Woodburning Tips for Clean Fireplace and Woodstove
Burning
How to Build a Clean, Efficient Fire
Build a small, HOT fire first to preheat the firebox and chimney...
- Open damper wide—always make
sure it is open enough to ensure an adequate oxygen supply
to the
fire.
- Leave a thin layer of ash for insulation.
- Crumple a few sheets of nonglossy white
paper or uncolored newspaper and add some small pieces of
kindling, then
light. Add bigger
kindling as fire grows. When hot coals are visible,
add 2 or 3 logs close enough together to keep hot, but
far enough apart
to let sufficient air move between them.
Burn Only Seasoned
Firewood -“Seasoned” firewood
contains little moisture and creates less polluting “smoke” when
burned. It should be dried for 6 to 12 months minimum.
When buying “seasoned” wood
look for the following:
- Wood should have dark colored, cracked
ends, with cracks radiating from the center like bicycle
spokes.
- Wood should be light in weight with
little moisture left. Note:
hardwood logs are heavier than softwood.
- Pay attention
to the sound of wood when two logs are hit together.
Dry wood sounds like a bat hitting
a ball. Wet wood makes a
dull “thud” sound.
- Peel back bark
and make sure no green is showing under the
bark.
Burn a Mixture
of Hardwoods and Softwoods - Start
your fire with softwood kindling like pine or fir. It
ignites easily, burns fast and hot and will heat the firebox
and flue quickly. Then burn hardwoods (eucalyptus, almond.
apple cherry etc.). Hardwoods are denser and take longer
to ignite,
but burn slower and more evenly, producing less smoke.
They also provide more heat energy than softwood logs
the same size.
Light and Refuel
your Fire Quickly and Carefully - Smoldering
fires cause as much as six times more pollution than
hot, clean fires.
Maintain your Fire
Properly - Look
for a thin stream of white smoke coming from your chimney.
IF YOU SEE BILLOWS OF DARK
SMOKE,
YOU ARE CAUSING UNNECESSARY
POLLUTION! Adjust your fire to burn cleaner. Follow stove
manufacturer’s
instructions carefully.
EPA Standards for Clean
and Safe Woodburning - Burn Safely and Legally
It is illegal and dangerous to burn garbage, plastics, rubber,
glossy paper, oil, painted or treated wood, particleboard and
plywood. Smoke and fumes from these items can be toxic and dangerous
to your health and the health of your neighbors.
The Environmental Protection Agency began certifying all new
fireplace inserts and freestanding woodstoves in l 988. These
stoves have from 70 to 90% less particulate matter (smoke) than
conventional stoves. Look for the EPA Certification when you
buy a new fireplace or woodstove.
If you have an old (pre 1987) woodstove or fireplace you need
to be especially conscientious about burning clean fires and
may even want to consider investing in less polluting ways of
heating your home. Some alternatives include:
Keep Warm Air in the House
- Close the damper tightly when stoves
and fireplaces are not in use to keep warm air from escaping.
Also, close doors to unused
rooms.
Keep your Woodstove or Fireplace
Properly Maintained - Regular maintenance of your stove or fireplace will protect
you from fire hazards and ensure a clean burning, efficient operation.
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