The Wood Stove Accessories Blog

When installing and maintaining a wood stove be sure you are taking the proper safety precautions.  Better to be safe than sorry.

The Midwest Chimney Safety Council (MCSC) recently issued a warning to its members to prepare for the busiest season they have seen in decades. Since here are only so many qualified chimney sweeps to go around, there may not be enough to serve the public. Chimney sweeps may not be able to keep up with demand for cleaning, inspection, and installation services.  In fact many Chimney Sweeps are reporting that their busy season, which usually starts September 1, started in mid-July this year.

The big increase in demand is a result of consumers turning to alternative methods of heating such as wood stoves, wood-burning fireplace inserts, and wood-burning furnaces.  Some thrifty consumers may attempt to do the installation or service work themselves and may create a safety hazard by doing it wrong. “One of the biggest mistakes is not installing a properly sized flue liner with a fireplace insert,” says Marge Padgitt, Educational Director for the MCSC. “If the liner is too large it can cause excessive flammable creosote accumulation, which can lead to a chimney fire.”

Improper installation and maintenance is the cause of most house fires related to heating appliances so consumers are encouraged to get an inspection and any necessary work done by an CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep rather than doing it themselves or hiring an unqualified chimney company.

Fireplace flues should be inspected and cleaned annually. Wood stoves or inserts used for heating should be inspected and cleaned at least twice during the wood-burning season.  Some manufacturers recommend sweeping the chimney once per month so check your owners manual for details.

Visit the MCSC website at http//www.mcsc-net.org Midwest Chimney Safety Council for free consumer information.

Technorati Tags: Wood Stove Accessories, Wood Stove Installation, wood stove safety

Many people are turning to wood burning stoves or inserts to save on heating costs this year.

If you are planning on getting a wood burning stove or fireplace insert remember some of the most important rules for safe and environmentally sound wood burning:

- Burn only well-seasoned wood and minimize the amount of soft woods (like pine and spruce).  Not only do unseasoned woods or other unsuitable materials create more creosote, they are also more polluting.

- It is best to burn wood that has dried for a full year.  Plan ahead not only for this years wood needs, but next years as well.

- When making a purchase, buy the most efficient wood burner you can afford. It will give you more heat per unit of wood and save both time and money in the long run.

- Don’t burn trash (especially plastic and vinyl). Trash gives off a number of unhealthy pollutants when burned, several of which are proven to cause cancer.

- Follow the manufacturers directions for lighting and running your wood burning stove or insert.  The manufacturer instructions will help you run your stove or insert as efficiently as possible.

Technorati Tags: seasoned wood, wood stove efficiency, wood stove safety