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June 6, 2010
Oil prices continue to rise and oil spill disasters are making headlines. Homeowners find themselves looking at wood stoves and pellet stoves as viable and intelligent alternatives to oil heating. Setting aside any economical reasons, wood stoves have many environmental benefits for your home.
Oil is universally accepted as a non-renewable resource. Although is it produced naturally over time, the scale stretches too far in terms of a human lifespan to classify oil as renewable. Timber on the other hand, when harvested sustainably, is definitely considered renewable.
What does that mean? Because timber can be re-grown at a much faster rate, using it for fuel is more responsible in terms of the future. With sustainably harvested forests, there will be plenty of fuel available for generations to come without affecting the planet in a negative way. The same can’t necessarily be said for oil.
Wood is also harvested and grown in a safer, more environmentally friendly way. It’s not a volatile, potentially harmful substance for wildlife and soil (like oil is). Timber can also be stored and contained much easier than heating oil can, both on a large scale and in your own home.
Pellets take this concept even further, since they are actually made from waste wood and biomass products. Diverting these products from the landfill is a plus and pellets are also extremely convenient to store.
Wood fuel is CO2 neutral, meaning it releases roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere while being burnt as it absorbs when growing as a tree. Since carbon dioxide gas contributes to the greenhouse effect, this makes wood an eco-friendly fuel choice. Oil also releases carbon dioxide while being burned, but since it doesn’t absorb an equal amount during formation, burning oil is actually adding to the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
Pollutants like smoke emissions are another concern for home heating. New technology and design has made burning wood units much cleaner, creating a more complete burn. Using catalytic and non-catalytic combustion methods, newer wood stoves meet the EPA standards set for emissions. That means your stove will release very little pollutants, use less fuel and be cheaper to run.
Regular maintenance of your wood or pellet stove is essential to keep it running well and environmentally sound. Service the stove annually and follow the guidelines for usage. Invest in wood stove accessories like stovepipe thermometers to monitor the fire and ensure a clean burn. Then you can correct any problems right away and maintain the maximum efficiency of your stove.
Whether you choose a wood stove or pellet stove, it is a more environmentally friendly choice than your existing oil heating unit. The investment to change or add a stove as alternative heating is well worth it considering the benefits a new unit will deliver to the planet.
March 3, 2010
Since 1988, wood stoves have been regulated by the EPA and local agencies. Modern wood stoves emit a fraction of the particulate matter than older, non certified or non functioning catalytic stoves. Wood heat is the most basic renewable, carbon neutral energy source available.
Here are some things to consider regarding firewood:
• Trees are the only abundant, biodegradable and renewable global resource. Other “bio fuels” require high energy processing, transportation and packaging.
• When a tree rots naturally or burns, the carbon contained in the wood is released back to the atmosphere. There is no additional carbon released from burning than from rotting.
• Trees are the most powerful concentrators of carbon on Earth. Through photosynthesis, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in their wood. Although old trees contain huge amounts of carbon, their rate of sequestration has slowed to a near halt. A young tree, although it contains little fixed carbon, pulls CO2 from the atmosphere at a much faster rate. Young forests outperform old growth in carbon sequestration.
• North Americans are the world’s largest per‐capita wood consumers and yet our forests cover approximately the same area of land as they did 100 years ago. According to the United Nations, North American forests have expanded nearly 100 million acres over the past decade.
• To address climate change, we must use more wood, not less. Using wood sends a signal to the marketplace to grow more trees and to produce more wood. That means we can then use less concrete, steel and plastic — heavy carbon emitters through their production.
• As long as modern, efficient wood stoves are used correctly with seasoned, dry wood and hot fires wood heat shouldn’t create problems for healthy people.
Wood stoves are efficient: Contrary to the obligatory (not confirmed) efficiency numbers required by the EPA on each certified wood stove, many of the wood stoves that Fireplace Village sells are actually up to 80% efficient as tested to DIN Standards.
March 2, 2010
One of the common wood stove maintenance tasks is repairing or upgrading the door. When the seal is off, it makes the wood stove inefficient and needs to be fixed.
You may find that while removing the gasket you will need to unhinge the door. During the procedure it may become obvious that an all new door will be a simpler, easy fix.
