Alaska Native Village Air Quality Fact Sheet Series
Wood Smoke
EPA 910-F-100-08
August 2010 United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 10
What is wood smoke?
Wood smoke is air pollution caused by firewood that doesn't burn
completely. If the wood were to burn completely, there would be
no visible smoke. The less efficiently a fire burns, the more smoke
it produces, along with tiny particles and other harmful gases.
Wood smoke is actually unburned fuel that could have produced
more heat if burned completely.
What are the health effects of breathing
wood smoke?
Small particles and toxic chemicals in wood smoke are unhealthy
for you and your family. They are so small that the body's natural
defense mechanisms can't keep them from going deep into the
lungs where they can damage lung tissue and contribute to lung
disease.
These particles are actually made up of very small bits of wood
tars and gases, soot and ash. Even occasional exposure to wood
smoke can create problems such as watery eyes, stuffy noses, and
chest tightness. Everyone may experience one or more of these
symptoms, but children and older adults, and people with asthma
or heart disease, are especially vulnerable.
Particle pollution can trigger asthma attacks and has been linked
to heart attacks in people with heart disease. The particles and
chemicals in wood smoke may also contribute to infectious respi-
ratory disease like pneumonia.
What is the best way to 'burn clean'?
Dry, small and hot
• Be sure the wood is very dry. After splitting, firewood should
dry for at least 6 to 12 months in a covered area with good air
circulation. Begin the fire with a quick hot start.
• Open your stove's damper wide and leave it open for 20 to 30
minutes to allow air in to fuel the fire. This will allow the stove
to get very hot and establish a hot bed of coals before adding
any logs.
• Avoid large smoldering fires and don't overload your firebox
with logs. Small hot fires burn more completely and provide
more heat, while producing less smoke and using less fuel.
Tips for dean
burning
Use dry clean wood.
Burn only wood, not trash.
Start fires small, burn hot.
Don't dampen down at
night.
Don't overload firebox.
Use certified wood stoves or
other cleaner fuels.
Escaping wood smoke
creates indoor air pollution.
Other ANV Air
Fact Sheets
• Diesel Fuel Use
• Road Dust
• Solid Waste Burning
• Indoor Air
For these fact sheets and
related videos, visit:
www.epa.gov/regionlO/
tribal/air/alaska. html
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What is the best way to'Burn Clean?'
Continued
No garbage
Only burn clean, dry wood in your woodstove. Do
not burn saltwater driftwood or treated or painted
wood. Do not burn garbage, plastics, rubber, paint,
oil, charcoal briquettes, or glossy colored paper.
Burning garbage can damage your stove and can
cause serious health problems for you, your family
and neighbors. Burning garbage produces toxic
smoke that is dangerous inside and outside the
home.
What should come out of
your chimney?
Except for brief periods during start-up and
refueling, you should not see smoke coming from
your chimney. If your stove is producing a lot
of smoke, something is wrong. A wood stove or
fireplace with a small hot fire should only produce
a thin wisp of white steam.
If you see smoke, open your dampers to let in more
air. Smoke means the wood isn't being fully burned
which wastes fuel, produces air pollution, and can
result in the buildup of creosote, a highly flamma-
ble crusty substance, creating a serious fire hazard.
A clean burning wood stove with no visible smoke.
Region 10 Contacts
Claudia Vaupel,
(206) 553- 6121
Vaupel. Claudia@epa.gov
Region 10 Main Number (800) 424-4372
Should you completely fill your
firebox at night?
No. Filling the firebox with fuel and using the
damper to severely limit the air flow can be a fire
hazard and creates a great deal of air pollution
because the fire burns cooler
It is better to only fill your firebox halfway full of
wood. By reducing the air supply with the damper,
the fire smolders overnight. This does little for
heating and can allow extra smoke to enter the
house and produce unhealthy air. See the Fact
Sheet on Indoor Air in this series.
How are EPA certified stoves
better?
When operated properly, certified stoves produce
less smoke, less tar and provide a safer burn by
both reducing health risks from breathing smoke
and the chances of chimney fires from creosote
build up. If not operated properly, they can still
produce too much smoke.
Because certified wood stoves burn more of the
wood fuel right in the firebox, they use up to a
third less wood and can cut air pollution by up to
90 percent. Proper burning techniques will help
you get the best heat from your stove, protect
your family's health, and save money on fuel.
Consider replacing an old stove with a new home
heating device, either an EPA certified wood
stove or another device that uses even cleaner
burning fuel. If there is no EPA certification label
on the back of the stove, you have an old and
potentially higher polluting device that may be
contributing unhealthy smoke to your home and
community.
Learn more on the web
About wood stoves in general:
EPA: www.epa.gov/burnwise
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation:
www.dec.state.ak.us/air/anpms/as/pm/ws-txt.htm
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