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Articles and Information
Best Firewood: Eco-Friendly Firewood for your Fireplace
by EarthTalk
Burning wood may be humanity's oldest way of generating heat—and in
the home it definitely creates a nice ambience. But it has its
downside. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection, wood smoke "contains toxic carbon monoxide, smog-causing
nitrogen oxides, soot, fine particles, and a range of other chemicals
and gases that can cause or worsen serious health problems,
particularly among children, pregnant women, and people with breathing
difficulties."
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The Children's Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) concurs, citing a
raft of studies that show how children living in wood-burning
households experience "higher rates of lung inflammation, breathing
difficulties, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases." For its
part, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that those with
congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, emphysema or asthma should avoid wood smoke if possible. Wood
smoke is also bad for the outdoors environment, contributing to smog,
acid rain and other problems.
One greener alternative to burning firewood in a fireplace is to burn
wood pellets, which are made from sawdust and other lumber byproducts
that would have otherwise been landfilled and gone to waste. These
specially formulated tiny logs burn very efficiently and almost
completely—largely because there is little moisture content—so there
are fewer pollutants to escape into the air inside or out. You need a
pellet stove to burn wood pellets, though, or a fireplace insert to
handle them safely. (Such an insert employs an igniter to fire the
pellets, a blower to fan the fire, and an augur that pours pellets
into the flames. Together they obviate the need to open the stove
doors—and let pollutants into your living room—to feed the fire.)
Another way to reduce emissions from an existing fireplace is to go
for a gas insert, which would burn either liquid propane (from a
swappable tank) or piped-in natural gas. These inserts draw in air to
oxygenate the fire and channel smoke outside, either up the chimney or
through a vent. CHEC warns, though, that hearth fires, even with an
insert, cannot heat large spaces as efficiently as free-standing wood,
pellet or gas stoves. Given, then that fireplaces are typically of
more value for aesthetic purposes than heating efficiency, it might
not be worth investing time and money into an insert. Using the
primary heat source for your home (your furnace) and burning a candle
or three in your fireplace might be the most efficient way to stay
warm but still enjoy the ambience of live flames in your fireplace.
If none of these alternatives make sense for you, remember to get your
fireplace checked regularly for backdrafts, leaks or cracks that could
bring extra pollution into your home. Also, make sure to get a chimney
sweep in every few years to make sure your chimney isn't blocked up
with creosote which could lead to increased indoor air pollution. And
if you're putting in a new fireplace—or an insert—make sure to get a
qualified professional to do the work, as proper set-up could be the
difference between sickness and health as you and your loved ones cozy
up around the fire this holiday season.
CONTACTS: Massachusetts DEP; Children's Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC)
EarthTalk, presented by VegFamily in partnership with E/The Environmental Magazine, answers questions submitted by readers on a wide range of environmental topics-from recycling to rainforests and "from the global village to your backyard."
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