fire. Woodburning stoves were designed and optimized to burn wood for fire. They are not suitable for other types of combustibles.
The flu
To ensure that the airflow is proper, a woodburning stove needs flues that are the correct size. The flue should be at a minimum 25 percent larger than the pipe connecting the chimney and stove to allow for adequate smoke passage. Additionally the wood stove should be installed on a hearth constructed of a non-combustible substance and has a clear, unobstructed space in the front of the fireplace opening.
Modern stoves are equipped with a catalytic combustion system which reduces the amount of harmful byproducts that are released into the chimney. This feature can also help to improve the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a fire that produces more heat and emits less. However, using different types of combustibles, like coal, could cause issues, including lower efficiency and higher emissions.
It is crucial to use seasoned or dry wood when you are burning wood in your stove or fireplace. If your wood isn't seasoned or dried, it could emit a lot of water vapor into your chimney. This can result in low flue temperatures and even a fire in the chimney.
Another way to prevent a fire in your chimney is to have a professional inspection and clean your flue system on a regular basis. This should include the chimney, stovepipe and chimney itself to ensure that everything is in good condition.
wood burner clearance sale soiled stove or flue system can cause an insufficient draft inside your chimney, which could cause carbon monoxide to accumulate within your home. This can be harmful to your family and should never be allowed to happen.
A good rule of thumb is to have your stove and chimney swept by a professional every year. This will help keep the stove and chimney working efficiently.