How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner
Outdoor wood burners, often called wood boilers, appear like small sheds that have a short smoke stack. They heat water or a mixture of water and antifreeze that is then circulated throughout your home.
When outdoor wood boilers approved by the EPA are used with dry wood, they can provide an eco-friendly alternative to heating with fossil fuels. They still produce lots of smoke.
Energy Efficiency
Since the beginning of time, wood was used to warm homes. Today, with fluctuating prices for fossil fuels it is a reasonable choice for a lot of people. However there are a few differences between wood boilers. Not all wood boilers are created to be equally efficient. As a rule models that use wood gasification are more efficient than standard outdoor wood furnaces.
The energy efficiency of an OWB is affected by a variety of factors. One of them is the quality of the wood that is used. It is essential to select only firewood that has been seasoned and dried for at least six months and ideally, for the entire year. Dry firewood is more efficient in releasing its heat into the air than wet green wood. It also burns cleaner and emits less pollution.
The boiler's rate of combustion is a further factor. This is the proportion of heat converted by the stove into usable heat. It is standard for manufacturers to promote the efficiency of their OWBs, however it is important to also look at the delivered efficiency. The latter is a measure of how much heat generated by the wood reaches your home.
Finally, it is important to operate the OWB to maximize its efficiency. This includes cleaning and maintaining the vent on a regular basis. The flue must also be cleaned weekly during the heating season to reduce the amount of smoke generated by the stove and prevent the clogging.
In contrast to indoor stoves that are located in your home, an OWB is installed between 90 and 200 feet from your house. The water that is heated in the OWB is then pumped through pipes that are insulated to get to your home. The hot water is distributed via a network of heat exchange units that provide warmth throughout your home.
Despite the disadvantages listed above, an OWB can be an extremely efficient way to heat your house and save you money on energy bills. Be sure to choose a high-efficiency unit and follow proper maintenance procedures to get the most out of it. Don't forget to only burn dry well-seasoned wood in an OWB. This will prevent the wood 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 will develop and replace the ones burned for warmth. When wood is burned it releases carbon dioxide but this is reabsorbed and converted back into oxygen by other plants. The combustion of wood creates no other environmental pollution, unlike fossil fuels.
A wood furnace can be used to heat garages, homes sheds, and other buildings. They are also cost-effective, as they eliminate the need for expensive utility bills. They can be used to heat a pool or hot tub and provide a space to relax during the winter months. These heaters are EPAand CSA-approved, making them a green alternative 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, which draws heat from the ground or air and allows it to heat buildings and decrease the need for natural gas, propane or oil. These heat pumps are more eco-friendly than traditional wood stoves and they're more efficient. However they require a constant supply of raw materials to perform their job.
Wood-burning heaters are still popular among some people due to their low price and environmental friendliness. A majority of the most efficient models have an efficiency rating of 85% which is more than the majority of other heating options. Anyone who is concerned about the impact on the environment must talk to a specialist in outdoor wood burner s to find out the best models, which are both efficient and environmentally friendly.
Safety
If it is not properly maintained and installed the wood burning stove can be a significant fire hazard. Smoke from fires could contain toxic substances, fine particles and carbon monoxide that can cause respiratory problems and asthma. Smoke can also cause harm to carpets, furniture and clothing. For these reasons, it is crucial to employ a professional to install your wood burner.
It is also a good idea to have a professional perform an inspection of your chimney or wood-burning appliance and stovepipe on a regular basis. These professionals can ensure that your OWB is working safely and that it meets local safety regulations, which will help to keep fires from forming in your home or any other structures on your property.
It is essential to use dry, seasoned wood when burning wood in an OWB. To reduce the risk of fire, keep the area around the logs clear of any debris or combustible materials such as paper or plastic. Never burn treated wood, garbage or trash because they release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.
Wood smoke is harmful to anyone, but it's particularly harmful to teenagers, children and older adults as well as those with heart or respiratory conditions. It is also advised that pregnant women and new mothers avoid smoking cigarettes as it could negatively affect their unborn child.
Utilizing an OWB may also be a nuisance to your neighbors. Depending on the weather conditions and winds smoke from a fireplace can fly through windows. It can also irritate the nose and eyes. Close any windows or doors that are close to the stove, and keep pets away from the stove.
Installing carbon dioxide and smoke alarms in every room of your home is a great idea. Check them frequently. It is also recommended to develop a family evacuation plan and practice it at the minimum once per month. Contact your local PuroClean branch for assistance with smoke and blaze restoration services. We can restore smoke-damaged houses or businesses to their pre-fire state.
Maintenance
Wood burning furnaces, also known as outdoor wood burners or OWBs, are ideal to heat your home using renewable energy sources and creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Like any appliance that you regularly use it will require some maintenance to keep it running smoothly.
Keeping up with the maintenance of your outdoor wood stove will ensure that you get the most enjoyment from it. Cleaning the exterior flue, inside, and pipe is essential. Before you start any cleaning, make sure that the fire is gone and all electricity connected to the wood stove is turned off. It is also important to prepare your tools before you begin cleaning. These should include newspapers (to cover the floor of your home) safety gloves, a brush, and an incredibly small shovel as well as a ash-filled metal container instead of a bucket.
Each time you burn wood in your outdoor wood burner, it creates creosote that must be cleaned regularly to ensure that the airflow is optimal through the combustion system and to stop the accumulation of a substance that can corrode the steel's inner layers in the water jacket. Using a creosote remover like Creosote Buster sticks in your fire can help reduce the amount of time and effort required for the cleaning process.
You will also need to clean out the ash container on your wood burner on a weekly basis. It is best to empty the ash into an iron Ash container rather than dumping it into a garbage container that is filled with plastics, trash and other items that could ignite and explode if you place the hot ashes in the containers.
Depending on the type and amount of heat being attracted from your wood burner, as well as the weather conditions it is possible to control smoke on a regular basis. If smoke is a concern it is recommended to consider having the flue pipe of your wood stove professionally cleaned on a regular basis as well. This can be a difficult task for anyone who wants to do it themselves. It is best to leave it to professionals to avoid health problems that could result from inhaling a lot smoke from the wood stove.