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Wood Stove
Winter
months are long and cold. We prepare ourselves for the adverse weather
conditions by cleaning up the fallen leaves in our yards, blowing out
the underground sprinkler lines, covering the air conditioner units and
digging out the shovels and windshield scraper brush. On those first
few cooler days in the fall we look outside and see a bit of smoke
coming from a neighbours chimney, we realize that the inevitable is
coming faster than we’d like - cold temperatures!
Perhaps one of the best things that I look forward to each winter is
lighting, and more specifically, smelling our wood burning stove. Wood
heaters look so peaceful and I cannot help but be mesmerized each and
every time a fire is lit. The ember flames dance about and the heat
just pours out of the vents- nothing is cozier. Using a wood burning
stove or fireplace is not the easiest way to heat an entire home but
with a few simple practices can become an addictive habit.
It is essential that if you are buying a wood burner for the first time
that it is properly installed and you take the time to ensure that all
venting and clearance between the stove and the chimney is adequate.
Older wood stoves are likely to emit harmful emissions into the chimney
resulting in the formation of creosote. Creosote build-up within the
chimney can restrict air flow through the flue and can lead to chimney
fires. Be sure to maintain a clean firebox and chimney by hiring a
chimney professional. A chimney sweep is not expensive and can put your
mind at ease, you will know that burning wood throughout the winter
will keep you warm and safe.
Although most homes are well equipped with fire/smoke detectors it is
equally important to have a carbon monoxide detector and
oxygen-depletion sensor in your home to ensure that the air you and
your
family are breathing is safe and clean. A fire extinguisher should be
close at hand in case of emergency. Accessories are available for
safety and convenience. Fireplace screens should be placed in front of
a hot wood stove to ensure that small children and pets do not get
burned. This could include a spark guard to protect flooring material.
Freestanding wood stoves should be placed on a hearth pad . Hearth pads
are slightly raised platforms that are available in granite or wood
covered in tile. These pads can add to the decor of any home and
improve the appearance of a classic cast iron, sheet metal, or steel
plate wood stove. There are hearth rugs that are manufactured in fire
and heat resistant materials that can also enhance the wood heater. The
space on the wall directly behind the wood burning stove can be
enhanced by a fireback. The heat that radiates out of the sides and
back of the wood burner can be reflected into the room instead of being
absorbed by the wall with the installation of a fireback. Wood stove
inserts or wood fireplaces that are installed in the wall often have a
fireplace mantel directly above for aesthetic reasons. Fireplace
mantels are easy to install, can range in sizes and styles and give the
insert a frame. Mantels can be made of wood and stained in any colour
that matches your decor or you can choose a more expensive and
luxurious granite or marble mantel to create a bold statement. The
facing that surrounds the fireplace insert can enhance the look of the
insert and makes the wall stand out.
One of the important factors when choosing to purchase a wood stove is
where to buy and store the wood. Check in your local newspaper for
firewood listings or in the yellow pages of the phone book. Convenient
stores often carry bundles of logs in the cooler months though this is
not cheap. The most economical way to purchase wood is by the cord,
though this does take up a bit of space. The consumers that do not have
a yard with adequate space for firewood can buy wood on an as needed
basis and store it inside the home. Storing wood along a fence or
garage should not take up too much space. It is best to have a covered
shelter so the wood does not get wet in the rain, though it should be
open to encourage airflow throughout the stacks of split wood.
Throughout the summer months the firewood can be chopped and stacked in
the covered shelter and allowed to dry thoroughly. This process of
drying the wood helps to season the logs and therefore it will burn
cleaner and more thoroughly. Having a log carrier to transport the
firewood into the house will save trips when it is really cold and
storing them indoors near the wood burning stove in a log holder of
basket keeps the hearth pad clean. Some homeowners have designed and
renovated a cabinet directly into the wall near their stove to store
split firewood, thereby keeping it within reach but out of sight. If
you use the wood stove to heat water or cooking, it is recommended that
you purchase a grate to protect the top of the stove and your kettle
and pots. Other obvious accessories like matches, fire poker, brushes
and shovels are readily available at most retail store. Fire starter
logs and the logs that change the colour of the flames are fun but
definitely not necessary.
Knowing how to build an efficient fire will save on wood and maximize
the heat output of the wood stove. Remove the ashes from the firebox
and start by adding some clean dry newspaper and some kindling. Once
the kindling has started fire add logs that are a bit larger than the
kindling and continue to add 2-3 pieces of firewood at a time. It is
all too often that we open the stove door to add a piece at a time and
do not give the wood a chance to burn completely. Stoke the fire with a
few logs at a time once the fire has had a chance to burn down to
coals. The result of heat is the same and the logs will burn more
thoroughly, therefore you will use less. When you clean the ashes out
be sure to place them in a covered metal container. Ashes can be a
great addition to soil composting for your garden.
Wood stoves are a great addition to any room, though most often located
in a family area or living room. The wood burner can be more efficient
at heating a larger square footage if there is a blower installed
within the unit. Adding a ceiling fan in the room can also help to
circulate the heat. Wood stoves are durable and are rarely replaced.
They are made from any combination of cast iron, plate steel and sheet
metal and have solid glass doors that help to monitor the fire and
allow the heat to radiate outward. Newer models offer glass stove doors
that are self-cleaning through an airflow system that prevents the
build-up of smoldering smoke and soot on the glass.
Burning wood as a heating fuel can produce toxic emissions if the wood
is not seasoned, if flue airflow is restricted, if the venting system
is not installed properly, or if the wood used has a high moisture
content causing smoldering. Smoldering wood produces harmful gases like
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and organic gases that damage the air.
By using a catalytic combustion wood stove the amount of emissions is
cut by up to 90%. This is accomplished by lowering the temperature at
which the gases within the stove burn. The result is fewer smoke
emissions escaping into the chimney and collecting there to form
creosote. Wood stoves do offer a clean burn if the appropriate steps
are taken to ensure that our environment is protected, both indoors and
outdoors. Please keep warm responsibly.
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