Burning Tips To Improve Air Quality

Simple Wood Burning Tips Improve Air Quality

Environment Minister Murray Coell is offering these simple tips that can help improve air quality by reducing the amount of smoke each woodstove emits. These tips will also burn less wood and reduce the risk that a chimney fire will add an unwelcome spark to the holidays.

•     Burn only clean, well-seasoned firewood to reduce smoke and creosote build-up. Firewood that is cut to length, split and stacked in the spring will be ready for burning the following winter. Properly seasoned wood has just under 20 per cent water by weight, is generally darker at the ends and weighs much less than freshly cut wood.

•     When kindling a new fire, fully open all air inlets of the stove to create a hot flame that will quickly bring the cold firebox, wood and chimney up to temperature and reduce the length of a smoky start up.

•     Burn smaller, hotter fires to ensure complete combustion of the wood. Very little smoke should be visible coming from your chimney, with no smell of smoke indoors.

•     Avoid slow, smouldering fires by ensuring that sufficient air is coming into the fire through the air inlets of the stove in order to maintain the flame. Do not damper down overnight.

•     Properly maintain your wood stove and chimney for efficiency and safe operation.

For information about local air quality and tips on burning smart, and to find out about financial incentives to upgrade an old smoky woodstove to a new, high-efficiency model, click here.