How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner

Outdoor wood burners, sometimes called wood boilers, appear like small sheds with a short smoke stack. They provide heat to water, or a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is then circulated throughout the house.

When used with dry wood and EPA-approved outdoor boilers they can be an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil heating. They still generate plenty of smoke.

Energy Efficiency

Since the beginning of time, wood has been used to heat homes. Today, with fluctuating fossil fuel prices, it is an affordable alternative for many. Wood boilers are not all built with the same efficiency. As a rule, models that use wood gasification technology are much more efficient than standard outdoor wood furnaces (OWBs).

There are many factors that impact the efficiency of energy used by an OWB. One of them is the quality of the wood utilized. It is crucial to select only firewood that has been seasoned and dried for at least six month; ideally for an entire year. Dry firewood releases more of its heat into the air than wet, green wood. It also burns more efficiently and produces less pollutants.

The rate of combustion in the boiler is a different factor. This is the amount of heat that is converted by the stove to useful heat. It is typical for manufacturers to tout the efficiency of their combustion OWBs, however it is important to also look at the efficiency of the product. This is a measure of how much available heat from the wood reaches the home.

It is also important to operate the OWB properly to maximize its efficiency. This means cleaning it and maintaining the vent for the flue regularly. The flue should be cleaned at least once a week during the heating season to reduce the amount of smoke produced by the stove and to prevent the clogging.

Contrary to stoves that are indoor, which sit directly within your home, an OWB is located between 90 and 200 feet from your house. The heated water is then piped through insulated pipes into your home. The hot water is distributed throughout your home by an appliance that makes use of heat exchangers.

Despite the drawbacks mentioned above, an OWB can be a highly efficient method of heating your house and save you money on energy bills. To maximize the efficiency of your OWB, select one that is energy efficient and maintain it properly. Don't forget to only burn dry, seasoned wood in an OWB. This will prevent the firewood from destroying your home and polluting the air.

Environmentally Friendly

Wood is a greener and more sustainable alternative to burning fossil fuels such as propane, gasoline and oil. It is a renewable resource, which means that new trees are able to develop and replace the ones that were burned to provide warmth. When wood is burned, it emits carbon dioxide, but it is then absorbed and stove maintenance 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 garages, homes sheds, and other buildings. They are extremely cost-effective since they eliminate the need to pay costly utility bills. These heaters can be used to heat hot tubs or pool that are ideal for relaxing in wintertime. These heaters are EPAand CSA-approved and are an eco-friendly option for heating your home.

However, a wood woodburning 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.

Electric heat pumps are an alternative to wood furnaces. They extract heat from the air or ground which allows them to heat buildings and reduce their use of propane, oil or natural gas. These heat pumps are more sustainable than traditional wood stoves, and they are more efficient. However they require a continuous supply of raw materials in order to function.

Nevertheless, wood-burning heating is still popular with some people because of its low price and green credentials. A majority of the top models have an 85% efficiency rating, which is superior to other heating options. Consult with a professional in outdoor wood burning to find out about the most efficient and eco green models.

Safety

A wood-burning stove, when not maintained and installed properly, can create a significant fire risk. Smoke from a fire could contain toxins, carbon monoxide and fine particles that could cause health issues, including asthma and a reduced lung function. In addition, smoke can be harmful to carpets, furniture, and clothing. This is why it is crucial to employ an expert to install your wood burner.

A professional should also examine your chimney or stovepipe for wood burning on a regular schedule. They can make sure that your OWB is working safely and is in compliance with the local safety regulations. This can help prevent fires from occurring in your home or any other structures on your property.

It is crucial to only make use of dry, seasoned logs for burning wood in an OWB. Also, ensure that the area around the logs clear of any debris and combustible substances such as paper or plastic, to minimize the risk of fire. Never burn garbage, trash or treated lumber as they could release a variety of harmful pollutants into the air.

Wood smoke poses danger to all, but it's particularly harmful to children, teenagers and older adults and those with heart or respiratory conditions. It is also recommended that all new and expecting mothers beware of exposure to wood smoke, as it can adversely affect their babies.

Utilizing an OWB could also cause trouble to your neighbors. Smoke from a fire can blow through windows that are not closed according to the weather or winds. It can also cause irritation to noses and eyes. It is recommended to shut all windows and doors that are near the stove, and to keep pets from the fire.

Installing smoke and carbon dioxide alarms in each bedroom of your home is a great idea. Make sure to test them regularly. You should also create a family evacuation plan and practice it at the minimum once per month. If you need help with smoke or restoration services for fires, call your local PuroClean office. We can restore smoke-damaged houses or businesses to their pre-fire condition.

Maintenance

Wood burning furnaces (also called outdoor wood heaters or OWBs) are excellent for heating your home and creating a cozy warm atmosphere inside your home. Like all appliances that you regularly use it needs some attention to ensure it is running smoothly.

Keeping up with your outdoor wood stove maintenance will ensure that you get the maximum use from it. The most basic requirements for cleaning your wood stove include cleaning the exterior, interior and flue pipe regularly. Before you begin any cleaning, be sure that the fire is completely out of the way and that all electricity connected to the wood stove is turned off. Before you begin cleaning, collect all your supplies. These include newspapers to cover the floor in your home, safety gloves and a toothbrush.

Every time you burn wood in your outdoor wood burner, it releases creosote that must be cleaned regularly to ensure optimal air flow through the combustion system as well as to prevent the buildup of a substance which corrodes the steel's inner layers 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 needed for the cleaning process.

You should also clean out the ash container on your wood burner on a weekly basis. It is more efficient to dispose of the ash in a metal container than in a regular trash can, which is usually filled with trash, plastics and other substances. These could explode or ignite when the ashes are hot when placed in the can.

Smoke from your wood burner could require to be controlled on a regular basis, according to the kind of wood you use, the amount of heat is being drawn out and the weather conditions. If smoke is a concern, you will want to look into having the flue pipe on your wood stove professionally cleaned on a regular basis as well. This is a task that can be difficult for the do-it-yourselfer and is a task which is best left to the professionals to avoid any health issues caused by breathing in a lot of smoke from wood.