How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner Outdoor wood burners, sometimes called wood boilers, appear like small sheds with the appearance of a small smoke stack. They heat water or a mixture of antifreeze and water which is then circulated around your home. When used in conjunction with dry wood and EPA-approved outdoor boilers they can provide an eco-friendly alternative to fossil heating. However, they still generate an enormous amount of smoke. Energy Efficiency Wood heat has been a popular choice for heating homes for a long time. Today, with fluctuating fossil fuel prices, it is a reasonable choice for a lot of people. There aren't all wood boilers that have the same efficiency. In general models that utilize wood gasification technology are more efficient than standard model outdoor wood furnaces (OWBs). The efficiency of energy used by an OWB is affected by several factors. One of them is the quality of the firewood utilized. It is essential to choose only firewood that has been dried and kept seasoned for at minimum six months; ideally, for a full year. Dry firewood ejects more of its heat into the air than wet, green wood. It also burns better and produces less pollutants. The rate of combustion in the boiler is another factor. This is the percentage of heat that is converted by the stove to useful heat. Many manufacturers advertise their OWBs' combustion efficiency, but it is important to look for the delivered efficiency as well. This is a measure of how much heat from the wood is delivered to your home. It is also important to operate the OWB in a way that maximizes its efficiency. This includes cleaning it and maintaining the vent frequently. The flue should be cleaned at least once a week during the heating season in order to reduce the amount smoke produced by the stove and prevent clogging. In contrast to stoves for indoor use that are installed directly in your office or home, an OWB can be installed anywhere between 90 and 200 feet from your home. The hot water that is heated in the OWB is then pumped through insulated pipes to your home. The hot water is then distributed throughout your home by a system that uses heat exchangers. Despite the negatives discussed above, an OWB can be a highly efficient way to heat your home and save money on energy bills. Make sure you select a high-efficiency model and follow the correct maintenance procedures to make the most of it. And don't forget that only dry and seasoned firewood should be burned in an OWB to prevent it from creating pollution and causing damage to your home. Environmentally Friendly Wood is an environmentally friendly alternative to burning fossil fuels such as propane, gasoline and oil. It is a renewable resource, which means that new trees will grow and replace the ones that were burned for warmth. When wood is burnt, it releases carbon dioxide, but it is then absorbed and transformed back into oxygen by other plants. Wood burning produces no other environmental pollutants unlike fossil fuels. A wood furnace can be used to heat homes, garages sheds, homes and other structures. They are also cost-effective, as they eliminate the need for costly utility bills. They can be used to heat hot tubs or pools and provide a place to unwind in winter. These heaters are EPA- and CSA-approved which makes them an eco-friendly option for heating your home. However, a wood stove is not without its drawbacks. Wood smoke contains tiny air particles that can aggravate the symptoms of certain health conditions, such as heart and lung problems. These particles can also contribute to climate change and contaminate water supplies. It is important to use only seasoned firewood in your outdoor wood burner. If your wood isn't seasoned, it will release more smoke, which can irritate those with sensitive respiratory systems. A substitute for a wood furnace is an electric heat pump that extracts heat from the ground or air, allowing it to warm buildings and reduce the need for natural gas, propane or oil. These heat pumps are more sustainable than traditional wood stoves and they're more efficient. However they require a constant supply of raw materials in order to operate. Nevertheless, wood-burning heating is still popular with some people due to its low cost and green credentials. A majority of the top models come with an 85% efficiency rating, which is much superior to other heating alternatives. Consult with a professional in outdoor wood burning to know about the most efficient and environmentally green models. Safety If it is not properly installed and maintained, a wood burning stove could pose a serious fire hazard. Smoke from fires can contain toxins, fine particles, and carbon monoxide that can cause asthma and respiratory problems. Smoke can also be harmful to carpets, furniture and clothing. For these reasons, it is important to hire a professional to install your wood burner. It is recommended to have a professional do an inspection of your chimney, stovepipe and wood-burning appliance on a regular basis. These professionals can ensure that your OWB is operating safely and that it meets local safety standards, which will help to keep fires from forming in your home or any other buildings on your property. It is essential to make use of dry, seasoned logs for burning wood in an OWB. You should also ensure that the area around logs free of combustible and debris like plastic or paper, to reduce the danger of fire. Do not burn trash, garbage or treated lumber, as they can release a number of harmful pollutants into the air. While wood smoke has the potential to harm everyone, it is especially dangerous for teenagers, children older adults, and those with respiratory diseases or heart problems. It is also recommended that all new and expectant mothers stay clear of exposure to smoke from wood because it could negatively affect their unborn babies. Using an OWB could also cause trouble to your neighbors. Smoke from a fireplace can blow through windows that are open in response to weather conditions or winds. It can also cause irritation to nose and eyes. Close all doors and windows that are near the stove and keep pets away from it. It is also a good idea to install carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in every bedroom of your home, and to test them regularly. It is also recommended to have an escape plan for your family in place and test it at least once per year. Contact your local PuroClean branch for assistance with blaze and smoke restoration services. We can restore smoke-damaged homes or businesses to their pre-fire condition. Maintenance Wood burning furnaces, also referred to as outdoor wood burners or OWBs, are ideal to heat your home using renewable energy sources and creating a warm and cozy environment. Like all appliances you use regularly it needs some attention to ensure it is running smoothly. Keeping up with your outdoor wood stove maintenance will ensure that you get the best use from it. The most basic requirements for cleaning your wood stove is cleaning the exterior, interior and flue pipe regularly. Make modern wood burning stoves to shut off the power and the fire before you begin cleaning. You should also make sure you have all the necessary supplies prior to beginning cleaning. These should include newspapers (to cover the floor of your house), safety gloves, a brush, and a small shovel as along with a metal ash container instead of a bucket. Each time you burn wood in your outdoor wood burner, it creates creosote residue, which must be cleaned regularly to ensure optimal air flow through the combustion system and to stop the accumulation of a substance that can corrode the inner layers of steel in the water jacket. Using a creosote removal tool like Creosote Buster sticks in your fire will help reduce the amount of time and effort required to clean the process. You should also clean the ash container on your wood burner on a weekly basis. It is better to dispose of the ash in an aluminum container rather than the standard trash can which is typically filled with plastics, trash and other substances. They may spark or explode if the hot ashes are put in the can. Smoke from your wood stove may require a controlled airflow on a regular basis according to the type of wood you use, the amount of heat is being drawn and atmospheric conditions. If smoke is an issue it is recommended to make sure that the flue pipe of your wood stove cleaned on a regular basis. This is a challenging task for anyone who wants to do it themselves. It is best to leave it to experts to avoid health issues that may arise from inhaling a lot smoke from wood.
modern wood burning stoves
