Smoke-free burning cosier, healthier
Low pollution days and nights require everyone with fires to burn smoke-free. According to Environment Canterbury, you’ll get a warmer home, use less firewood and help improve Canterbury’s air quality. Here are some tips from the council.
BURNING TECHNIQUE
You need knotted newspaper sheets; lots of kindling; small logs (triple the size of kindling); big logs.
Setting the fire
Place two or three big dry logs on the bottom, then several smaller ones on top, then several pieces of dry kindling, then knotted newspapers, then a few fire starters if you wish. Set the air flow to high and light the fire, keeping the door slightly ajar until the wood is well alight (but never leave unattended with door open). This ‘‘upside down fire’’ can last 30-60 minutes before needing more wood. Now, go outside and check your chimney. If you are doing it right, it should not be smoking at all.
Reloading
Add a couple of big logs, turning the airflow to high for 15 minutes. If the fire has died down, you may need to add some smaller logs. The firebox will now be very hot with a deep bed of embers so you won’t need as much wood to keep cosy for the rest of the night. Tip: If reloading before bed, turn the airflow to high again for 15 minutes. Good Wood
The New Zealand Home Heating Association shares its picks for the best firewood for a warmer, cheaper, smoke-free fire.
● Plantation pine, Douglas fir, blue gum are widely available and the best woods to use and mix to get your fire right.
● Plantation pine is great for kindling, burns very cleanly, takes 1 to 2 years to dry.
● Douglas fir/Oregon, great for kindling, takes 1 to 2 years to dry.
● Blue gum, a hardwood, is great for long burning, but takes 5 to 6 years to dry.
● Old Man Pine tends to smoke a lot when lighting and refuelling, so best used as kindling. Takes 2 to 3 years to dry.
● Macrocarpa, teatree/manuka, pohutukawa, heavy hardwoods, take 3 to 5 years to dry.
● Willow is lightweight, and the cleanest firewood to burn.
WOODBURNER CARE
If a wood burner is used well, using better burning technique and good wood, it usually needs less maintenance. Near-clear glass on the door, a white/grey colour of the firebricks inside the firebox and no discoloration at the top of your flue are all signs of a clean-burning fire. You can to do some maintenance yourself, but will need a professional for others.
When should I check?
Each year before you start using your wood burner; If you notice a change in how much fuel it uses or how much heat it produces; If lots of smoke comes into the room; if you have just moved in and don’t know how it was used before.
Checklist for maintenance
1. A black door, black inside lining of the firebox or black raincap/top of the flue (above your roof) are signs of poor burning, causing soot build up.
2. It is ok if some firebricks are cracked, but if large pieces or entire bricks are missing, replace them as they help retain heat and get a hot fire burning quickly.
3. If the door’s not shut tightly, the seal may need replacing.
4. If the door glass is loose it won’t form a good seal. The door glass rope needs replacing.
5. If the baffle (a plate that sits inside the top of the firebox) is loose, out of place or missing, the heat will go straight up the chimney, not into your home.
6. If the flue makes a dull thud sound when tapped, instead of a ring sound, or there are signs of soot (creosote) leaking from joints, it’s overdue for a sweep.
7. If the back seam of the flue shows signs of rust, it will affect the burn and cost money and warmth. Check roof flashing.
8. If the rain cap is missing, replace it. If there is soot build up, get the chimney swept. What causes soot build-up?
1. Green unseasoned wood can have high sap content, which creates smoke and soot build-up.
2. Tanalising in treated/ processed timber contains very corrosive acids.
3. Shiny, coloured paper, plastics and other rubbish create smoke, soot build-up and may corrode the firebox or flue.
4. Sea driftwood contains salts which can be corrosive under high temperatures and damage metal and cast iron.
5. Coal and carbonettes can burn hotter than wood and may damage some fireboxes.
In-home demonstrations
If you live in South Canterbury, a Better Burning Advisor can come to your home and give you a free, personalised wood burner demonstration.
Source: Environment Canterbury. For more information, call 0800 329 276 or visit warmercheaper.co.nz/