We undoubtedly have all languished in front of a fireplace during the cold winter months and enjoyed the experience immensely. A fireplace burning bright during the holidays is also an age-old tradition that has us making s’mores, warming our hands after playing in the snow and reading while enjoying a favorite beverage.
Not once did I ever think those smoke fumes I was inhaling were polluting my lungs at a staggering rate. Not only are they unhealthy for the people who surround them and breath in the smoke, but they are also poisoning our environment. So, what’s a fire-loving person to do? Here are some options for cleaning up your fires:
1. Buy an insert, a wood-burning stove that fits into your pre-existing fireplace. Inserts made after 1992 are best and burn 70% more efficiently than regular fireplaces.
2. Get regular fireplace cleanings and inspections by an accredited chimney sweep. If you actively use your fireplace, a cleaning at least once per year is industry advice. What is active? Burning at least one cord of wood per year.
3. Consider burning pellets instead of wood. This is a common practice in Europe and there’s a definite benefit. Pellet stoves don’t put out as many greenhouse gases as wood burned in fireplaces and wood stoves.
4. Last, but not least, is to always burn dried wood. Year-old, hard wood is the best and burns the cleanest. NEVER burn wet wood.
If you feel like it might be time to update your current fireplace, the EPA has a great resource for finding the best type of wood-burning appliances on the market.
All hope isn’t lost, but looking into how you build your fires, what type of fireplace you use and how to care for your fireplaces will be quite beneficial for your health – as well as the environment’s.
Green Parenting is written every Friday by Elise Jones.
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
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