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How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove Wood stoves are an affordable and cozy method to heat the home. However, the smoke they release can also be harmful to health. It is essential to know how these appliances function and how to use them correctly. Many modern stoves rely on a catalytic or secondary combustion to reduce their emissions. Older stoves and open flames emit 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 to think of it as a box-like combustion chamber with walls and an entrance. The majority of fireplaces come with prefabricated metal or a masonry firebox. The kind of firebox you select will depend on your preference as well as the kind of fireplace that you have. Most wood-burning fireplaces utilize a continuous flow of air to create the fire and burn fuel. Fresh air is introduced into the stove via dampers that can be adjusted within its doors. This allows the fuels to burn correctly, and also reduces the toxic gasses that result from incomplete or unburnt burning. The exhaust gases are drawn up through the chimney and safely out of your house. Modern stoves with catalytic second combustion use a special catalyst that reburns the unburned gasses to create additional heat. This results in more clean and less polluting smoke than traditional wood stoves without secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic wood stoves are also available however they are usually less efficient than those with secondary combustion that is catalytic. Certain fireplaces that burn wood have a backboiler, which can be used for space heating and water heating. They are known as “combination” or “hybrid” stoves and have been around since the early 20th century. Wood burning stoves should only be lit with seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has a high content of moisture that can lead to low flue temperatures and excessive creosote build-up in the chimney. This can cause chimney fires that destroy the stove, and could be harmful to your family's health. If you're in search of a professional who can inspect your wood-burning stove, or make repairs to your firebox, be sure the chimney professional you hire is certified by the CSIA certification and provides reviews from customers on their website. You can inquire about their prices and the type of work they do. The pipe for ventilation Ventilation is a must for wood stoves to eliminate fumes and keep the home safe 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 outside. Gas, wood and pellet stoves all have different requirements for venting. Properly maintaining the stove's ventilation system on a regular basis is crucial to ensure safety and efficiency. The ventilation system is comprised of the firebox, the vent pipe and the chimney. The chimney and the ventilation pipe are used together to create draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. The differences in densities and temperature between the hot wood smoke and the cold outside air creates draft. The higher the temperature, more smoke will rise through the ventilation pipe and chimney. Most modern wood stoves are certified as low-emission units by EPA. This means they emit less pollutants than older models, which contribute to global warming as well as other environmental concerns. The majority of modern stoves come with pollution control systems to limit the amount of carbon dioxide released while ensuring that they are burned efficiently. Older stoves with open flues create more carbon dioxide. This is a poisonous gas that is toxic and should not be released into your home. This can happen if the chimney is not properly maintained or there is inadequate ventilation, which is why it is important to install carbon monoxide detectors into your home. Before installing a brand new or used wood stove, determine the distance between the place where the stove is placed on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiply this distance by two to find the minimum length of stovepipe that you require. You can choose to use single-wall or double-wall stovepipe and must account for proper clearances from combustibles for either type. When the stove is first lit then adjust the air vent until a stable flame has been established and the combustion process is stable. It is also a good idea to avoid using wood briquettes in the stove, because they aren't logs and may contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to malfunction and create a dangerous situation. The chimney The chimney is a complicated system that requires attention and care. The chimney is made up of many important components that are all crucial to ensure the safety and efficiency of your stove. outdoor wood stove , the ventilation pipe and chimney work together to exhaust the combustion gases produced by your woodburning stove the outside. This process is critical to preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels in your home. To achieve this the chimney and flue must be sufficiently hot to move the gases from the fireplace without cooling. This can be achieved by using a wood-burning stove that has a high output of heat and by adding new logs frequently to the fire. Modern woodburning stoves have a taller chimney than older models to improve the drafting effect. This could be a problem when the chimney's height is higher than the maximum for your location. In this situation the chimney could be competing with the house's stack for airflow, causing the gases to cool before they leave. This could impede the flow of gases and create a buildup of creosote, which poses a potential fire hazard. One of the most frequent mistakes homeowners make is to open and shut the fireplace door too frequently which can adversely affect the combustion. It is essential to keep the fireplace door as shut as you can and only open it to add ash or firewood. The door shouldn't be opened for too long. This lets hot air from the stove to escape, making the wood cooler and more difficult to light. Other types of combustibles could cause higher emissions or even an explosion in a chimney. Woodburning stoves were developed and optimized to burn firewood. They are not suitable for other types of combustibles. The flue A woodburning stove requires an appropriately size flue to permit proper draft development and air flow. The flue should be at a minimum 25% larger than the pipe connecting the stove and chimney to allow adequate smoke circulation. A wood stove should be placed on an uncombustible hearth with a clear space in front of the fireplace's opening. Modern stoves come with an engineered combustion system that reduces the amount harmful byproducts that get released into the chimney. This feature can help increase the efficiency of wood stoves by burning a flame which generates more heat while emitting less pollution. Utilizing other kinds of combustibles other than firewood however, can cause problems, such as lower efficiency and higher levels of emissions. It is essential to use dry or seasoned wood when burning wood in your fireplace or stove. If your wood isn't dry or seasoned it will release high levels of creosote and water vapour into the chimney. This could result in low flue temperatures, and possibly a chimney fire. A professional can also assist you in avoiding the possibility of a chimney fire by regularly inspecting and cleaning the flue system. This should include the chimney, stovepipe and chimney itself to ensure that they are all in good working order. A dirty stove and flue system can result in a poor chimney draft which could release carbon monoxide into your home. This can be dangerous for your family members and you shouldn't let it happen. A good rule of thumb is to have a professional chimney sweep clean your chimney and stove each year. This will keep your chimney and stove in good working order.