Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well according to Prof Steffen Loft, of the Department of Public Helath at Copenhagen University who said "the dangers of wood smoke could be just as serious" when comparing them to coal fired power stations! More HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well, Q, I'm not in the least bit surprised.Before we installed our poêles à bois, I asked practically the same question on this very Forum and I was told that, unless I was sitting on top of the stoves and "smoking" them, I'd have no problems.Hah, to me, it feels like smoking 100 cigarettes at once and now I am all electric and I hardly even cough (I am asthmatic, BTW) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well on the basis that inhaling anything other than pure fresh air is probably not doing you any good he may have a point but am I going to stop using my woodburner, hell no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 "He emphasised that "the full scale of the health risk is not currently known" but said some people were already feeling the impact, such as those suffering from asthma. Stove owners should only use use dry wood, cut it up into small pieces, and ensure a good flow of air to the fire to minimise particulate emissions, he said. Their research follows that of German academics, published in The Daily Telegraph in December, suggesting the stoves could pose a health risk. The Solid Fuel Association has said that there is very little chance of fumes escaping into a property from a correctly fitted stove. "I guess that asthma sufferers are going to be more sensitive to any sort of fumes in the air and a correctly fitted stove is definitely what is required for safety. Edit, apologies, I can't get rid of the odd email bit under my post[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Cendrillon"]I guess that asthma sufferers are going to be more sensitive to any sort of fumes in the air and a correctly fitted stove is definitely what is required for safety.[/quote]Exactly, it's important to check the door seals and replace if you have doors of course and check the chimney. I suffer from asthma as well and don't notice any difference when the fire is lit or not. To be honest when we had the old electric radiators we had more problems because they dry the air out so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Why does a wood burner not dry out the air as much as electric radiators. It's the air quality and paticulate level thats important, have to look at this report, all woodburners are not equal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Wood burners draw air in to burn where as electric heaters just warm existing air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 That doesn't answer my question, electric heaters can warm damp air too especially as exhaling puts a fair bit of moisture in the air (except O/H who can talk for hours without exhaling [:)]) not necessarily drying it. Using up room air with a woodburner which is replaced by fresh air from out side (maybe that air is more moist?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hey, don't get me wrong, I LOVE the looks and feel of our woodburners, especially as OH is fanatical about keeping the glass clean and the apparatus left just so every single morning.What I don't like (and I can't prove whether I am coughing more or less) is all the dust and grime that get spewed out and how a film is left over everything in the room. I felt defeated after dusting and wiping off ash in the morning and a couple of hours later, all the muck is back.This is just my personal opinion and, if you are happy with your poêles, please don't think I am being contrary. To each their own but I didn't even want a fireplace, nevermind a woodburner, when we were looking for our new place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 We also get a lot of dust just as you describe, this may be from your OH cleaning out in the morning, it's a pretty nasty job and I have taken to using a mask. I tried one of these 'dustbins' you connect to your cleaner to (to provide the 'suck') and hoovering up the ash but that does not seem to work very well either and quite frankly I think produces more dust.We are using electricity today as it's another 'blue' day so it's dirt cheap, the humidity inside the house is 33% and outside it's 69%. When we have the fire burning and the electric heaters off there is between 10 and 15% difference. Mind you we are using reversible clim and it does dehumidify but I didn't think by that much i.e. nt below a certain amount. With the older heaters we used to have a clay pot with water in nearby to add moisture to the air. I believe water based central heating systems dry the air but not as much as electric radiators for some reason, perhaps the electric element burns up the moisture, I really don't know. The fire, well our fire which is an insert, draws air in from outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I have two woodburners, one is used for cooking, and jolly good they are, too. I haven't used the oil-fired central heating at all this year.It's amazing how the barrels are being scraped for more scare stories - what about the fact that thousands of square miles of woodland and forest burn naturally EVERY year throughout the globe, and have done ever since there have been woods and forests? If you compare the effect of those fires with the puny amount that humans generate in their own homes, it rather puts it all into perspective, doesn't it? All this self-flagellation of we humans for daring to try and live comfortably beggars belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I agree, C & J, I adore my woodburning oven and I hardly know how to cook meat without it.However, I never want another woodburner because of the ash and mess, as described so graphically by Quillan. And that's before I mention all the necessary re-decorating because of soot on the walls and paintwork just looking grubby...Don't mean to upset anybody or pick a quarrel: as mentioned before, I am only giving my opinion and I don't presume to think my opinion is the only permissible one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 We don't seem to get any dust in the room from ours. I clean the glass and empty the ash each morning. Maybe it's something to do with the type of wood burnt, whether there's dust or not?At the same time I also open the windows for an hour or so - it seems all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 We use an open fire and I had thought woodburners were