How to Properly Install and Maintain an Outdoor Wood Burner

Outdoor wood burners, also called wood boilers, look like small sheds with the appearance of a small smoke stack. They provide heat to water, or a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is then circulated throughout your home.

When EPA-approved outdoor wood boilers are used with dry wood, they can provide an eco-friendly alternative to heating with fossil fuels. However, they still generate a significant amount of smoke.

Energy Efficiency

Wood heat has been a popular option to heat homes for centuries. Today, with fluctuating prices for fossil fuels it is a cost-effective choice for a lot of people. However, not all cheap wood burner stoves boilers are equal in terms of efficiency. In general models that utilize wood gasification technology are more efficient than standard outdoor wood furnaces (OWBs).

The energy efficiency of an OWB is affected by a variety of factors. One of them is the quality and quantity of the firewood. It is important to select only firewood that has been dried and thoroughly seasoned for at least six months, and ideally for a full year. Dry firewood releases more of its heat into the air than wet green wood. It also burns cleaner and produces less pollutants.

The rate of combustion in the boiler is another factor. This is the amount of heat that is converted by the stove to useful heat. It is standard for manufacturers to advertise the combustion efficiency of their OWBs, however it is important to look at the delivered efficiency. The latter is a measure of how much heat from the wood is delivered to your home.

It is also crucial to properly operate the OWB to maximize its effectiveness. This includes cleaning and maintaining the vent on a regular basis. The flue must be cleaned on a regular basis during the heating season to avoid obstruction and to reduce the amount of smoke released by the burner.

Unlike indoor stoves, which sit directly inside your home, an OWB is installed between 90 and 200 feet from your house. The heated water is piped through insulated pipes to your home. The hot water is then distributed throughout your home through a system that utilizes heat exchangers.

Despite the disadvantages mentioned above, an OWB is a very efficient way to heat your home, and it can reduce your energy bills. Just make sure that you select a high-efficiency unit and follow the correct maintenance procedures to get the most benefit of it. Don't forget to only burn dry and seasoned wood in an OWB. This will keep the wood from destroying your home and polluting the air.

Environmentally Friendly

Wood is a more environmentally 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 burning for warmth. When wood is burned, it releases carbon dioxide, however, it is absorbed and converted back into oxygen by other plants. The combustion of wood creates no other environmental pollution, unlike fossil fuels.

Wood furnaces can be used to heat garages, homes, sheds and other structures. They are extremely cost-effective since they eliminate the need to pay high utility bills. These heaters can be used to heat hot tubs or pool, which are great for relaxing in the winter. A majority of these heaters are EPA and CSA approved, making them an eco-friendly choice 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, which draws heat from the ground or air which allows it to heat buildings and lessen the requirement for natural gas, propane or oil. These heat pumps are more efficient than traditional wood stoves and are seen as environmentally friendly, but they require a continuous supply of raw materials to perform properly.

However, wood-burning heaters are still a favorite among some because of its low price and eco-friendly. A majority of the top models have an efficiency of 85% rating, which is much higher than the majority of other heating alternatives. Talk to an expert in outdoor wood burning to know about the most efficient and eco green models.

Safety

If it is not properly installed and maintained the wood burning stove can be a significant risk of fire. Smoke from a fire can be contaminated by carbon monoxide, toxins and fine particles that could cause health issues, such as asthma and reduced lung function. Smoke can also contaminate carpets, furniture and clothing. It is therefore important to employ professionals to install your wood stove.

It is recommended to have a professional perform an inspection of your chimney or stovepipe and fireplaces wood burning stoves-burning appliance regularly. These experts can ensure that your OWB meets the local safety standards and is operating in a safe way. This can help avoid fires in your home or any other structures on your property.

When burning wood burning stove sale in an OWB, it is important to only use dry well-seasoned logs. To decrease the chance of fire, you should keep the area around the logs clear of any debris or combustible materials, such as plastic or paper. Never burn garbage, trash or treated lumber, as these can release a range of harmful pollutants into the air.

While wood smoke is able to harm everyone but it is especially harmful for children, teenagers older adults, and those with respiratory diseases or heart issues. It is also recommended that new and expecting mothers stay clear of exposure to smoke from wood as it may adversely affect their babies.

Using an OWB could also cause annoyance to your neighbors. Smoke from a fire can blow through windows that are open depending on the weather or winds. It can also cause irritation to the nose 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 every room of your house is also a great idea. Check them frequently. Also, you should have a family escape plan in place and do it at least once per year. Contact your local PuroClean branch for assistance with blaze and smoke restoration services. We can help restore smoke-damaged homes or businesses back to their pre-fire state.

Maintenance

Wood burning furnaces, also referred to as outdoor wood burners, or OWBs are great to heat your home using an energy source that is renewable and creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Like any appliance you use regularly it will require some maintenance to keep it running smoothly.

Maintaining the maintenance of your outdoor wood stove will ensure that you get the most use out of it. The basic cleaning needs of your wood stove include cleaning the exterior, interior and flue pipe regularly. Make sure you turn off the electricity and fire prior to beginning cleaning. Before you begin cleaning, gather all the items you require. These include newspapers to cover the floor of your home as well as safety gloves and a toothbrush.

Each time you use wood in your outdoor wood burner, it produces creosote residue that needs to 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 product such as Creosote Buster sticks in your fire will help reduce the amount of time and effort needed to clean the process.

You'll need to clean the ash container of your wood burning fireplace burner each week. It is better to empty the ash into an aluminum container rather than the standard trash can which is usually filled with trash, plastics and other substances. They could explode or ignite when the hot ashes are placed in the container.

Depending on the type and amount of heat being generated by your wood burner, and the atmospheric conditions it is possible to manage smoke on a regular schedule. If smoke is a concern, you will want to consider having the flue pipe on your wood stove professionally cleaned regularly as well. This is a challenging task for a do-it yourselfer. It is best left to professionals to avoid health issues that could result from breathing in a lot of smoke from wood.