Some Burning Issues

[Shirley]

http://www.burningissues.org/

We were thinking of having a woodburning stove fitted... we've got plenty of wood around here and we thought it was a better idea than oil... but then I found this website..... I realise that it's somewhat one sided but would be interested in your views.

[den_the_cat]

Well there are more issues than emissions to consider, and wood is a more sustainable fuel source than either gas or oil, so if you source from well maintained woodlands then it may well be that you're doing better on balance than anyone using gas or oil, especially if you have a back boiler and use the same process to heat your home and water.

If the figures are 'per xxx amount of heat' I think you may also find you actually generate less heat with a wood burning stove than with central heating or similar, 'cos you tend to leave the heating on (low) all the time in winter, whereas with a fire you do occasionally let it go out and put up with keeping a coat on for 20 minutes when you get home and wearing socks in bed.

You could be really SS-ish and try burning the animal dung! Bet that has very few large particle emissions....

[kenboak]

Shirlz,

This is an American site and for many years there has been a lobby movement against woodstoves.

The concern is that the carcinogenic compounds contained in the tar and soot emissions from woodstoves were damaging the Nation's health.

Personally I think they have a bit more to worry about the nations health than a bit of woodsmoke, but don't get me started.

To reduce smoke, only burn well seasoned wood (plenty of salt and pepper) preferably if it has been drying for 2 years.

Keep the chimney clean - sweep it twice a year.

Don't be tempted to burn plastic waste on the fire.

Keep up a healthy blaze - try not to let the fire smoke and smoulder.

Some areas of the UK are still designated Smokeless Zones under the Clean Air Act. Check first that you are allowed to burn wood before investing in a woodstove.

John Prescott has taken some time off from shagging, and got his office to publish a nice 68 page planning guideline about what you can and cannot do when installing a woodstove. You will probably be obliged to get it professionally installed to meet planning legislation.

There's always someone out their wanting to quench the fire.

I hope to be install a recycled wood fire boiler myself before the summer ends.



Ken

[Millymollymandy]

And don't burn resinous woods - no pine or spruce etc. They will gunk up your burner and flue.

[PurpleDragon]

Hmm. I was given a leaflet at Turriff Show about woodburning stoves, and sustainable wood products. However the bloke said to me that it wouldnt be cost effective to convert our house, and that the thing would need to be the size of a car or something to heat our house. I kinda felt he was doing himself out of a sale, but there you go.

Anyway - I'm sure I posted a link on NEEPS! ..

[Muddypause]

John Prescott [..] got his office to publish a nice 68 page planning guideline about what you can and cannot do when installing a woodstove. You will probably be obliged to get it professionally installed to meet planning legislation.

Have you got a link to that, Ken? I can't immediately find any reference on the (former) ODPM site.

I can't see what it has to do with Planning law, unless you are in a listed building. It will probably be covered by Building Regulations with regard to flue type, ventilation, and stuff like that, but even this does not imply that it needs to be professionally installed (in any case, what would qualify someone to be a 'profesional' in this circumstance?).

I hate it when officialdom (often lead by trade associations) decrees that the nation is too stupid to do things for themselves, and it should be left to a 'professiional' (ie., member of trade assoc.).

[kenboak]

Stew,

I was mistaken, and stand corrected.

The document I was referring to was Part J of Building Regulations.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/upload ... J_2002.pdf

There seemed to be sufficient officialdom in that, to discourage all but the brave, and most folks would proably resort to a professional installation.

With any solid fuel burning appliance, air flow, ventilation,and correct size and siting of the flue are paramount for a safe installation.

I guess I was a bit drunk when I refered to John Prescott. It was rapidly approaching the point where you couldn't even fart in your own home without the ODPM legislating against you.


Ken

[Stonehead]

With any solid fuel burning appliance, air flow, ventilation,and correct size and siting of the flue are paramount for a safe installation.

Funnily enough, our 120-year-old cast iron range seems to work safely and well despite having been shoved in by the farmer who built the place. The modern, professionally installed boiler at the other end of the house always seems to need work or it will kill all of us with carbon monoxide...

[Camile]

Good morning ..

How ethical would it be to burn turf ?

Because this year we had 5 hoppers cutted on the bog that belongs to our cottage ... so we will defenetly use it ...

But I was wonderring if it's eco-friendly enough knowing that we only cutted what we needed for more or less a year ...

Camile

[Millymollymandy]

I don't know given that you are in Ireland and burning peat is something that has been done for centuries.

All I know is the big controversy in the UK with using peat in potting composts. Even in France that issue is starting to become known, although nearly all the commercial potting composts here still contain peat (but mixed with other things). But then I don't know whether France's peat bogs are in danger of extinction or not.

[Muddypause]

The document I was referring to was Part J of Building Regulations.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/upload ... J_2002.pdf

There seemed to be sufficient officialdom in that, to discourage all but the brave, and most folks would proably resort to a professional installation.

I'm actually not sure if the self-certification rules apply to wood burning stoves. This is a rule that means that if you are recognised as a 'competent person' (eg. a member of CORGI, for gas installations) then you can sign off your own work without needing to involve a building inspector. I'm not sure if there is a recognised trade association for wood burners.

Part J covers things like double glazing and boiler instalation WRT self certification - ie., either you have to be a member of the appropriate fenestration association, or you have to get your work passed by a building inspector.

In reality, a building inspector will never come knocking on your door on the off chance to see if you've just installed a new stove, unless you actually inform them that you are going to do the work. I would never recommend anyone to work to anything less that current building standards, but if you are confident in you own work, and know what is required to do the job properly, then do the work yourself, and if it comes to it, get it passed by the inspector later.

[Muddypause]

How ethical would it be to burn turf ?

Is a peat bog that is being cut for turf still 'living'? Does it still have active sphagnem moss forming new peat? I don't know enough to say whether peat is a finite resource, or renewable energy.

I would imagine that in some respect, burning peat is similar to burning coal or oil - the carbon that has been locked up in the peat as part of its growing process is being released back into the atmosphere. If the bog from which the peat is cut is destroyed in the process, then there is no hope of that carbon cycle being neutral. If, however, new peat is being laid down at the same rate that it is being extracted, then things look better in that respect.

I seem to recall hearing that peat bogs play a much more significant role in absorbing carbon than had previously been thought. And I think peat from a decent bog can be dated back thousands of years.

[digiveg]

Peat takes such an incredibly long time to form that it can't be considered as a renewable resource.

[Camile]

How ethical would it be to burn turf ?

Is a peat bog that is being cut for turf still 'living'? Does it still have active sphagnem moss forming new peat? I don't know enough to say whether peat is a finite resource, or renewable energy.

I would imagine that in some respect, burning peat is similar to burning coal or oil - the carbon that has been locked up in the peat as part of its growing process is being released back into the atmosphere. If the bog from which the peat is cut is destroyed in the process, then there is no hope of that carbon cycle being neutral. If, however, new peat is being laid down at the same rate that it is being extracted, then things look better in that respect.

I seem to recall hearing that peat bogs play a much more significant role in absorbing carbon than had previously been thought. And I think peat from a decent bog can be dated back thousands of years.

Hi Muddy,

Indeed it's a peat bog ... and new peat is not laid down at the same rate .. but a very small amount is cut verticaly so it doesn't destroy the bog as such.

And as for the moss, it's a fairly alive bog with moss, heather, frog, red-deer and so on ...

And indeed bogs are really old ... the big problem in Ireland with them is that they are over exploited to feed an endless screw feeding electricity generator ... wich is why it's controversial ..

will post pics later on to show how much is cut compare to the size of the bog ...

Camile