Home insurance

Insurance tips

Burning wood safely

In order for you to maximize safety and derive the most benefit from any solid fuel-heating appliance, burn only well-seasoned, clean and untreated wood. Scraps of wood, especially those from residential use, may have been treated with chemicals that can damage your stove and create an unhealthy environment in your home.

Freshly cut wood is not a good choice either, as it is damp, difficult to ignite, does not properly sustain combustion and creates excessive amounts of creosote. As a general rule, wood properly stacked and stored in the spring will be ready to burn by fall. However, optimum value and performance is usually gained through seasoning the wood for at least a year.

Creosote buildup

Creosote is an oily fluid released from wood tar during the burning process and occurs as a result of incomplete combustion. Tar droplets, composed mainly of hydrogen and carbon, are formed through a number of conditions, such as inadequate temperatures for proper burning, insufficient oxygen, improper venting or incorrect flue sizing.

Temperature has a major impact on the rate of creosote buildup. For added safety, and to reduce the potential for a serious creosote buildup, chimneys should be installed inside the home rather than the exterior of buildings. Other factors that may cause rapid creosote buildup include over-sized appliances, slow fires, insulation breakdown in the appliance and cool chimneys.

You can reduce creosote buildup by efficiently burning properly seasoned fuel.

Creosote causes chimney fires

Creosote is flammable and, if ignited, can cause loss of property and even death. Creosote deposits as small as 3 mm can cause a chimney fire.

The smell of burning tar, a roaring sound coming from the flue pipe or chimney and sparks or flame coming from the chimney, are signs that a serious creosote fire may be in progress. Immediately evacuate the home and contact the fire department.

To prevent dangerous chimney fires, a qualified professional should check the stove, vent pipes and chimney regularly.

Proper installation

Solid fuel heating appliances should always be installed by qualified professionals who hold certificates indicating their training and expertise. All component parts, including stove and chimney, should be sold and installed as a unit. Devices such as fireplace inserts, masonry fireplaces and pre-fabricated metal fireplaces are also specialized appliances and should be installed professionally for your safety.

Safe operation of a wood burning stove

A professional should verify proper sizing of your heating unit. Retain the manufacturers’ instruction manuals to ensure you're operating the stove safely.

Manufacturer’s guidelines for the proper burning of wood in your stove should be followed as directed.

Following these simple guidelines:

Cold start:

• The objective is to quickly establish a hot, clean-burning fire.
• Start the fire using an adequate amount of crumpled newspaper and an adequate amount of kindling arranged in a criss-cross pattern to prevent collapse and smothering as the newspaper burns.
• The kindling load should be sufficient to pre-heat the chimney and the stove’s internal surfaces.
• When the kindling is flaming, you can add larger kindling to the fire.
• Once the larger kindling has charred and a stable fire has been established, add firewood while leaving the combustion air controls open until the stove reaches its operating temperature.

Hot start:

• Live coals from an overnight fire will usually be available in the stove in the morning.
• Rake the live coals so they are near the combustion air inlets. If the stove is equipped with combustion air wash for the glass door, rake the live coals to the front of the firebox near the door.
• Place fresh wood behind and on top of the coals, taking care not to smother the coals.
• Leave the combustion air controls open until the stove reaches its operating temperature.

Note: It may be necessary to use newspaper and kindling if only a small number of coals remain.