Enjoy the benefits of your wood fire in comfort just by taking a few
simple precautions. Otherwise, in the blink of an eye, those warm friendly
flames in your fireplace or wood stove could turn into a devastating
fire. You can easily prevent dangerous situations such as chimney fires
by taking the proper safety measures.
Here
are some good tips on ways to burn cleaner wood fires.
Safety - Keep creosote at bay!
Creosote, a crusty deposit left behind by the smoke that drifts up
your chimney, can ignite into a dangerous fire when it builds up.
To reduce
it:
* Burn only clean, well-seasoned wood that has been split and dried
properly. Dry wood lights faster, burns better and produces less
smoke than "green" wood – a
major culprit in creosote buildup.
* Think twice before you chop up that old coffee table and toss it
into your wood stove. Burning garbage, plastic, particleboard, plywood,
salted
driftwood or any other painted or treated wood releases a toxic cloud
of chemicals and can build up creosote.Don't let a small spark ignite
a big blaze
* The best way to start your fire is with newspaper and dry kindling.
Never try to get a blaze roaring with gasoline, kerosene or charcoal
starter – you will get more firepower than you bargained for.
* Remove ashes from your stove or fireplace regularly and store them
in a covered metal container in a safe area away from the side of
your house. The sparks in hot ashes can easily start fires.
* Keep all household items – drapes, furniture, newspaper and books – away
from the heat and the stray sparks of your woodstove or fireplace.
* Protect floors from sparks with a properly fitted screen around
your fireplace. A decorative screen does not provide protection.Detection
devices save lives
* Install carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms, as required
by the National Fire Code of Canada, and keep a fire extinguisher
nearby.
You should never smell smoke in your house. If you do, it usually
means your wood stove or fireplace system isn't venting properly – perhaps
the chimney is blocked, a damper is faulty or the fireplace is competing
with your range hood. Not only are these fire hazards, but they could
also lead to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
A hot new stove!
* If you are using an open fireplace or your wood stove is past its
prime, you might consider buying a new model with improved safety
and efficiency
features. The best choice is a high-efficiency stove or fireplace
approved for safety by the Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC)
or another
testing body, and certified as low-emission by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).Go to the professionals
* Any new stove or fireplace should be professionally installed.
Make sure your existing unit is inspected and cleaned at least once
a year
by a technician certified under the Wood Energy Technical Training
(WETT) program or, in Quebec, the Association des professionnels
du chauffage.
Healthier Wood Heat - the hottest pollution preventer!
* The best way to reduce wood smoke is by using a high- efficiency wood
stove or fireplace, certified low- emission by the EPA. Used properly,
these products cut emissions by up to 90 percent, and you will see virtually
no smoke coming from your chimney.
* More efficient than conventional models, high-efficiency products use
up to one third less wood – meaning less smoke, less work and hearty
cost savings.
Burn small and burn smart!
* Keep the fire hot and small. Feed it regularly with split wood and
never let it smoulder. A smouldering fire creates more smoke.
* Don't overload your stove or fireplace. Air should move around inside
for a cleaner burn.Where there's smoke... there's pollution.
* Burn dry, well-seasoned wood that has been split properly. Green wood
produces unhealthy smoke because it is too wet.
* Burning garbage, plastic, particleboard, plywood or any other painted
or treated wood releases a toxic cloud of chemicals – don't toss
these items into your fire.
Be
energy efficient!
* Make sure your home is energy efficient by insulating walls, caulking
windows and repairing weatherstripping around the doors. Don't let
your heat slip through the cracks!
Local Air Quality Advisory!
* Under certain weather conditions, you will notice that the smoke
is slow to thin out and hangs in the air for longer than usual. Sometimes
Canadian municipalities will issue local air quality advisories in
which
people are asked not to burn wood during this time. It's important
to respect these advisories.
