How safe are wood burners.

[TimmyR]

I have a wood burner and I find that dried hourse manure burns realy well

It has a slow burn and brill heat output and if you burn it at night no ones ever complained as yet also very little ash next morning

 

And if you live in a smoke free zone, this is illegal. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you break the rules apparently. Also a slow burn appliance is unlikely to be defra exempt so just fitting it is illegal. I'm sure no one will ever know...

If you don't live in a smoke free zone then its fine of course.

 

---------- Post added 15-12-2014 at 09:39 ----------

 

One person on our estate has had a wood burner installed.Whilst it does not kick out excessive smoke it smells disgusting.The fumes are drifting into peoples homes and they are complaining of sore throats and itchy eyes.It is impossible to hang out washing on a dry day as it smells of burning wood and has to be rewashed.According to the medics burning wood gives off dangerous particles which can cause severe breathing problems and possibly lung cancer.Sheffield is supposed to be a smoke free city,yet these monstrosities appear to be perfectly legal.Surely this is a return to the 40s when everybody had a smoking chimney and there was lots of smog.I really fail to see why a whole estate should suffer for one person.I know everybody has the right to their own way of living but there must be a good case to ban these things.

 

 

Where I suspect your post is an exaggeration of reality, you could well report them if you think they are burning the wrong fuels or have the wrong type of burner - if you live in a DEFRA smoke free zone.

Edited December 15, 2014 by TimmyR

[hillsbro]

...According to the medics burning wood gives off dangerous particles which can cause severe breathing problems...

Today's Daily Mail agrees - see here..

[lien1]

is anything in this world safe for us to use ? I'm sure there are more problems

Than a few wood burners around us what about the new power gens around

They burn wood process pellets , they use more wood in a day than any wood burners use in a life time

[jacklev1]

Well said above:)

[Eater Sundae]

is anything in this world safe for us to use ? I'm sure there are more problems

Than a few wood burners around us what about the new power gens around

They burn wood process pellets , they use more wood in a day than any wood burners use in a life time

 

They are also heavily regulated and checked. They are monitored to ensure that correct combustion temperatures are maintained, and particles are filtered out. The pellets do not contain paint or toxic anti fungal treatments that might be found in the old, waste wood that some people use on their home fires.

[download]

Hi speedway fan,I quite sympathize with your problem

I live on a small estate of bungalows in Wiltshire,and because my heating system has to have permanent ventilation,the person with a wood burning stove next door is a nuisance.New neighbours,not had this problem before.

Lived here 40 years.

I get it in my lounge,and can't have bedroom widows open.

Bad especially on a windless,foggy day when the smoke just drifts about.

Unfortunately there seems little you can do. Unless you live next to this nuisance I don't see how you can comment.

[Anna B]

Aren't wood burning stoves supposed to have something called a 'second burn' or something? I understood that they reignite the gasses given off by the fuel so that very little escapes into the atmosphere and fuel efficiency improves. Or have I been told porkies?

 

i've been thinking of getting a multifuel burner myself. I've never heard of this problem before if the thing is installed correctly and adheres to the rules. Comments would be appreciated...

[Eater Sundae]

Aren't wood burning stoves supposed to have something called a 'second burn' or something? I understood that they reignite the gasses given off by the fuel so that very little escapes into the atmosphere and fuel efficiency improves. Or have I been told porkies?

 

i've been thinking of getting a multifuel burner myself. I've never heard of this problem before if the thing is installed correctly and adheres to the rules. Comments would be appreciated...

 

As I understand it, dedicated wood burners are typically designed with a solid hearth. Combustion air reaches the wood from above, and the hot wood gives off combustible gases which burn in this secondary air.

 

Multi fuel appliances are designed more like a conventional coal fire with a grate beneath, through which the combustion air rises. It is more of a compromise to suit a variety of fuels. As a result it may not be as efficient with each fuel individually. I don't know if multi fuel stoves can meet the clean air requirements when used with wood, whereas you can buy dedicated wood burning stoves that do.

[lien1]

If you buy a defra approved fire and burn oak or ash there will be no problems at all:)

[bowie1867]

Solid fuel is allowed anywhere.

 

Only if its defra approved, being a gas engineer i was considering doing the hetas course - 3 days for £595 but got put off it by other engineers telling me what a nightmare solid fuel is