quite clean. We have no problems with our open fire except the mess of cleaning up the ash which we let build up because it allows the fire to get hotter. I thought woodburners use up most of the ash so it wasn't necessary to clean them out. [8-)]I love an open fire but we have been contemplating a wood burner for heat and efficiency but all this talk of mess is putting me off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well, Pat, we use well-seasoned oak and both ours are Godin. Now, I don't think Godin is worth the money you pay and their customer services is well below par (as we are talking politely!)I wished lots of times, I'd gone for Jotul or one of the Scandinavian makes.WJT, please don't let me and Q put you off. Ask questions of owners and make an informed decision.My poor OH looked after the fires uncomplainingly for nearly 4 years but, once we HAD moved, he said he was glad he didn't have to get up an hour earlier than I do to see to the fires.In fact, he dubbed himself "Stoker Sweet", LOL, and now he has fewer chilblains (chilblains and cracks on fingers from going outdoors with ash pans and so forth) and our nail brushes seem to have longer life-spans!As the Americans might say: go figure.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Although the ultra modern woodburners won't look right in the old cottage type French houses, I was very impressed with how clean they burn and they definitely don't add dust and smoke to the room. They produce around a desert spoon of ash every few days they burn that well. http://www.eurostove.co.uk/index.asp?action=showproducts&catid1=1 or http://www.fireplaces.co.uk/product-xeoos-x5-natur.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Sorry I didn't realise I might have come over a bit negative. My mess is because I am not the most careful of chaps and cleaning out the fire is a chore for me so it's straight in with a big shovel and into a metal bucket. I guess if I was a bit more careful and in not such a rush I might not make such a mess. Would I dump my log burner, absolutely not, we use it a lot being on Tempo especially on 'red' days when it really comes in to it's own. We also use paraffin heaters, the electric fan jobs, best thing since sliced bread as they say. You always get a smell when they start which I love, reminds me of my RAF days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Quillan"]We also get a lot of dust just as you describe, this may be from your OH cleaning out in the morning, it's a pretty nasty job and I have taken to using a mask. I tried one of these 'dustbins' you connect to your cleaner to (to provide the 'suck') and hoovering up the ash but that does not seem to work very well either and quite frankly I think produces more dust.[/quote]You don't have to clean out wood burning stoves every day. They work better when there is a bed of ash. I have my stove going all day every day but I only take out some of the ash about once per week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Cathy"][quote user="Quillan"]We also get a lot of dust just as you describe, this may be from your OH cleaning out in the morning, it's a pretty nasty job and I have taken to using a mask. I tried one of these 'dustbins' you connect to your cleaner to (to provide the 'suck') and hoovering up the ash but that does not seem to work very well either and quite frankly I think produces more dust.[/quote]You don't have to clean out wood burning stoves every day. They work better when there is a bed of ash. I have my stove going all day every day but I only take out some of the ash about once per week.[/quote]You do on mine because of where the vents are on the front. If you have too much ash like 1" the air won't draw through. My French friends tell me that you should clear them out either once a day or every other day if you let the fire go out over night. Sometimes the fire burns for three or four days but I still have to take out some of the ash during that period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Théière"]They produce around a desert spoon of ash every few days they burn that well.[/quote]Really, how does that work then I would have thought that burning a piece of wood would produce pretty much the same amount of ash regardless of how it's burnt ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I have asthma, but prefer to light the wood burner and wheeze a bit rather than not light it and freeze to death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="AnOther"][quote user="Théière"]They produce around a desert spoon of ash every few days they burn that well.[/quote]Really, how does that work then I would have thought that burning a piece of wood would produce pretty much the same amount of ash regardless of how it's burnt ? [/quote]Me too, however as they achieve near gasification standard combustion then the burn is much more thorough hence a lot less ash (apparently) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 [quote user="Théière"]Why does a wood burner not dry out the air as much as electric radiators. It's the air quality and paticulate level thats important, have to look at this report, all woodburners are not equal.[/quote] I am not sure you got a clear answer to the question Theiere, although the one you did get is essentially correct. electirc fires just heat up the air - moisture level therefore does not change. Burning creates water (as a gas) as a product of combustion and while most of this goes up the chimney, some doesn't, so all things being equal the air will be more moist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Quas Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 We find that we have to take out some of the ash every 3 weeks on average. I guess it comes down to temperature which is what Théière is suggesting - the higher the temperature (closer to gasification), the less ash is produced.I used to empty it entirely of ash, but find it works better (easier to light) if I leave about 2cm in the base. We have no problems with soot or ash in the room so I assume there must be a lot of difference between a good and bad stove.Steven Quas , Hamburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Steve, I am sure you have hit the nail on the head. We do not have an ideal stove or chimney. Even so, I don't want to order logs, dry them, store them and bring them in.Everyone needs to do what's best for their particular circumstances. It suits me just fine to push a button...........[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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