GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WOOD FIREPLACE WITH THIS EXPERT ADVICE.
When it comes to wood fireplaces, efficiency and safety are key. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is instrumental in ensuring fireplaces, particularly wood burning fireplaces, are operating in a safe and efficient manner especially when it comes to emissions and fuel consumption.
To support you with more efficient (and warmer) heating, as well as ensure the safety of your family and home, the EPA has provided a series of guidelines for better wood heater operation, emission reduction and enhanced heating performance, consequently improving air quality within your home as well as the environment.
Burning the right wood is the most important step.
Burning small or split logs of aged, dry hardwood will ensure the most efficient and heat output. Wet (or green, unseasoned) wood has more moisture, therefore producing more smoke and pollutants. Unseasoned wood also burns less efficiently, requiring more energy to evaporate the water, hindering combustion and reducing heat output.
Never burn rubbish.
This includes cardboard or paper printed with coloured ink (such as paper or cardboard packaging, magazines, newspaper inserts or wrapping paper), treated, stained or painted wood, manufactured wood (such as plywood or chipboard), driftwood or anything plastic. These pollute the air and emit toxic fumes which can be harmful to you and your family. Additionally, burning rubbish can create the potential for dangerous chimney fires and will increase the amount debris to be cleaned from your chimney. In a worst-case scenario, a section of paper could float up and out of the chimney, propelled by the hot air, and cause combustible materials to ignite, including combustible items on or surrounding your roof.
Finally, avoid evergreen materials (branches with any type of green foliage). Evergreens contain resin that burns quickly and produces embers that can pop and rise-up through the chimney onto the roof, once again causing roof fires.
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Ensure your wood stays dry.
Firewood is best stored off the ground and under cover in a dry ventilated area away from the elements. If you are able store wood away from walls, it will ensure more air can circulate around the wood, allowing it to dry out even further and reducing the opportunity for pests creating a home within your wood pile. Freshly cut wood needs to be stored for 8–12 months as a minimum so it has time to season, ensuring a more efficient burn.
When lighting your fire.
Use plenty of dry kindling to establish a good fire quickly. The best wood to use for kindling is small pieces of eucalyptus or softwood, such as cedar, fir, and pine as they are well-known for igniting easily. It is important to ensure your kindling is seasoned and not green.
Always stack the kindling and wood loosely in the firebox to allow air to circulate – don’t cram the firebox full. Access to oxygen is a very important element to starting your fire.
Using firelighters to start your fire is preferred. Using a small amount of uncoated paper (such as newspaper) is also ok, however do not to make burning large amounts of paper a habit as it can cause safety issues. Never use accelerants such as lighter fluid, kerosene or gasoline to light your fireplace. Highly flammable accelerants can produce large, unexpected flare-ups that spread the fire up the flu, into your home and potentially on you and should be avoided at all costs.
When lighting and refuelling, turn off the warm air circulation fan for better efficiency.
Whilst burning your fire
It is always a good idea to keep the flame lively and bright. Your fireplace should only smoke for a few minutes when you first light it and when you add extra fuel. Try to open the air controls fully for 5 minutes before and 15–20 minutes after reloading for optimum use.
Try to avoid letting your fire smoulder overnight.
Keeping the fire’s flame active is best for efficiency, safety, and reduced pollution. Smouldering fires burn inefficiently, producing less heat and releasing harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide. Bright flames indicate complete combustion, while smouldering suggests incomplete burning and the release of toxic gases. Complete burning also results in less ash and residue.
It is also best practice to check your chimney whilst burning on a regular basis – if there is smoke coming from the chimney, increase the air supply to your fire for a more complete burn.
Chimney cleaning should ideally occur annually, particularly before the start of the heating season, to prevent creosote buildup and potential chimney fires. If you burn wood frequently or have a wood-burning fireplace, you may need more frequent cleanings, perhaps twice a year. A clean chimney allows for a more efficient burn, producing more heat for your home and reducing smoke and pollutants.
Is it time to replace your old fireplace?
Twenty years ago, wood burning fireplaces were primarily cherished for their ambiance, rather than efficiency. Modern fireplaces have now evolved: new technology and design have transformed these fixtures into efficient, eco-friendly heating solutions with a focus on energy efficiency, sustainability as well as aesthetic appeal. To help you assess whether it is time to replace your old fireplace, we have written an article explaining how advancements in technology and design may save your long-term investment in time and money, as well as carbon emissions.
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Looking for a less laborious, more convenient and energy efficient ambient heat source?
You may like to consider the Piazzetta pellet fire which combines advanced heating technology, sustainability & aesthetic appeal, without the hard work. With a focus on performance, design & comfort – pellet heaters are the intelligent, low fuss solution to heating your home, offering an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative to traditional heating methods and are available exclusively to Thornton & Blake in the Blue Mountains.
