Things you should know

Hearth & Home

Keeping your home fires burning...

Things you should understand about burning wood

Inspect and/or clean your appliance annually

1. A dirty fireplace and chimney can cause chimney and home fires. It will also inhibit proper venting of smoke up the flue.
2. Read your manual! it is full of important information about proper cleaning and maintenance of your fireplace.
3. Have your heating appliance installed by a professional who will assure your family's safety.

Products

Gas

Wood

Pellet

1. Burn stove with draft control wide open for about 10-15 minutes every time you start a fire.
2. Everytime you add new wood this will require burning with the damper wide open for a short time, allowing the new wood to reach combustable temperatures.
3. Only burn seasoned, dry wood! Avoid burning wet or green wood. "Seasoned" indicates the wood has been dried at least one year.
4. Burn small hot fires, rather than large smoldering ones that can deposit creosote in your chimney.
5. Have your system checked annually by a qualified technician to remove ash and soot and check for creosote deposits.

Its very important to carefully maintain your wood burning appliance. Part of this process is burning seasoned, dry wood and maintaining a clean stove & chimney system.

What is Creosote?

When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other organic vapours, which when combined with moisture form creosote. The creosote vapours condense in the relatively cool chimney flue of a slow burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the flue lining. When ignited, this highly flammable substance can result in a chimney fire.