Record your wood stove model and visit the local wood stove dealer. They should be able to fit you with replacement doors, gaskets and whatever else your wood stove may need.
With a new door and improved air sealing, your wood stove will be back up to full efficiency in no time.
February 16, 2010
The stored energy in wood has been used for centuries to heat homes and cook foods. Wood burning heat was the purpose of the huge fireplaces seen in historical homes and estates where fireplaces taller and wider than a man spewed heat (and often sparks) into rooms. Large kettles for cooking and heating water hung on hooks that could be rotated near the fire or directly over the flames.
Burning wood for heat was not limited to fireplaces in homes and businesses. Indian teepees featured heat generated by a fire in the center of the structure with smoke released through a hole in the top. Campfires create heat for outdoor enthusiasts and blazing bonfires on the edge of a frozen pond warm ice skaters. In many areas of the globe, wood is the main source of heat today.
Over time, man has devised ways to better control and disperse the heat from burning wood. The wood stove is the prime example. While a fireplace must be located on a wall of the room, the wood stove allowed that heat to be moved into the room more efficiently. Though designs referred to as “pot bellied stoves” were quite popular for a time, they were not further developed as coal became widely available for burning. The advent of electricity resulted in loss of consumer interest in old-fashioned wood burning heat stoves.
In the energy crisis of the 1970’s there was a fear that fossil fuels would soon become too expensive for all but the wealthy to afford. Homeowners in colder climates began seeking safe and efficient wood burning stoves in response. Soaring electricity and natural gas prices combined with recent environmental concerns today are again focusing consumer interest on clean burning, efficient wood burning heat alternatives.
When consumers demand – manufacturers supply. The efficiency of wood burning heat begins with the stove itself. Newer, more efficient wood burning stoves provide a much higher margin of safety than was possible only a few years ago. The exhaust of a wood stove is critical as the fumes must be directed outdoors correctly. An improperly vented wood stove presents a health hazard from carcinogens and gases created by the burning process.
The wood used is another consideration. The wood fuel may be split logs or might be wood chips, pellets, or charcoal. Much of the firewood used today is the by-product of natural forests, logging, and lumber mills. Wood must be “seasoned” by allowing it to dry after being cut. Green wood must be seasoned a minimum of six months before use but standing dead timber is ideal as it is partially seasoned when cut.
Wood burning heat is highly dependent on the type of wood used. Hardwoods are preferable with hickory and oak ideal but sometimes more expensive. Most wood is split and allowed to air dry for seasoning but kilns can also be used to speed the process. A good hardwood, properly seasons, provides the long burning, heat-producing flames we expect for our roaring fire.
February 15, 2010
To build a safe, efficient and down right beautiful fire every time, homeowners need to learn how to start a fire in a wood stove. These short, simple steps will provide the optimum heat, efficiency and comfort for your home.
Start with dry hardwood for fuel. You should buy firewood that has had a chance to dry for nine months before burning, as wet, soft wood makes for a smoky, inefficient fire. Also, green wood causes plenty of sparks and burns cooler than seasoned wood. Make sure to dry all firewood from moisture caused by elements such as snow and rain.
Gather some clean, dry newsprint paper to start the fire in a wood burning stove. Don’t use glossy, coated paper or anything with adhesives on it (like envelopes). Crumple the newspaper into balls and place at the bottom of your stove. Stack kindling (small, thin wood pieces) on top of the paper in a teepee or pyramid shape. This provides the proper airflow to get the fire burning well.
Light the paper in a few spots and let the kindling catch fire. Add kindling when necessary until all is burning well. Only use paper at the beginning of the fire, as it creates a lot of floating ash when added on top of the kindling.
Keep the door to your stove open. Also make sure the air control is completely open before starting the fire. This allows air flow through the wood stove, feeding the fire with needed oxygen. Don’t keep the door wide open enough for sparks to escape and cause damage to the flooring or surrounding area. Wait until the smoke is disappearing up the stovepipe before completely closing the door. This indicates good combustion is present.
Once kindling is burning well, add larger and larger logs until you have a base of fuel that will continue to burn for the desired length of time. If you throw a large log onto a small fire, you’ll only smother the flames. Be sure to open the door slowly when adding logs or use a top loader for convenience and safety.
