How To Explain Outdoor Wood Burner To Your Grandparents
How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner
Outdoor wood burners (made my day), also called wood boilers, appear like small sheds with the appearance of a small woodburning stove smoke stack. They heat water or a mixture of antifreeze and water which is then circulated through your home.
When combined with dry wood and EPA-approved outdoor boilers they can be an environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil heating. They still produce lots of smoke.
Energy Efficiency
Since the beginning of time, wood has been used to warm homes. With the fluctuating cost of fossil fuels, wood heat is an attractive alternative for a lot of. However not all wood boilers are equal in terms of efficiency. As a general rule models that employ wood gasification technology are much more efficient than standard models 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 wood used. It is important to select only firewood that has been dried and thoroughly seasoned for at least six months, and best for a full year. Dry firewood is more efficient at releasing heat into the air than wet, green wood. It also burns cleaner and produces less pollutants.
The rate of combustion in the boiler is a further aspect. This is the percentage of heat converted by the stove into usable heat. It is common for manufacturers to tout the combustion efficiency of their OWBs, but it's important to also look at the delivered efficiency. The latter is a measurement of how much heat from the wood gets to your home.
It is also crucial to ensure that you are operating the OWB to ensure its efficiency. This includes cleaning and maintaining the vent on a regular basis. The flue must be cleaned on a weekly basis during the heating season to avoid obstruction and to reduce the amount of smoke generated by the burner.
In contrast to stoves online for indoor use that are installed in your home or office, an OWB can be set up anywhere between 90 to 200 feet from your house. The water that is heated in the OWB is then piped through insulated pipes to your home. The hot water is then distributed throughout your house through an appliance that makes use of heat exchangers.
Despite the disadvantages discussed above, an OWB is a very efficient way to heat your home and reduce your energy bills. Be sure to select a high-efficiency model and follow the proper maintenance guidelines to make the most of it. Don't forget to only burn dry, seasoned wood in an OWB. This will keep the firewood from damaging your home and polluting the air.
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 those that were burned to provide warmth. Wood releases carbon dioxide when it burns however, it is absorbed by other plants and trees that convert it back into oxygen to allow us to breathe. The combustion of wood creates no other environmental pollution, unlike fossil fuels.
Wood furnaces can be utilized to heat garages, homes, sheds, and other structures. They are cost-effective since they eliminate the need to pay expensive utility bills. They can also be used to heat hot tubs or pools and provide a space to relax during the winter months. Many of these heaters are EPA and CSA approved which makes them a green option for home heating.
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.
Electric heat pumps are a great alternative to wood furnaces. They extract thermal energy from the air or the ground, which allows them to heat buildings and reduce their need for propane, oil, or natural gas. These heat pumps are more sustainable than traditional 10kw wood burning stove stoves, and they are more efficient. However, they require a constant supply of raw materials in order to function.
However, wood-burning heating is still a favorite among some because of its low cost and environmental friendliness. A majority of the most efficient models have an efficiency rating of 85 percent, which is better than many other heating options. Anyone who is concerned about the environment need to talk to a specialist in outdoor wood burning to find out about the best models available that are efficient and environmentally friendly.
Safety
A wood burning stove, if not installed and maintained properly, can create a significant fire risk. Smoke from fires can contain toxic substances, fine particles and carbon monoxide that can cause asthma and respiratory issues. Smoke can also cause a hazard to carpets furniture, clothing and furniture. Because of this, 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, wood-burning appliance and stovepipe regularly. They will ensure that your OWB is working safely and is in compliance with local safety standards, which can prevent fires from occurring within your home or other structures on your property.
It is crucial to only use dry, seasoned wood for burning wood in an OWB. To minimize the risk of fire, keep the area around the logs free of debris or combustible materials, such as paper or plastic. Never burn treated lumber, garbage or trash as they can release harmful pollutants into the air.
Wood smoke is harmful to everyone, but it is particularly dangerous to children, teenagers and older adults, as well as people suffering from respiratory or heart problems. It is also recommended that all new pregnant mothers avoid exposure to wood smoke, as it can negatively affect their babies.
Using an OWB can be a source of trouble for neighbors. Based on the weather and wind, smoke from a fire could be blown through windows that are not closed. It can also irritate the nose and eyes. Close any windows or doors close to the stove and keep pets away from it.
It's recommended to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in every bedroom of your home and test them frequently. It is also recommended to make a family evacuation strategy and practice it at minimum once per month. For help with smoke and restoration services for fires, call your local PuroClean office. We can help restore smoke-damaged homes or businesses to pre-fire condition.
Maintenance
Wood burning furnaces (also called outdoor wood heaters, or OWBs) are great for heating up and creating a cozy, warm space inside your home. As with any appliance that you use frequently, it requires some maintenance to ensure it is running smoothly.
Keeping up with the maintenance of your outdoor wood stove will ensure that you get the most use out of it. Cleaning your wood stove's exterior flue, inside, and pipe is a must. Before you start any cleaning, be sure that the fire has been completely out of the way and that all electricity connected to the wood stove is shut off. It is also important to prepare your tools prior to beginning cleaning - these should include newspaper (to cover the floor of your home) safety gloves, a toothbrush and a small wood burning stove indoor shovel as well as a metal ash container instead of a bucket.
Every time you burn wood in your outdoor wood burner, it produces creosote that must be regularly cleaned to ensure optimal air flow through the combustion system as well as to prevent the buildup of a substance which corrodes the inner layers of steel in the water jacket. Using a creosote removal product such as Creosote Buster sticks in your fire can reduce the amount of time and effort needed to clean.
You should also clean out the ash container on your wood burner on a regular basis. It is more efficient to empty the ash into a metal container than in the regular trash can which is usually filled with trash, plastics and other materials. These could ignite or explode when the ashes are hot when placed in the can.
Smoke from your wood burner could need to be controlled on a regular basis, dependent on the type of wood used, how much heat is being drawn and the conditions of the air. If smoke is a problem, you may want to make sure that the flue pipe of your wood stove cleaned on a regular basis. This can be a difficult task for anyone who wants to do it themselves. It is best wood burner stoves left to professionals to avoid health issues that could result from smoking a lot of smoke from wood.