Healthy Begins Here

By Margie Kelly

There’s nothing more comforting than sitting by a warm, crackling fire on a cold winter day. But as it turns out, wood smoke is hazardous to your health and bad for indoor and outdoor environments.

Particulate Matter from smoke can get deep into your lungs and possibly your bloodstream. Exposure to particulates can lead to a number of health problems, including respiratory issues, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma or bronchitis, and even non-fatal heart attacks.  Based on health concerns, the American Lung Association issued a warning against wood burning and urged people to seek out cleaner alternatives for heating their homes.

And if ear infections are an issue for your child, take note that a recent study by the University of British Columbia found that children with the highest exposure to wood smoke  “were 32 percent more likely to visit the doctor for otitis media” (or inner ear infections.)

Cancer is another health threat associated with wood smoke. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that wood smoke has twelve times the cancer-causing potential of an equal amount of cigarette smoke over the course of a lifetime.

“We know there’s a lot of bad stuff released when wood is burned,” said Dr. John Balmes in an article published in Environmental Health News. Dr. Balmes is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and professor of environmental science at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. “It’s actually not that far away from tobacco smoke and smoke from fossil fuel combustion engines. They’re in the same ballpark.”

Concern about wood smoke’s contribution to air pollution has led some communities to restrict the use of wood-burning fireplaces under certain weather conditions, primarily when it’s cold outside and the air is not moving.

In a cultural shift, wood-burning fireplaces may be stigmatized among people trying to be environmentally responsible, “joining the ranks of bottled water and big houses,” according to the New York Times.

But if sitting by a fire is a guilty pleasure you care to indulge occasionally, be sure to take steps to make it as safe as possible.

* Burn dry, seasoned wood

Wood that’s been “seasoned” or dried for at least six months outside burns hotter and cleaner than “green” wood. “Green” wood (which has a thin, green layer under the bark) appears yellowish and crackles from evaporating moisture when burned. Dry wood appears darker, cracked at the ends, sounds hollow, and weighs less than “wet” wood, as the heavy moisture has already evaporated.  To season wood adequately, shield it from the elements outdoors with a cover on top, but allow for side ventilation to allow airflow between the logs.  The dry, hot summer months are the best time to season wood.  Allow six months to pass before burning.

* Burn hardwoods

Wood from deciduous trees (those that shed leaves in the fall) is harder than wood from coniferous trees, or evergreens, whose wood tends to be soft and sappy. Hardwoods – namely oak, maple, hickory, apple, and ash – burn hotter, longer, and cleaner than softwoods, such as pine, spruce, and fir. Hardwoods are not only environmentally safer, but also more economical: You can burn through a cord of softwood twice as quickly as a cord of hardwood.

* Burn only solid wood

Pressure-treated wood, particleboard, and plywood contain toxins such as formaldehyde and arsenic in their preservatives and adhesives. Also avoid burning plastics, newsprint and magazines in your stove or fireplace because the dyes may release harmful chemicals while burning. Start the fire with clean newspaper, but get rid of your piles of papers by recycling instead of burning.  Never start a fire with gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter, or a propane torch.

* Burn many logs at once

Once the fire is well stoked, fill the stove with large, long-burning loads to reduce the number of times you need to open the stove door for reloading, the primary means of introducing smoky pollutants into the indoor air. Try adding at least three pieces of wood each time, on and behind the mound of hot coals.

* Buy a wood stove made after 1992

Wood stoves made after 1992 meet tight U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards, so you can even buy a wood stove confidently on the used market if it dates from within a decade. The EPA recommends using a certified professional installer as the best way to ensure correct installation. A properly installed certified wood stove or fireplace insert always has a vent to the exterior and releases far less smoke through the chimney, overall emitting 60-80% less pollution into the environment.

* Think about installing a catalyst.

Many stoves are now fitted with catalysts – similar to catalytic converters on automobiles – that burn up smoke to reduce emissions to an absolute minimum. Older stoves can also be retrofitted with catalysts.

* Make hot fires

Catalysts burn smoke when they “light off,” reaching temperatures of 350 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Most catalysts come equipped with a temperature monitor. Even without a catalyst, wood fires burn best hot because they eat up all the carbon monoxide and other pollutants.

* Install carbon monoxide alarms.

When wood is not burned completely, the resulting smoke contains a number of chemicals, one of which is carbon monoxide (CO). CO is odorless and colorless, but exposure to it reduces your blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The Underwriters Laboratory certifies carbon monoxide monitors, which beep in alarm if carbon monoxide levels increase. Carbon monoxide alarms should be placed on every floor of the house and near bedrooms.

* Sweep chimneys annually

Because an EPA-certified wood stove burns more efficiently than older non-certified models, much less creosote builds up in the chimney. Creosote is a black, tar-like, combustible residue formed by wood gases that are not completely burned. Too much creosote can build up on the chimney lining, blocking the proper exhaust of smoke and raising the risk of a chimney fire. Chimney sweeps certified by The Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Chimney Sweep Guild recommend a yearly chimney cleaning to avoid creosote build-up and potential risk.

Do you have a fireplace? Do you have any health concerns about sitting in front of a wood fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below.