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How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove Wood stoves can be an affordable and cozy method to heat your home. However, the smoke they produce can be harmful to your health. It's important to understand how these appliances function and how they operate. Modern stoves employ secondary or catalytic combustion to limit emissions. But older stoves and open fires produce high levels 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 straightforward way to think about the firebox is that it's a box-like combustion chamber with walls and an entrance. Most fireplaces have prefabricated metal or a brick fireboxes. wood burning stove outdoor of firebox you select is based on your personal preferences and the type of fireplace you have. The majority of fireplaces that burn wood use a constant air flow to start the fire and burn fuel. Fresh air is pumped into the stove via dampers that can be adjusted within its doors. This allows the fuels to burn properly and reduces the harmful gases that are produced by incomplete or unburnt burning. The exhaust gases are taken up by the chimney, and safely out of your house. Modern stoves with catalytic secondary combustion use a special catalyst to reburn unburnt gases to create additional warmth. This produces a cleaner and less polluting exhaust than traditional wood stoves that have no secondary combustion. Modern wood stoves that are not catalytic are available however they are generally less efficient than stoves with catalytic second combustion. Some wood-burning stoves include a backboiler that can be used to heat water, in addition to space heating. These stoves are referred to as “hybrids” or “combination”. They are in use since the beginning of the 20th century. Wood burning stoves should only be used with seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has a high content of moisture, which can cause low flue temperatures as well as excessive creosote accumulation in the chimney. This could lead to chimney fires, which could harm your stove or be hazardous to the health of your family members. If you're in search of a professional to inspect your wood-burning stove, or to make any repairs to your firebox, make sure the chimney expert you hire is CSIA certified and has customer testimonials on their website. It is also essential to inquire about their rates and what type of work they do. The pipe for ventilation Wood stoves require ventilation to remove fumes from combustion and help keep the home warm and healthy. Ventilation is required to remove carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from the combustion process. It also reduces the amount of air pollution and heat loss outside. Gas, pellet and wood stoves have different requirements for venting to accommodate the ways they function. Properly maintaining the stove's venting system annually is critical for safety and efficiency. The ventilation system consists of the firebox and the ventilation pipe. The chimney and ventilation pipe are used together to create draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. Draft is caused by the variation in temperature and density between hot wood smoke and cold outside air. The higher the temperature, more smoke can rise through the pipe of ventilation and chimney. Modern wood stoves have been certified as low-emission models by the EPA. They produce far less pollutants than older models which contribute to global warming and other environmental issues. Most modern stoves have built-in pollution control systems that limit the amount of emissions while ensuring that they are burned efficiently. Older stoves that have open flues produce more carbon dioxide. This is a toxic gas that is toxic and should not be released into your home. Carbon monoxide is produced when the chimney is dirty or if there is inadequate ventilation. Installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home is therefore crucial. Before installing a new or used wood stove, measure the distance from where the stove sits on the floor to the chimney opening on the wall or ceiling. Divide this measurement by two to determine the minimum length of stovepipe you require. You can use a single-wall or double-wall stovepipes, but you must allow for the proper clearance from burning combustibles. The vents for the stove's air must be adjusted when it is first lit up until a proper flame is established in the stove and the combustion process has stabilized. It is best to avoid using wood logs in the stove since they may contain volatile chemicals which can cause the air vents to malfunction. The chimney The chimney may not be something that homeowners pay a lot of attention to, but it's actually an intricate system that requires careful attention. The chimney is comprised of a variety of components that are essential for the safe and efficient operation of your stove. The wood-burning stove's combustion gasses are vented outwards through the firebox, the vent pipe and the chimney. This process is critical to preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels within your home. To do this the chimney and flue must be hot enough to remove the gases from the fireplace without cooling. This can be achieved by using a wood-burning stove which has a high output of heat, and by adding new logs on a regular basis to the fire. Modern woodburning stoves have a taller chimney than older systems to increase the effect of drafting. However, this may be a disadvantage in the event that the height of your chimney is higher than the maximum permitted for your particular location. If this occurs, the chimney may compete with the house stack for draft, causing the gases to cool before exiting. This can restrict the gas flow and cause creosote accumulation, which poses a potential fire risk. The most common error homeowners make is to open the fireplace door and close it frequently. This can negatively affect the combustion. It is important to keep the fireplace door closed as much as possible and only open it when you're required to add additional firewood or ash. The door should not be left open for too long. This lets hot air from the stove to escape, making the wood cooler and more difficult to light. Another mistake that many make is to use other types of combustibles in their woodburning stove, which could cause more emissions or even a chimney fire. The truth is that woodburning stoves are built and designed to burn firewood, not other types of combustibles. The flu To ensure that the airflow is proper, woodburning stoves require a flue that is the right size. Typically, the dimensions of the flue should be at least 25 percent greater than the stove pipe (which connects the stove to the chimney) to ensure adequate room for smoke passage. In addition, a wood stove must be set on a hearth constructed of non-combustible materials and has a clear, unobstructed space in the front of the opening for the fireplace. Modern stoves come with catalytic combustion systems that reduces the amount harmful byproducts that are released into the chimney. This feature can also help to improve the efficiency of a wood stove by burning a flame that produces more heat and emits less. Using other types of combustibles other than firewood however, can result in problems like lower efficiency and more emission levels. It is essential to use dry or seasoned wood when you are burning wood in your stove or fireplace. If the wood isn't properly seasoned or dried, it could release a lot of water vapor into the chimney. This can lead to low flue temperatures and possibly a chimney fire. A professional can also help you avoid an explosion in your chimney by regularly checking and cleaning the flue system. This should include the stovepipe, chimney and the chimney itself to ensure all are in good condition. A soiled stove or flue system may lead to a poor draft in your chimney, which can cause carbon monoxide build-up in your home. This can be dangerous to your family and you should not allow it to happen. A good rule of thumb is to hire an experienced chimney sweep sweep your stove and chimney each year. This will keep your chimney and stove in good order.