Improve Your Heater's Efficiency and Save Money
Last modified: May 11, 2006 - 8:13 AM
It is not a commonly known fact that smoke is actually particles of fuel escaping up your chimney, and is the product of incomplete combustion. It stands to reason that you don’t want fuel you paid good money for escaping up the chimney instead of working to heat your home.
When wood is completely burned, you are left with carbon dioxide and water vapour, which are emitted into the air, leaving an ash residue. To obtain complete combustion, the following conditions are necessary in your wood heater: • Sufficient heat or temperature for combustion
• Sufficient air flow to provide oxygen for combustion
• Sufficient mixing of air and hot combustion gases to promote complete burning
• Sufficient time to allow complete burning. You can tell if you have enough heat, air and mixing if the coals are glowing brightly and there are bright swirling flames. Dark, smouldering fuel and a lot of smoke in the firebox indicates incomplete burning. Incomplete combustion will lead to the generation of toxic pollutants, such as particles and carbon monoxide, and also means you are wasting money. To use your heater more effectively, try these suggestions for reducing pollution and getting better value from your fuel:
• Burn only dry, seasoned hardwood. Unseasoned wood has lots of moisture, which uses energy to dry out (and therefore costs you money) before it can burn, and also causes a fire to smoke.
• Never burn household rubbish, driftwood, or treated or painted wood- this is sure to pollute your air and can produce poisonous gases.
• Never let your heater smoulder over night. Keep the flame lively and bright.
• When storing wood, stack it under cover in a dry ventilated area. Freshly cut wood needs to be stored for about 8 to 12 months
• When lighting a cold heater, use plenty of kindling to establish a good fire quickly.
• Use several small logs rather than one large log and stack them loosely in your heater, so air can circulate around them.
• Get a good fire going quickly when refuelling. If the fuel load has burnt down very low, add a bit of newspaper and some smaller pieces of wood when you refuel. Open the air controls fully for a few minutes before and 15-20 minutes after you add the fuel.
• Check your chimney to see if it’s smoking. If it is increase the air supply.
• Have your chimney cleaned every year. Creosote is a sticky black residue that can build up in your chimney- it restricts air flow and makes your fire harder to start. As well as spilling smoke into your room when you open your heater, a creosote clogged chimney can catch fire, putting your home at risk.
• Be aware of the source of your wood- firewood harvesting is destroying some of our most threatened remnant vegetation and animal habitats.
Contact details
Wingecarribee Shire Council
02 4868 0888 (ph)
02 4869 1203 (fax)
wscmail@wsc.nsw.gov.au
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