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Show Guidelines for woodburning stoves As we enter the winter season, the Utah Department of Health reminds wood burners to be considerate in the use of their wood burning devices. The emissions from wood burning are a concern because of the large number of stoves concentrated con-centrated in our mountain valleys. During the winter, temperature inversions frequently occur which allow the buildup of all air pollutants, including the emissions from wood burning. In an effort to reduce the impact of wood burning, the Department of Health requests that during severe or' prolonged winter temperature inversions, people voluntarily curtail wood burning. The Department also suggests that people follow these guidelines in using their wood burning stoves : Use kindling wood, carboard arjd loose paper only to start a fire. Burn only dry wood that has been air dried 6-9 months and, when possible, burn hardwoods. Logs should be at least 6" in diameter. Christmas trees should not be burned in wood burning stoves. Increase the average wood size from the 2-4 inch diameter range to the 4-6 inch plus diameter range. Do not burn in the wood burning stove any wood which contains rot or preserving chemicals, (such as treated railroad ties and telephone poles) or synthetic logs or "logs" made from newspapers which contain chemical binders and are designed for fireplace use. Do not burn coal in a stove originally designed for wood. Burn briskly. Burn hot fires when possible. The first half hour of wood burning is often the period of the greatest pollution. Refuel frequently. Small, hot fires are more energy efficient and burn cleaner than long lasting smoldering fires loaded with huge amounts of wood. Do not burn household rubbish and garbage in your stove. These produce noxious and corrosive combustion products. Provide adequate air for combustion. com-bustion. An oxygen starved fire will emit up to 200 times more pollutants than a fire that receives proper combustion air. Check the emissions from the chimney when burning. Large quantities of smoke indicate that the conditions for proper combustion com-bustion have not been provided and the energy potential of the wood is being wasted. The Department of Health would also like to remind the public of two safety concerns associated with wood burning: Creosote buildup in the chimney. Creosote is a highly flammable substance produced by the incomplete in-complete combustion of wood, the results of which are chimney fires. Burning wood cleanly and using the new catalytic combustors not only reduces emissions and increases efficiency, but also lessens creosote buildup. People should have their chimneys cleaned on a regular basis to prevent chimney fires. Proper combustion air. As we make our homes more airtight, providing adequate combustion air becomes more important. Air to? replace that consumed in burning must come from someplace and unless other ways are provided such as a partially opened window in the home, the wood stove will often actually draw air down the furnace flu. This causes a safety concern because the products of combustion, including carbon monoxide from the furnace or water heater can be drawn into the home. Remember taht excessive wood smoke represents wasted wood, energy and money. Improved operating methods of wood burning stoves results in cleaner air, increased in-creased heat output and greater safety. |