How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner
Outdoor wood burners, often called wood boilers, look like small sheds that have an elongated smoke stack. They heat water or a mixture of antifreeze and water that is then circulated throughout your home.
When outdoor wood boilers that are EPA-approved are used with dry wood, they are an eco-friendly alternative to heating with fossil fuels. They still emit a lot of smoke.
Energy Efficiency
Wood heat is a common choice to heat homes for centuries. With the fluctuating cost of fossil fuels wood heat is an attractive option for many. Not all wood boilers have the same effectiveness. In general, models that use wood gasification technology are more efficient than standard models outdoor wood furnaces (OWBs).
The efficiency of energy used by an OWB is affected by several factors. One is the quality of the wood utilized. It is important to select only firewood that has been dried and thoroughly seasoned for at least six months, and ideally for a whole year. Dry firewood releases more heat into the air than green, wet wood. It also burns more efficiently and creates less pollution.
The rate of combustion in the boiler is a further aspect. This is the amount of heat converted by the stove into usable heat. Many manufacturers boast about their OWBs' combustion efficiency, but it is important to check the efficiency of the product delivered. The latter is a measurement of how much heat from the wood reaches your home.
Finally, it is important to ensure that you are operating the OWB to maximize its effectiveness. This includes cleaning it and maintaining the vent regularly. The flue must be cleaned on a weekly basis during the heating season to prevent obstruction and to reduce the amount of smoke released by the burner.
In contrast to indoor stoves, which sit directly in your home, an OWB is located between 90 and 200 feet away from your home. The heated water is piped through insulated pipes into your home. The hot water is then distributed throughout your home through a system that utilizes heat exchangers.
Despite the disadvantages discussed above, an OWB is a very efficient way to heat your home, and it can reduce your energy bills. Make sure you choose a high-efficiency unit 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 gasoline, propane and oil. It is a source of renewable energy, meaning that new trees will sprout to replace the ones that were used to heat. When wood is burned it releases carbon dioxide but it is then absorbed and transformed back into oxygen by other plants. The burning of wood produces no other environmental pollutants, unlike fossil fuels.
A wood furnace can be used to heat garages, homes, sheds and other buildings. They are also economical as they remove the need for costly utility bills. These heaters can be used to heat hot tubs and pools, which are great for relaxing in winter. A majority of these heaters are EPA and CSA approved which makes 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.
An alternative to a wood furnace is an electric heat pump, that extracts heat from the air or ground and allows it to heat buildings and lessen the need for propane, natural gas or oil. These heat pumps are more eco-friendly than traditional wood stoves and they're more efficient. However they require a continuous supply of raw materials in order to perform their job.
Nevertheless, wood-burning heating is still popular with some people because of its low cost and eco-friendly. Many of the most efficient models have an efficiency rating of 85%, which is better than other heating options. People who are concerned about the impact on the environment must talk to a specialist in outdoor wood burners to find out the most effective models available that are both efficient and environmentally friendly.
Safety
A wood-burning stove, if not installed and maintained correctly, could pose a serious fire risk. The smoke from a fire may contain carbon monoxide, toxins and fine particles that could cause health problems, including asthma and diminished lung function. In addition, smoke can cause harm to carpets, furniture and clothing. Because of this, it is important to hire an expert to install your wood burner.
It is recommended to have a professional perform an inspection of your chimney or wood-burning appliance and stovepipe on a regular basis. These professionals can ensure your OWB meets the local safety standards and is operating in a safe way. This will help to prevent fires from happening in your home or any other structures on your property.
When burning wood in an OWB it is essential to select dry, seasoned logs. To decrease the chance of fire, you should ensure that the area around the logs free of debris or combustible materials like paper or plastic. Don't burn garbage, trash or treated lumber as they can release a number of harmful pollutants into the air.
Wood smoke poses danger to anyone, but it's particularly dangerous to children, teenagers and older adults as well as those with heart or respiratory conditions. It is also advised that pregnant women and new mothers avoid wood smoke as it can negatively impact their unborn baby.
Utilizing an OWB may also cause trouble to your neighbors. Smoke from a fireplace can be blown through windows that are open depending on the weather or wind. It can also irritate the eyes and noses. It is recommended to shut all windows and doors that are near the stove, and to keep pets away from the fire.
It is also a good idea to install carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in every bedroom of your house and test them regularly. You should also create a family evacuation plan and practice it at the 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 their pre-fire condition.
Maintenance
Wood burning furnaces, also known as outdoor wood burners, or OWBs are great for heating your home using renewable energy sources and creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Like wood burning stove outdoor use they need some attention to ensure that they are running smoothly.
Maintaining the maintenance of your outdoor wood stove will ensure that you get the most use out of it. Regularly cleaning your wood stove's exterior flue, interior, and pipe is a must. Be sure to turn off the electricity and fire prior to beginning cleaning. You should also gather your supplies before you start cleaning. These should include newspapers (to cover the floor of your house), safety gloves, a toothbrush and a small shovel as along with a metal ash container instead of a bucket.
Each time you use wood in your outdoor wood burner, it produces creosote that must be regularly cleaned to maintain optimum air flow through the combustion system as well as to stop the accumulation of a substance that can corrode the steel's inner layers in the water jacket. Creosote Removal Products like Creosote buster sticks can reduce the time and effort required for cleaning.
You'll need to clean the ash tank of your wood stove every week. It is recommended to empty the ash into a metal ash container instead of dumping it into a garbage bin that is stuffed with plastics, trash and other items that could ignite and explode if you put the hot ashes in the containers.
Based on the type of fuel and amount of heat being generated by your wood burner, as well as the weather conditions it is possible to control smoke on a regular basis. If smoke is a concern you should look into getting the flue pipe on your wood stove professionally cleaned on a regular basis as well. This is a job that can be a challenge for the do-it-yourselfer and is likely to be a task that should be left to professionals to avoid any health issues caused by inhaling lots of smoke from your wood stove.