Woodstoves, Fireplaces and Buying Wood

• Woodstoves
• Fireplaces
• Fire Wood

Purchasing a Woodstove

With so many woodstoves on the market today, homeowners are faced with a difficult decision in determining which unit will meet their needs. The purchase and use of a woodstove requires a substantial financial investment. One must also educate the occupants of the home of the potential safety hazards the woodstove poses.

The first thing to consider when purchasing a woodstove is to determine the heating needs to be fulfilled. The following questions should be kept in mind:

1. How much space will be heated?

2. How often will the woodstove be used?

3. What are the cost limits for the wood heat system?

4. Will very young children be present, or are there other significant problems to consider?

5. What safety equipment will be needed and what is the cost?

6. Will a woodstove be economical when compared the present heating system?

7. Should I buy a regular woodstove or pellet stove?

When determining the area to be heated by the stove, consider that an undersized stove will not heat adequately. An oversized stove may release too much heat, causing the operator to reduce the air supply into the stove -- a practice that leads to safety and air pollution problems, as well as to reduce efficiency and wasted dollars.

Determine what type of stove will be purchased and also its placement. There are many woodstove types and hundreds of woodstove models from which a stove buyer can choose. Even for a buyer who has systematically analyzed the type of stove desired, the actual buying process can be frustrating. One method of simplifying it is to select a knowledgeable and reliable woodstove dealer. The following questions should be considered in selecting both the right dealer and the right stove manufacturer:

• Does the dealer carry the lines of several different manufactures so that comparisons can be made?

• Are the claims made by the stove dealer on a particular stove realistic?

• Can the dealer assist in locating and sizing the stove?

• Can the dealer deliver and install the stove

• Can the dealer repair each stove sold?

• Are replaceable parts, service manuals and warranties available?

A correctly located stove can circulate heated air into the more heavily used areas of the house; however, the homeowner can realistically estimate the extent of air circulation in the house.

A final consideration before purchase is whether or not the stove meets local air quality regulations. As a rule of thumb, the more efficient the stove, the less pollution it produces. Check with your local air pollution control district to see if there are regulations covering how efficient your stove must be.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the use of wood as a residential heating fuel contributes up to 50 percent of the polynuclear organic air pollutants, some of which may be carcinogenic. During winter months, in areas where wood is the principal heating fuel, woodstoves produce as much as 80 percent of these type pollutants. Robert McCrillis of the EPA says, "...In the field, it's the installation and how the stove is operated that has the largest effect on how it performs. Public education on the correct use of a word-burning stove is part of the current regulations." To meet federal clean air standards, some areas are regulating the use of wood stoves and banning fireplaces in new construction. In order to curb pollution, some communities allow only installation of EPA-approved Phase II stoves, which combust the wood more completely and are more efficient.

Once a woodstove is purchased and installed, notify your local building department to conduct a final inspection to ensure that all safety requirements are met prior to using the stove.

Fireplaces

Fireplaces are relatively inefficient devices for heating the home. On the average, an operating open-masonry fireplace can have efficiencies ranging up to 15 percent depending upon its type and operation. However, if there is no fire and the damper is left open a fireplace can actually have a "negative efficiency" as warm air from the house will escape through the chimney. Some local air pollution control districts may not allow new fireplace installations. Check with your district and/or local building department before installing a new fireplace or upgrading a current one.

The following should be considered when seeking to improve fireplace efficiency:

• Dampers -- When the fireplace is not is use, the damper should be in the closed position to prevent warm room air from being exhausted out through the chimney.

• Glass or Metal Doors or Heat Shields -- A glass or metal door, or any noncombustible shield placed in front of the fireplace, will limit the amount of warm room air leaving the house when the fireplace is not is use. This is especially advantageous when allowing the fire to burn down for the night, but the damper has to remain open to allow for venting of the smoke. While the fireplace is in operation, the glass doors should remain open since most of the heat produced by a fireplace is in the form of radian heat. If they are closed, the glass will deflect radiant heat back into the fireplace and reduce the heat output into the room. Closeable doors are nor required for any new installation in California.

• Replacing Fireplaces with Wood Stoves -- Another method of increasing the efficiency of the fireplace is to install a woodstove in front of it, and use the existing fireplace chimney as the exhaust for the stove. Before such an installation, the fireplace and chimney should be inspected, repaired and cleaned. Check with your local building department and/or air pollution control district to see if a wood stove or insert is allowed.

• Installing a Fireplace Insert into a Fireplace -- Efficiency can also be increased by installing a fireplace insert -- essentially a metal woodstove that slides into the fireplace cavity. Again, the fireplace and chimney should be inspected and cleaned prior to installation.

• Changes in Fireplace Design -- Circulation fireplaces have heat circulation ducts built into the masonry fireplace and can circulate air from the room around a metal firebox and out into the room. Some of these units have fans to increase the flow of air and heat. These units are made of metal and thus warm quickly and cool rapidly once the fire is extinguished.

Remember -- to achieve the most energy efficiency from fireplace and to ensure safety, it is important to have your fireplace and chimney cleaned and inspected at least once a year.

Purchasing Firewood

Firewood can be purchased in several forms. Although there are a variety of measuring units, firewood is normally sold by the cord, or a fraction of a cord. The dimensions of a "standard cord" is a stack of wood piled 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4 feet high. One will not get a full 128 cubic feet of firewood with a standard cord because of the airspace between the pieces of the wood; the amount of wood in such a stack will depend upon the size and straightness of the pieces, how they are split and how the wood is stacked. Because of this, the total cubic feet in a cord can vary from 70 to 90 or more cubic feet.

The more services a wood dealer furnishes (such as splitting, delivering and stacking) the more costly purchasing will be. The cost of firewood varies with different geographical areas. Orders for the purchase and delivery of firewood should be placed well in advance of the heating season. Wood purchased during the peak periods is in more demand and becomes more expensive. You will also want to purchase early to guarantee seasoning.

Seasoned wood has a higher heating value than green wood. In general, a cord of green wood will weigh 70 to 100 percent more than seasoned wood. Seasoning takes place until the moisture content in the wood reaches equilibrium with the moisture in the surrounding air. Wood stacked outdoors with good air circulation in a dry, sunny and open are for about six months will be dry enough to support efficient combustion.

The time of year and the size of the wood all have a significant influence on its drying rate. Complete drying is facilitated by the proper storing and stacking of the firewood.

Cutting your own firewood is also an option; however, it requires an initial investment of equipment and demands a working knowledge of cutting wood. Permits may be obtained by contacting the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service or the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF).

The easiest and best fire, for either a stove or fireplace, is achieved by using a mixture of both softwoods (pines, firs, etc.) and hardwoods, (oak, eucalyptus, etc.) The softwoods facilitate starting the fire, and the hardwoods provide for long burning and good "coaling" qualities. A bed of ashes underneath the grate produces steady heat and aids in igniting new fuel as it is added. The fire will continue burning if small amounts of wood are added at regular intervals. In fact, more efficient combustion results from burning small loads of wood with sufficient air than from burning large loads with minimal air.

Firewood is best stored outside, under cover and close to the house for easy access. It should be stacked on a supporting base (such as cement blocks, pallets or wooden planks) to prevent drawing moisture from the ground, to allow air to circulate, to reduce insect infestation and to reduce dirt accumulation. End braces or stakes can be used to keep the wood pile from collapsing; they can be built to measure accurately a standard cord.

Below is the average energy content of various species of wood.

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