Why Burn Wood? We Have Enough Pollution in the Atmosphere

With all the smog and pollutants in the air why should we add to it by burning wood? Home heating costs have risen dramatically over the past few years with no end in sight. Heating with natural gas, oil or coal is burning fossil fuels that have taken millions of years to produce and are not a renewable energy source. We are adding carbons to the air which have been buried in the earth for millions of years. Releasing the carbons that have been buried for millions of years produces a net gain of carbon in the air leading to the greenhouse effect. Wood is a renewable energy source which is plentiful. Trees take carbons in the air and produce oxygen in return. In a sense trees scrub the air removing the carbon. Wood is renewable and does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. Yes, carbon dioxide is released in the burning of wood, but the trees reabsorb the carbon as a future wood crop is grown, producing no net gain. Heating with wood makes good sense both economically and environmentally. Wood is a renewable energy resource and burning wood is an efficient use of energy. Wood heating is one of the most environmentally responsible heating choices a homeowner can make. Firewood is purchased locally heating homes with wood is good for the local economy. Nothing can beat the ambiance and aroma of a real wood fire-whether it's a fireplace, a wood stove or a campfire. Burning wood is good for nature and the environment. Get back to nature by planting a tree today for tomorrows heat.

Catalytic Combustor is the Heart of Your Wood Burning Stove

Your wood burning stove is the primary heat source for home heating. Keeping your wood stove operating at its optimum efficiency increases the stoves performance. The catalytic combustor in your wood stove is the heart of your wood stove. The EPA has enforced strict regulations on the emissions for pollutants of wood stoves. Installing a catalytic combustor in the wood stove forced all smoke to be re-burnt before it entered the chimney. This resulted in cleaner emissions in the air.

The most surprising result of adding the catalytic combustor to the wood stove was a huge increase in heat output from the stove. In order for the catalytic combustor to engage the stove must reach an internal temperature of around 1100 degrees. Once the catalytic combustor is engaged it slows down the burning process in the stove. The wood is slowly "Cooked" as opposed to being burnt. The slow cooking of the wood is a more thorough burn which results in total combustion. Coals and ash are reduced to a fine white powder. The total combustion utilizes the wood as a fuel source with no waste.

The increase in heat output by using less wood to heat your home has been a huge savings. Keeping your catalytic combustor operating properly adds to the wood stoves efficiency. Periodically you must remove the catalytic combustor and clean it. A shop vacuum will do a great job to get the light coating of fly ashes that can accumulate on the surface of the combustor. If the ceramic cells are clogged you may need to uses a pipe cleaner.

Like your heart clogs can cause major problems. Just as you watch what you put into your body only burn seasoned wood in the stove. Do not use a lot of newspaper to start your fire especially colored magazines as this can clog the catalytic combustor. We suggest using Fatwood a natural fire starter. Burning firewood that is not seasoned puts excess moisture into the wood stove and this can cause the ceramic cells in the combustor to deteriorate.

Keep your combustor clean and it can last five years or longer providing heat into your home. If the catalytic combustor starts to crumble it must be replaced.

Get your firewood early

The earlier in the spring or summer you buy your firewood the more seasoned it will be. It is not necessary to cover the firewood until the fall months before the heavy rains. During the summer months the ran then drying out is part of the seasoning, but in the fall the temperatures do not rise high enough for the wood to dry out before winter.

Purchasing your firewood earlier in the spring allows you to season the wood. Firewood dealers get firewood in the early spring and summer months from fallen trees during storms or clearing land for construction. They cut and split the wood and sell it all year round. Firewood that is cut and split early in the spring will be more seasoned than wood that is cut late summer. That is why you should lay in your supply of firewood early in the year. By the fall when the demand is heavy the prices go up and the wood might not be fully seasoned.

How to Clean Your Chimney

Yes you can clean your own chimney. Sweeping a chimney in spring after the burning season and in the fall a quick sweep to remove any leaves or bird nests that may have accumulated during the summer. If you burn continuously during the winter you may want to sweep it monthly to remove creosote buildups.

Keeping your chimney clean is the first step in fireplace safety. While sweeping your chimney you are able to inspect your chimney tiles for cracks or separations. Inspect your chimney cap and make sure the damper is in working condition.

Article on How to Clean a Chimney