What You Need to Know About Outdoor Wood Burners
Outdoor wood burning stoves can be an economical solution to heat homes and businesses. They also reduce the need for nonrenewable fossils fuels and help in implementing a sustainable energy strategy.
For efficient combustion it is essential to use wood that has been well-seasoned. Green or unseasoned wood may have a higher moisture content that can create creosote and decrease performance.
Efficient
Outdoor wood burners (OWBs) have been around for many years and offer a very energy efficient and environmentally friendly method of heating your home. However, the typical design of OWBs, which encourages an unsteady, cooler fire which causes less combustion and a higher amount of smoke, creosote, as well as particulates. Unburned fuels can lead to health issues and fire hazards, as well as cause harm to the environment around it.
Additionally, the visible plume of smoke that OWBs produce could cause neighbors to voice their concerns and could lead to DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) enforcement actions. This type of public relations issue could be a significant impact on the value of your property and may result in your OWB being shut down.
Crown Royal Stoves has a range of outdoor wood furnaces that are EPA Certified. The Pristine Gasification Series utilizes technology to improve the efficiency of combustion and provide a smokeless, clean burn. This is done with a negative-pressure air system which pulls in fresh, dry heated, filtered, and heated air from the bottom and then pushes it through the chimney much faster than traditional outdoor wood boilers. This is achieved through the unique design of a multi-pass, water-filled heat exchanger made of 409 Titanium Enhanced Stainless Steel.
If properly used correctly, when properly used, the Pristine Gasification Series OWB can achieve the highest efficiency of combustion, which is 99% to create a cleaner, smokeless fire that uses less wood and produces significantly fewer emissions than traditional OWBs. It is crucial to burn only clean, seasoned and dry wood to increase the performance of your OWB. It is recommended to season your wood for a period of six months or a year prior to burning it. This will ensure an efficient and clean burn.
sell can improve the efficiency of your wood-burning stove by performing every week a "dry burn". This method eliminates creosote build up, keeps your boiler efficient and extends its lifespan. Additionally by putting in a creosote removal stick each when you load your stove, you will be able to dramatically reduce the amount of creosote that you use. This product is available through Wisconsin Wood Furnace.
Clean
A wood-burning stove could become very dirty from burnt soot particles. These are very hard to move so if you notice any spots of buildup on the glass of your stove, wash them right away. If the soot isn't removed, it will harden and make it more difficult. It is essential to choose the right cleaner, but you should also be careful not to scratch the glass by using anything that can scratch it. This could leave a weak spot that will break the glass when exposed to extreme temperatures.
Before you begin cleaning your wood stove, you should make sure that it is unlit and completely cool. Also, be sure that the surrounding area is covered with newspaper. This will prevent any spillage of ash which could stain and mark surfaces.
It could take up to one year for the seasoning process of your stove to be complete, based on the quality of the wood you choose to use. The wood that has been treated with a seasoned finish will not only burn more efficiently, but will also produce less creosote. This is the material that accumulates on your chimney, which reduces efficiency and posing the risk of fire. If you're using unseasoned wood or just making a fresh fire in your outdoor wood burner the best thing you can do is to open up the lower back door and scoop the ashes into a non-combustible container every week.
You should also perform an annual sediment flush on your boiler at a minimum every four years. This is a quick five-second flush from the drain valve on your boiler. This will remove any debris that has accumulated inside the system and keep your boiler in top working condition.
After you have cleaned the outside of your outdoor fireplace, it is time to clean it. Before you begin, it's essential to cover the floor around the stove with newspaper. It is also advisable to wear gloves and protective eyewear. Also, you should have a shovel, a metal container for ash, and scraping tools. To safeguard the refractory, you need to lay down a piece of cloth to protect it from damage as you scrape away ash and coal deposits.
Easy to operate
Despite their popularity (they were among the 1990s' "it" trends, along with mullet haircuts) outdoor wood boilers, also known as outdoor furnaces or outdoor wood hydronic heaters, are still often misunderstood. Contrary to the EPA's popular wood stoves which are designed to burn at constant, low temperatures, these heaters use a higher fire rate and emit more smoke when they operate. Some local governments restrict or prohibit their use.
OWBs are best used for heating homes with a high insulation level. The smoldering, dense visible smoke can also be a source of complaints from neighbors and has led to many OWBs being shut down or sued in the past. To allow OWBs to operate properly they must be operated using dry wood with low moisture content. Unseasoned or green wood will reduce efficiency, causing creosote build-up and reduce the life of the burner. Drying wood takes time, and the use of a moisture gauge is a must for the homeowner.
Dual-stage wood gasification (OWGB) boilers are, on the other hand they employ a three-step procedure that makes use of more energy contained in the wood. This results in less smoke. These types of furnaces are more efficient than traditional OWBs and can be used with a larger variety of fuel. Wood gasification boilers require dry, well-seasoned firewood. The majority of wood will be seasoned within a year, but oak and other species that are hardy may require two years or more to fully season. This is because they have lower amount of water and a higher density. This lets them store heat for longer, thus increasing efficiency and decreasing pollution. The EPA's "Burn Wise" website and Cornell Cooperative Extension can help homeowners learn more about burning wood efficiently in order to reduce air pollution.
Low Maintenance
Modern outdoor wood stoves have been designed to be environmentally friendly. In contrast to indoor wood burners which produce significant smoke, modern outdoor furnaces burn cleanly and without the creation of excessive heat or carbon monoxide. They also require less wood to provide the same amount of heat as traditional stoves.
Outdoor wood burners also require significantly less maintenance than indoor wood burners, and are more tolerant in regards to the moisture content of the wood. However, outdoor wood burners can only be used with properly treated or "cured" wood. This could take a whole year or more for some kinds of wood. It is essential to utilize a moisture gauge to determine the amount of water of your wood prior to loading.
In the course of operation, it is important to regularly check the system for creosote build up. Creosote, which is a byproduct of combustion, can build up in the chimney and flue when they are not cleaned regularly. It can be eliminated by pouring a creosote removing product into the fire. Regular cleaning of the chimney and flue will eliminate dangerous creosote buildup and improve efficiency.
To get 99% efficiency from combustion, Crown Royal Stoves designed an innovative air flow technology called Negative Pressure Gasification. This technology is employed in our EPA certified Pristine Series Outdoor Wood Furnaces to draw air from the bottom and push all the gases through an sealed secondary combustion chamber, surrounded by water with easy-to-clean turbines. The result is a smokeless & pollution-free burning.