As the fire gets going you can alter the air control settings – check your manual for instructions. Remember that the lower the setting, the longer the fire will burn.
Learning how to properly start a fire in a wood stove is an important task to ensure safe and efficient use. Your family will enjoy many hours in front of the wood stove basking in the warmth and comfort of a well built fire.
February 3, 2010
Wood burning stove emissions have come a long way over the years – particularly the last twenty years. In the late 1980’s the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA) regulated that all wood burning stoves must meet or exceed an emissions limit of 7.5 grams of smoke per hour. A fireplace insert or wood burning stove that you buy today with newer technologies, may even have that emission level down to between 1 and 4 grams of smoke per hour.
Using different and improved combustible technology, today’s average wood burning stoves and fireplace inserts not only clean burning but one-third more efficient than its predecessor. That means less expense and less work for the homeowner (because one third less fuel used). Although the new stoves cost more, the premium will likely be covered with smaller fuel costs within two or three seasons.
Wood burning stove emissions are often in the form of particulate matter – or smoke. New woodstoves have smoke production that is up to 90 percent less than older models. This is because the environment created inside new wood burning stoves is better for complete combustion. Fires built inside the newer stoves also start or ignite easier, producing less smoke and emissions at the outset.
Most newer stoves use non-catalytic combustion – using a baffle for gas flow, as well as pre-heated air and insulation to create prime burning conditions. Better burning means less emissions. The other type of technology is called catalytic combustion. In this type, the gas and smoke particles are passed through a ceramic honeycomb inside where they burn up before exiting the stove. Catalytic stoves are slightly more hands on and may need regular, knowledgeable maintenance to continue working efficiently.
Also, advanced wood burning stoves of both types produce less creosote. This not only reduces the chance of chimney fire, but reduces the cleaning and maintenance needed in the flue pipe and chimney. All of these factors save you time, money and the environment together.
Reducing the emissions in wood burning stoves has been made possible with the new technology stove manufacturers have adopted. Any wood burning stove purchased today will met or exceed the EPA standards, as well as save you time and money to run. Enjoy the beauty, comfort and atmosphere of a wood burning stove without all of the filthy, polluted emissions they are famous for. Contact your professional wood burning stove dealer and discuss which type is better for you. Then bask in the glowing flames of your low emission, highly efficient wood burning stove.
January 27, 2010
- Adding a wood stove to a house must be undertaken properly to ensure a safe installation. Fireplace Village always recommends using a certified wood stove installer or professional chimney sweep.
- Install a stove with adequate clearance from any combustible surfaces, including floors, walls or furniture.
- Any chimney must have adequate capacity, the correct height, proper location, proper clearance from combustibles and proper mechanical support to be safe.
- When an efficient airtight stove is selected and installed with a proper chimney, the efficiency and safety of the stove operation is largely dependent on the skill of the operator.
- The type of firewood can materially impact stove operation and efficiency.
- A wood stove requires regular maintenance: proper cleaning of the chimney to remove creosote deposits, regular inspection of the installation, and handling of ashes. Fireplace Village recommends annual maintenance of wood stoves and chimneys to ensure efficient and clean burning operation and to minimize risk of fire.
January 25, 2010
Free standing wood stoves are an efficient way to heat a specific area of a house. They are a great way to use renewable energy sources to supplement expensive gas or electric heat. They also provide an independent source of heat and light in the case of a power outage, and provide a warm and inviting atmosphere. Even some wood burning stove accessories, such as a blower, which circulates warm air around the room, do not use electricity and will keep the house warm during a power outage.
Wood stoves have come a long way in efficiency ratings. Many new wood stoves are EPA rated and produce 7.5 grams or less of smoke per hour. Many older wood stove models burn at a staggering 40 grams of smoke per hour.
Fireplace Village carries a wide variety of wood burning stoves. Looking to purchase an energy efficient clean burning wood stove then visit one of our New Hampshire locations or buy wood stoves online. Since 1972, Fireplace Village has been the largest retailer of wood stoves in New England. This is a great time to buy a new wood stove and take advantage of the federal tax credit.
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