Posts Tagged ‘fireplace’

Article (c) DBR Franchising, LLC

Here are some firewood tips to consider as you begin stockpiling wood for your fireplace or stove this heating season:

• To help avoid insect or pests, never store firewood on the ground or touching your house.
• Burn only dry, seasoned and clean natural wood. Wood should be cut, split and stacked in a covered area for about six months before burning. Well-seasoned logs will seem lighter in weight and have dark cut ends with cracks or splits.
• Some of the wood with the most heat value includes American beech, apple, ironwood, red oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple, white ash, white oak, and yellow birch.
• Wood is often sold by the cord or 1/2 cord. A cord of wood is a pile of logs 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 8 feet long and weighs about 2 tons. Don’t buy more than you can store and use for a season.
• Make sure the damper is open before lighting a fire.
• If a fresh air vent is present, clear away any ash or logs that may obstruct airflow.
• Only burn wood with a safety screen present to prevent the spread of burning ashes.
• Never burn wood that has been treated with a preservative. Burning treated lumber products can release highly toxic chemicals that may make you sick.
• Never burn wood-composites. These products also contain potentially hazardous materials such as binders, resins and often plastics that can be toxic when burned.

Burning treated or wood composite products can release the preservative chemicals into the air, where they can be breathed in. The resultant ash can also contain dangerous concentrations of the same chemicals. If you accidentally inhale smoke or ash from wood you suspect has been treated or contains added chemicals, you should contact your local poison control center or your doctor.Treated wood can contain wood preservatives such as creosote, pentachlorophenol or chromated copper arsenate (CCA). These chemicals help protect wood from insects and other pests but can be hazardous to your health if not handled properly or burned. If you have leftover treated wood or wood composites from a recent deck or other construction project, dispose of it according to your local waste regulations.

With ever-rising energy costs, it makes sound economic sense to review the following points to determine where you can cut energy consumption for you home.

Copyright © DBR Franchising, LLC

• Check for your home for air leaks. You may be able to save 10 percent or more on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home. On a windy day, carefully run a lighter or smoke stick around windows and door joints, and at electrical outlets and light fixtures. If the flame or smoke is drawn toward or forced away from the object, you have found an air leak that may need caulking, sealing, or weather-stripping.
• Maintain your heating and cooling system. The energy used to heat or air condition a house can account for more than half of the average family’s energy bill. Make sure your heating and cooling systems receive professional maintenance each year. If it is time for a new system, consider that the savings benefit for installing a new higher efficiency system can often be recouped in several years. Installing a heat pump may trim the amount of electricity used for heating and cooling by 30 to 40 percent in some climates.
• Close fireplace dampers when not in use. A chimney is designed specifically for smoke to escape, so until you close it, warm air escapes, too – 24 hours a day!
• Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. In just one hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.
• Adjust drapes or blinds on your south facing windows during the day in the winter to allow sunlight in to help naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows. In the summer, use drapes or blinds to reduce solar heat gain during the day.
• Turn off energy users when not in use. Individually, a small household appliance does not use much energy; but add up all the devices in the typical modern home, you will see that getting all family members to develop the habit of regularly turning off unused devices can have a noticeable effect on energy costs.

For more information on home energy use and conservation tips, visit the Websites for the U.S. Department of Energy or Natural Resources Canada

Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue.

What can compare with sitting in front of a crackling fire while sipping a warm beverage on a cold winter night with friends or family? To avoid unexpected and unwelcome mishaps that could ruin such a gathering, observe some simple precautions when you install or use your fireplace or stove.

• All regularly used wood-burning fireplaces and stoves and chimneys should be checked and cleaned annually, preferably by a certified chimney sweep.
• Wood-burning fireplaces should be equipped with a safety screen or doors, which should be closed at all times when the fire is lit.
• Before lighting any fire, check to see that the flue damper is open.
• Do not burn wrapping papers or evergreens in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as these items ignite suddenly and burn intensely
• If your house is weathertight, it may be necessary to partially open a nearby window for optimum combustion.
• Make sure the stove is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and any local codes.
• Burn only dry, well-seasoned wood cut to the proper size for the stove or firebox opening.
• Use a screen if burning with an open firebox.
• Dispose of ashes in a closed metal container, outside and away from the – not inside a garage.
• Do not leave the fire unattended. Make sure you have at least one working smoke/fire detector.

Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue.