Wood burner - would you?

Pennylane

ossian said:

The other issue to be aware of is that woodburning emits a lot of particulate matter.  In urban areas there is the risk of legislative action to restrict this.  Although it's a major contributor to rural pollution I think this is less likely to be legislated against as woodburning is part of rural life (powercuts are more common  and oil heating doesn't work when the electricity is off).  It's up to you what your personal views are on air pollution.

I personally burn wood when no-one else is at home and feel bad about the particulates.  You can do your own research.

That’s what worries me too.  Sitting in a room filled with particulate matter ….. shudder!! 

dunstonh

Pennylane said:

ossian said:

The other issue to be aware of is that woodburning emits a lot of particulate matter.  In urban areas there is the risk of legislative action to restrict this.  Although it's a major contributor to rural pollution I think this is less likely to be legislated against as woodburning is part of rural life (powercuts are more common  and oil heating doesn't work when the electricity is off).  It's up to you what your personal views are on air pollution.

I personally burn wood when no-one else is at home and feel bad about the particulates.  You can do your own research.

That’s what worries me too.  Sitting in a room filled with particulate matter ….. shudder!! 

We have a particulate monitor (1.0 and 2.5 along with a range of other gasses), and it doesn't move a fraction when the burner is on.    It runs with a higher count in the summer when the burners are not on.   It should never be going into the room.

A decent burner, burning decent dry wood that is not turned down too much will burn very cleanly.       The problem is that too many people burn wet wood or unsuitable wood.    When we replaced the weatherboarding for our stables, someone took the old wood away to use in their burner.    The wood was around 30 years old and had been treated many times over the years, including creosote in the past.  It would have stunk to hell when burning and it would let off a lot of particulates.  And I know it wasn't being burnt in a modern clean burner.      The problem is not woodburning but the person doing it.  

Wood being burnt correctly should give little or no smoke.  A little wisp at the chimney pot and barely any smell.  If you see someone's chimney smoking like crazy whilst burning wood then that is clue to bad burning.

The particulates have a short life and do not travel far.   So, for rural properties where it goes up and out the chimney as disperses with little or no neighbours are not going to give you a problem.    For town locations or clusters of properties, combining multiple properties can cause a build-up.  Especially if at least one of them is burning badly.

Pennylane

i read this article several months ago and it really put me off woodburners.It seems even the latest eco friendly woodburners are not that safe.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/15/wood-burners-emit-more-particle-pollution-than-traffic-uk-data-shows

dunstonh

That article is a bit sensationalist.  e.g. "....people who are concerned about the wood smoke that is filling the bedroom of their asthmatic child or ill elderly relative."

Woodburners do not exhaust into the house.   And the data used by that article still says "Most emissions from this source come from burning wood in closed stoves and open fires."

Modern woodburners emit 90% less emissions than open fires and up to 80% less than stoves installed as little as 10 years ago.   There are many open fires and old stoves still being used.  Almost certainly a lot more than modern stoves.  And the data didn't differentiate between dry wood (seasoned or dry kiln) and wet wood.  Wet wood and tainted wood are a major source of PM2.5

Ultimately, you need to make your choice for yourself.  

drsquirrel

artyboy said:

, but the reality is that I've got extensive woodland behind my house with a LOT of dead wood from fallen branches/trees lying around

If you get free fuel than its a no brainer.

Don't assume you will get a constant source though, wont be long until all the "dead wood" is cleared. If its old its also likely rotten and lost a lot of its BTUs.

Already having a chimney makes it easier, liner and you're sorted.

You don't need to buy the high end/expensives stove, lots of alternatives have tertiary burn etc. And cast iron isn't a requirement.

The stoves are messy though, you want a lot of space around them, and an old hearth rug.

Pennylane

drsquirrel said:

artyboy said:

, but the reality is that I've got extensive woodland behind my house with a LOT of dead wood from fallen branches/trees lying around

If you get free fuel than its a no brainer.

Don't assume you will get a constant source though, wont be long until all the "dead wood" is cleared. If its old its also likely rotten and lost a lot of its BTUs.

Already having a chimney makes it easier, liner and you're sorted.

You don't need to buy the high end/expensives stove, lots of alternatives have tertiary burn etc. And cast iron isn't a requirement.

The stoves are messy though, you want a lot of space around them, and an old hearth rug.

I agree with your last sentence.  We were having a meal at a neighbour’s who had had a woodburner installed earlier that year.  It was nice and cozy in there but I kept getting a strong whiff of smoke.  My OH checked it out and she had stacked logs right up against  the woodburner in a very tight space and they were actually smouldering!  I guess a large reputable firm would advise you of safety guidelines but I think she just had an odd job man fit it for her.  

They do make a lot of mess too.  Another neighbour has one and is left with a layer of dust on everything. 

dunstonh

They do make a lot of mess too.  Another neighbour has one and is left with a layer of dust on everything. 

We don't find they add any extra dust on anything apart from the area directly around the stove when cleaning out.     Again, when the door is closed, the stove is sealed from the house.     So, that dust isn't coming from the stove whilst burning.  And if you are burning wood correctly, the ash content is low and you shouldn't need to empty it out often.   In daily use running 18 hours a day, we empty the stove once every 2-3 weeks.  You could easily make a mess if you have flappy hands whilst brushing the ash out!

Perhaps your neighbour was a bit tardy when it comes to dusting.

Using a stove requires knowledge and understanding about how your stove works to get the best out of it.    I see others with stoves that burn with too much air or too little air or have stoves where the air controls are rubbish and take minutes to respond (or don't respond at all) or there is no secondary combustion.       Whenever a stove is not used optimally, the potential for emissions, smell and mess increases.

JerryW

Woodburners do NOT necessarily issue particulates. Only badly managed or badly designed ones do. A good design such as Clearview or Morso can be made to run virtually emission free.

They need understanding as to how they should best operate, balance the air inflows, and use good dry wood. A good stove such as those I mentioned will come with comprehensive instructions and there are books you can buy too - I have several.

Get a stove thermometer and if the room is a decent size, a stovetop fan. The thermometer will have a good operating temperature range marked on it.

They are best when you have a source of good wood that you can store yourself. I have about three years supply stacked up under cover and I test it with a moisture meter to see that it is properly dried before use. Bought wood is more variable and very seldom stored for long enough.

Woodburners are brilliant but you do need to learn how to run them efficiently. It is not just turning a switch. The thermometer, moisture meter and stovetop fan are very cheap compared to the cost of the stove or the wood and will pay back in a short time..

ariarnia

quick question rather than start a new thread. can multi fuel stoves burn wood pellets? we've been offered a sack of pellets free and i don't think we can use them on our stove (in any amount or as a main fuel. i'm sure we could use the odd handful on an established fire) but thought i should check. 

we've got a hamlet widescreen s4 if that makes a difference. 

FreeBear

I have used pellets in my stove. They work best if burnt in a basket, but they will also burn if piled up on the grate (if you have one). A dry dog food scoop is useful for refueling...