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Steps To Reduce Wood Heating Air Pollution This Winter

Read the ten simple maintenance steps for using your wood heaters to save time and fuel efficiently.

By news@gippsland - 29th June 2016 - Back to News

With the cold weather settling in, Latrobe City Council is receiving an increased number of complaints about wood heater use.

Latrobe City mayor, Councillor Michael Rossiter, said although wood-burning heaters were a popular way of heating for your home, if not used correctly they may create unnecessary smoke and cause a nuisance for your neighbours.

"In addition, if you are not using the wood heater correctly you could be costing yourself money by not using the fuel efficiently," Cr Rossiter said.

Residents are being asked to help improve winter air quality by checking they are using wood heaters correctly by following these simple maintenance steps:

1. Have your flue professionally cleaned and checked.
2. Don't let your heater smoulder overnight; this starves the fire of oxygen and produces more smoke and leading to air pollution. Keep enough air in the fire to maintain a flame.
3. Burn only dry, seasoned, untreated hardwood in your wood heater. Unseasoned wood has lots of moisture and creates excessive smoke.
4. Store your wood under cover in a dry, ventilated area. Freshly cut wood must be stored for at least eight to twelve months before being used.
5. Never burn rubbish, driftwood or painted or treated wood as they produce excessive smoke and can produce poisonous gases.
6. When lighting a cold heater get a hot fire going quickly, use plenty of dry kindling and paper.
7. Use several small logs rather than one large log and stack them loosely in your heater; this allows air to circulate around the wood.
8. Keep the flame lively and bright. Your fire should only smoke when you first light it and when you add extra fuel. Open the air controls fully for 5 minutes before and 15 to 20 minutes after reloading the heater. The less smoke you can see, the hotter and cleaner your fire is burning.
9. Check your chimney regularly to see how well your fire is burning. If there is smoke coming from the chimney, increase the air supply to your fire.
10. If you are buying a wood heater, make sure it has a compliance plate showing it meets the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 4013:1999).

Councillor Rossiter encouraged residents to have a chat to their neighbours if they were having issues with wood smoke in their area.

"Many times a neighbour won’t even know that their wood heater is causing you an issue," Cr Rossiter concluded.

For further information regarding wood burning and air quality visit www.epa.vic.gov.au or contact Council’s Health Services on 1300 367 700.

Media Enquiries:

Cr Michael Rossiter, Latrobe City Mayor

Telephone: 0499 981 242

Cr Sharon Gibson, Latrobe City Deputy Mayor

Telephone: 0429 338 762

Media Relations Office

Telephone: 5128 5458

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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