What You Need to Know About Outdoor Wood Burners
Outdoor wood burning stoves are a cost-effective way to heat homes and businesses. They also reduce the dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels and contribute to a resilient energy strategy.
A well-seasoned wood is vital for efficient burning. Unseasoned or green wood can have a higher moisture content, which can cause creosote to build up and decrease performance.
Efficient
Outdoor wood burners (OWBs) have been around for many years and provide an eco-friendly and energy efficient method of heating your home. The typical design of OWBs promotes an older, cooler fire which results in poorer combustion and a higher amount of smoke and creosote. These unburnt fuels can cause health problems as well as fire hazards and cause harm to the environment around it.
Additionally the visible smoke that OWBs emit can cause neighbors to complain and lead to DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) enforcement action. This type of public relations issue can have a serious impact on the value of your property, and could result in your OWB being shut down.
Crown Royal Stoves has a line of outdoor wood furnaces that are EPA Certified. The Pristine Gasification Series makes use of technology to increase the efficiency of combustion and provide a smokeless, clean burn. This is achieved by using a negative pressure air system that draws fresh, dry, hot and filtered air from the bottom of the boiler and pushes it back out through the chimney at a higher rate than conventional outdoor wood boilers. This is accomplished through the unique design of an encapsulated, multi-pass heat exchanger constructed from 409 Titanium Enhanced Stainless Steel.
When properly used correctly, when used correctly, the Pristine Gasification Series OWB can achieve an efficiency of 99% for a cleaner, smokeless fire that uses less wood and generates significantly less carbon dioxide than traditional OWBs. It is essential to burn clean, seasoned and dry wood to increase the performance of your OWB. It is recommended that you get your wood seasoned for a minimum of six months or one year prior to burning it. This will result in an efficient and clean burn.
You can boost the efficiency of your wood-burning stove through every week a "dry burn". This method reduces creosote, increases boiler efficiency and prolongs the life of your boiler. Lastly by putting in a creosote remover stick each time you fill your stove, you can drastically cut the amount of creosote you use. The product is available from Wisconsin Wood Furnace.
Clean
The soot particles left behind after burning wood can make a stove appear very dirty. They are difficult to remove, so clean any buildup on the glass of your stove as soon as you notice it. Any soot that is not eliminated will harden, making it even more difficult to remove. Using the correct cleaners for the job is crucial and you should also make sure you're not damaging the surface of the glass with anything that could scratch it. This could result in an area of weakness that could shatter glass when exposed to high temperatures.
Be sure to allow your wood burner to cool completely before cleaning it. Also, make sure that the area around it is covered with newspaper. This will prevent the ash from spreading and staining surfaces.
Depending on the quality of the wood that you choose to use, it could take up to one year for your stove to become properly well-seasoned. The wood that is properly seasoned will not only burn more efficiently, but also produce less creosote. This is the material that accumulates on your chimney, reducing efficiency and posing the risk of fire. If you're using wood that's not seasoned or you're just starting a fire in your outdoor fireplace, it's best to open the lower backdoor and scoop out the ashes into a non-combustible container every week.
It is also recommended to perform a 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 sediment that has built up inside the system and keep your boiler in top functioning condition.
After you have cleaned the exterior of your outdoor fireplace It is now time to clean it. Before you begin, make sure to cover the stove's perimeter with newspaper. It is also beneficial to wear protective eyewear and gloves. You should also have a metal ash canister as well as a scraping tool and shovel. You can make use of a cloth as shield to protect the refractory while you remove ash and coal deposits.
Easy to operate
Despite their popularity (they were one of the 1990s' "it" trends, as were mullet haircuts) outdoor wood boilers, referred to as outdoor furnaces or outdoor wood hydronic heaters, are frequently misunderstood. They are not like the popular EPA wood stoves, which are designed to burn at low temperatures and continuously. They are able to produce an increased rate of combustion and generate more smoke. This is why a few local governments have a policy of regulating or banning their use.
OWBs work best in homes that have high levels of insulation. The smoldering, dense visible smoke is also a cause of complaints from neighbors and has led to many OWBs being shut-down or sued in the past. For OWBs dry wood that has less moisture content is required to perform effectively. Utilizing unseasoned or green wood decreases efficiency, causes creosote to build up and may shorten the life of the burner. Drying wood takes time, and a moisture meter is a must for any homeowner.
Dual-stage wood gasification (OWGB) boilers however they employ a three-step procedure that utilizes more of the energy available in the wood. This means less smoke. These furnaces are more efficient than traditional OWBs and are suitable for many different fuels. Wood gasification boilers require dry, well-seasoned firewood. Most wood will season within a year, however oak and other hardy species may require two years or more to fully season. This is because they have less volume of water and a greater density. This allows them to hold heat for longer, thus increasing efficiency and reducing pollution. The EPA "Burn Wise" website and Cornell Cooperative Extension are great sources for homeowners to learn how to burn wood efficiently to reduce air pollution.
Low Maintenance
Modern outdoor wood furnaces are designed with the environment in mind. Contrary to indoor wood stoves that emit significant smoke, modern outdoor furnaces burn cleanly without the production of excessive carbon monoxide or heat. They also require less wood to provide the same amount of heat as traditional stoves.
indoor wood burning stove require less maintenance and are more tolerant of moisture content in wood than wood burning stoves for indoor use. However outdoor wood burners can only be used with properly prepared or "cured" wood. Certain kinds of wood can last for up to a year. Make use of a moisture meter prior to loading to check the amount of water present in the wood.
During operation it is important to check the system regularly for creosote accumulation. Creosote is an byproduct of combustion that can build up in the chimney and flue when it is not cleaned frequently. It can be eliminated by pouring a creosote removing product into the fire. Regular cleaning of the flue and chimney will remove dangerous creosote and increase efficiency.
In order to get 99% efficiency from combustion, Crown Royal Stoves designed a brand new air flow technique known as Negative Pressure Gasification. Our EPA certified Pristine Series outdoor wood furnaces make use of this technology to draw air from the bottom, pushing all gasses through an insulated water surrounded secondary combustion chamber that is easy to clean turbines for a smokeless and pollution-free burn.