Can Wood Stoves Cause Health Problems?

Wood stoves can cause health problems! It’s not a popular opinion, but at Black Moose Chimney & Stove, we are in the business of keeping families healthy and safe, and our customers need to know the truth. If your wood stove is not properly maintained, installed correctly, vented properly, and burning appropriate wood, it will lead to health problems.

Your Wood Stove & Chimney

In order to properly vent harmful gases and pollution out of the house, your chimney should be in proper working order. The best way to make sure your chimney is installed and working properly is to have your system installed by a professional. Only a professional knows the properly sized chimney for the best ventilation. A too-small chimney can become a fire hazard, and a too big chimney can cool too fast and cause a smoke to drift out of the stove when opened, deposit more creosote and soot in the flue, lower efficiency, and raise fire risk.

Your Wood Stove & Firewood

Many homeowners think it’s okay to burn freshly-cut wood, but this is one way to increase the risk of health problems! Properly seasoned wood burns cleanly, efficiently, and completely, leaving less behind for you to clean from your stove later. Seasoned firewood also produces less soot, creosote, and smoke in general. When you burn wet (also called green) wood, your chimney becomes less efficient, and the smoke is more likely to leave the fireplace and affect your respiratory health.

Your Wood Stove and Maintenance

The worst thing that can happen to a wood stove is neglect. When they’re installed by a professional, you are assured they will work properly for some time, but still need routine maintenance. In fact, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), as well as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommend routine sweeps and annual inspections for the most efficient and safe chimney systems possible. Your wood stove has a chimney that needs routine maintenance. When the chimney isn’t cleaned regularly and inspected annually, it can fall into disrepair, may leak, may have draft issues, and even grow mold and other bacteria! This is definitely not good for your health.

Your Safe and Efficient Wood Stove

Industrial standards and technological advancements now allow for wood stoves to compete with the most efficient and “green” home heating systems. Like all other systems, however, the wood stove must be used properly and maintained. No matter what fuel you use, if you neglect it, it will be unsafe and unhealthy.
1. Professional installation only
2. Familiarize yourself with user guide
3. Use firewood properly
4. Schedule routine maintenance
5. Update and advance as time progresses

It’s easy to fall behind, but you don’t have to. When you hire Black Moose Chimney & Stove to install, service, or repair your wood stove and chimney system, you can rest assured that we’ll stick with you through all of your comprehensive chimney care. We service the area year-round, and always put safety at the top of the priority list.

Call Black Moose today at (603) 525-7905.