Wood burning stoves are a great way to heat your home and can keep you warm and cozy in the winter. They are also perfectly safe in the majority of cases.
However, the reality is that if not used or maintained properly, they can be bad for your health as a result of the smoke and fumes coming from the fire.
You may even notice that you’re coughing and have shortness of breath within a few days (and sometimes even within a few minutes) of exposure to stove fumes. That being said, there are actions you can take to prevent your burner from being as hazardous.
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Are Wood Burning Stoves Bad for your Health?
The reason wood burners can be bad for your health is the smoke. The smoke releases pollutants, mainly in the form of toxic gases and particle pollution. This toxic waste sticks to your chimney and forms creosote which is then released into the air. Creosote is produced when wood gases are not completely burned and is a gummy, foul-smelling combustible chemical residue. Having too much creosote can increase the risk of chimney fires and air pollution.
Short-term health risks:
As soon as you start using a wood burning stove or a few days after, you may start to notice some of these short-term health effects:
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Asthma attacks
- Bronchiolitis or pneumonia
- Worsened allergies
If you already have heart disease or lung disease, wood burners can worsen your symptoms, and you may have an increase in:
- Chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue
- Heart attack
- Arrhythmias (irregular heart rate)
- A flare-up of a chronic cough
- Increased mucus
- Increased wheezing
Long-term health risks:
There is a risk of some long-term health effects from using a wood burning stove to heat your home. Some of these include:
- Lung and other cancers
- Declined lung function
- Chronic bronchitis
- Heart disease
- Premature death
- Dementia
Anyone who has a chronic illness is more vulnerable to the harmful side effects of using a stove. Children can also be more vulnerable due to their developing lungs and small body size. Older adults are more prone to feeling sick during or after exposure and developing chronic health complications from using wood-burning stoves.
How do Wood Burning Stoves Work?
Wood burning stoves work by creating a controlled space for wood to be burned so that it heats the area surrounding it.
They are primarily powered by the person using them. The owner places wood inside the stove firebox, which is surrounded by fireproof walls. The air vents on the stove control the amount of airflow to the firebox and this allows the wood to burn slowly and efficiently as a result of the controlled supply of oxygen.
The enclosed environment allows the fire to burn hotter and the metal body of the stove radiates heat out from the stove and into the surrounding area. Therefore, heating your home over a sustained period of time.
How to Make your Wood Burning Stove Safer?
Replace your current stove:
One of the best ways to make your wood stove safer may be to simply replace it with a newer model. It’s worth remembering that wood burners manufactured before 1990 burn wood less efficiently.
Preventative maintenance:
Ideally, you should get your wood burning stove inspected yearly. Regular inspections are a great way to make sure a house fire isn’t caused by ash or creosote build-up. This will also help prevent health problems due to the build-up of creosote.
Start the fire properly:
Make sure you only use dry wood and a mixture of small and large pieces. Stay clear from burning woods that are green or wet. They will produce a lot of smoke inside your house, some possible odour issues, and a build-up of creosote. Never start a fire in your wood stove with gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter, or a propane torch.
Clean and repair chimney:
Having clogged chimney walls will disrupt the smooth airflow. In many cases, you can clean the chimney yourself and save a few hundred dollars. Removing ordinary chimney soot is simple. However, if you have heavy creosote build-up, you may have to call a professional.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys should be cleaned at least once a year. Before you start using your stove, get your chimney swept, clean out the airways connected to your stove and if you notice any cracks in your chimney, get them repaired.
Quick tips:
- Keep your flue open to allow plenty of oxygen.
- Start your fire with clean newspaper/dry kindling.
- Let the fire burn down to coals, then rake them into a mound toward the air inlet and wood stove door.
- Don’t spread the coals out flat.
- Burn hot, bright fires.
- In milder weather, burn smaller fires.
- Avoid fires that smolder.
- Keep the doors of your wood stove closed at all times (unless you’re tending to the fire).
- Remove ashes from your stove regularly.
As we’ve established, wood burning stoves can cause health issues if they’re used incorrectly or not properly maintained. However, if you buy a modern stove and treat it well, using all the tips above, you shouldn’t have any major problems.
Whether you should or shouldn’t get a wood burner for your home, is your decision. You will need to assess whether it would be safe to have one in your home. If you do not have any underlying health problems, young children, or vulnerable adults living in your home, then a wood burning stove is unlikely to ever pose a major risk.
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We hope this helps!
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