Wood
smoke pollution in South Australia can be drastically reduced
if we comply with the Australian Standards and use our wood heaters
efficiently. Here are some easy steps for efficient wood heating:
Choose the right heater
Check that it meets Australian Standards
If you are considering installing a wood heater or replacing
an existing one, make sure the wood heater you choose is made
to Australian Standard AS4013.
Wood heaters made to this standard are labelled with the certification.
If your heater doesn't meet the Standard you might consider upgrading
to a newer, more efficient model.
Your heater should also be correctly installed according to Australian
Standard AS2918. A poorly installed heater will cause problems
for you and your neighbourhood.
Always get your heater installed by a professional; choose a
qualified installer who is a member of the Australian Home Heating
Association.
If in doubt, contact the Australian Home Heating Association
for advice before buying and installing a wood heater.
Buying the right size
Buying the right sized heater is important. A model that is too
large for the room will have to be turned down too often. This
reduces the efficiency of the heater, creates smoke, and promotes
the build-up of creosote in the flue.
Buying a model that is too small will not effectively heat your
home. It can also shorten the life of your heater by operating
it at full fire all the time.
Height and position of the flue
When
a wood heater is installed, the chimney should be high enough
for the smoke not to impact on your neighbours.
If another building, or a solid mass such as the side of a hill,
is closer than 15 metres, the chimney needs to be at least one
metre higher than the building or hillside. In some areas, it
may not be practical to install and use a wood heater because
the chimney would need to be very high to achieve this minimum
clearance.
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Don’t fit a rain protector such as a ‘chinaman’s
cap’ to your chimney—it restricts the upward flow
of the gas and smoke. Install a vertical discharge flue instead. |
Use dry, seasoned (aged)
wood
The wood you burn should always be dry and well seasoned because
it burns more cleanly and efficiently than green, unseasoned wood.
Unseasoned wood contains a lot of moisture, which reduces the
burning temperature of the fire and causes smoke and pollutants.
Hardwoods, such as mallee and redgum, are preferable to softwoods
such as pine. Softwoods contain more resins, creating smoke and
deposits in the chimney.
Buy wood from a reputable firewood merchant
Reputable firewood merchants only obtain their wood from legal
sources that minimise the impact on the ecosystem and environment.
If you think a wood seller may have obtained their wood from
an illegal source, don’t buy it.
Ask the Australian Home Heating Association for a list of firewood
merchants in your area.
Collecting wood
The removal of firewood from public and government land is restricted.
- Collecting firewood from National Parks in South Australia
is illegal
- You must have permission from the relevant council to take
firewood from roadsides, and from the landholder to take firewood
from private land
- You need a permit from Forestry SA to take firewood from Forestry
SA plantations
Storing your wood correctly
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Stack your wood loosely off the ground so that air can
circulate freely. Store it under cover to keep it dry. If
you collect your own firewood, it is better to cut, split
and store it for at least twelve months before burning so
that it is properly seasoned (aged).
Storing wood in a criss-cross pattern allows free air flow.
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Use your heater correctly
Think before you burn
You can reduce your heating costs by insulating your home, closing
doors and drawing your curtains to conserve the heat from your
fire.
Start your fire correctly
Use kindling, firelighters or paper to start the fire, then add
larger pieces of wood when a bed of coals is established. Leave
the air intake of the wood heater fully open for at least 30 minutes
to ensure the fire reaches its hottest temperature. A hot fire
will burn the wood more completely and therefore more efficiently
and cleanly.
How to keep the fire going
Every time you add more wood, open the air intake. After 10–20
minutes, when the wood is burning well, you can reduce the air
intake to give a comfortable fire. If the room is too hot, reduce
the heat by adding less wood rather than reducing the air to the
fire.
For best results, keep your fire burning at a moderate rate and
don’t allow it to smoulder. Remember—the less smoke
you can see, the hotter and cleaner your fire is burning.
 |
This sequence shows a well maintained fire.
New pieces of seasoned wood are added only when a good bed
of coals is established. This makes the fire burn efficiently
producing less smoke and saving you money. |
Go outside and have a look at your chimney
If you can still see smoke coming from your chimney 20 minutes
after you started the fire, there is a good chance that your wood
heater is not operating at its full potential.
Check the steps for efficient wood heating and find out what
is causing your wood smoke problem.
If you can’t find the source of your wood smoke problem,
the Australian Home Heating Association offers a free wood heater
inspection service in conjunction with participating councils.
Contact your council and ask them to undertake an inspection
of your wood heater with the Australian Home Heating Association,
or offer this advice to your neighbour.
Have your chimney cleaned once a year
Creosote and condensation builds up in the chimney, and excess
creosote can cause chimney fires, so have your chimney cleaned
each year during spring or early summer.
Burn only seasoned (aged), dry wood and keep the airflow high
in your wood heater. This will reduce the risk of creosote deposits
in your chimney.
Look for ‘chimney sweeps’ in the Yellow Pages or contact
the Australian Home Heating Association for professionals in your
area.
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