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Maine Info on Wood Burning
Stoves
There are, on average, over 500
chimney fires in the state of Maine each year. Annual chimney cleanings
will increase safety and heating efficiency. Many rural residential home
fires are caused by heating fires; many due to creosote buildup in chimneys and
stovepipes. Almost half of Maine homes heat with a wood stove - due to the
abundance of wood, the rural nature of our state, and the upward push of oil
prices.
Sources of Information on Wood Stove Safety
All
about Chimneys. The Wood Heat Organization.
Chemical Chimney Cleaners. Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Chimney Safety Institute of
America. Facts on fireplace and wood stove safety.
Fire Heating Safety Recommendations. Office of State Fire Marshal -
Maine.
Fact Sheet on Rural Fire Safety and Prevention. Maine.gov. (
PDF file).
Fact Sheets. By the National Fireplace Institute.
Heating with Firewood - Fire Safety Tips. Maine.gov.
How to Baby Proof a Wood Stove. EHow.com.
How to
Burn Wood Right. Northeast Regional Biomass Program.
How to Select Firewood. Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Indoor Air: Residential Wood Burning. Environmental Protection Agency.
Recommended Standards for the Installation of Woodburning Stoves.
Maine.gov ( PDF file).
Winter Safety: Wood Burning and Lung Health. Maine Prepares.
Wood
Burning Safety. Maine Mutual Insurance.
Wood
Burning Tips for New Stove Owners. Mazzeo's Chimney & Stoves.
Wood and Pellet Stove Safety. Town of Mechanic Falls, Maine.
Wood Heat
Safety. The Wood Heat Organization.
Tips for Safe Fireplace and Wood Stove Use
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Inspect and clean your chimney and wood stove
annually. Have a professional chimney sweep do this work for you.
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Keep the area around your wood stove or fire
place clean and keep flammable materials away.
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Keep air inlets to wood stoves open.
This will help limit creosote buildup that can cause a chimney fire.
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Use stovepipe thermometers. If your
stove or stovepipe is running too hot the thermometer will help you know that.
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Use metal mesh screens. This will keep wood
sparks and coals from shooting out from your stove or fireplace onto your rugs
or any other flammable material.
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Use fire-resistant materials on walls around
wood stoves. Metal or stone will help reduce incidents of fire.
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Don't use flammable liquids to start a wood
fire in the home.
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Use seasoned hard wood. Soft woods and
moist or wet wood will increase creosote buildup in chimneys. Creosote, if
it builds up too much, could catch fire.
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Try to burn smokeless fires. Less smoke will
mean less buildup of creosote in your chimney, less pollution of the
environment, and cleaner air for your home.
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Keep your roof clear of leaves, pine needles
and other burnable materials.
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Don't leave your fire unattended.
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Install smoke alarms on every level of your
home and test monthly if not more. Replace the batteries at least twice a year.
You should install CO2 monitors as well.
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Don't burn cardboard boxes in your fireplace
or wood stove.
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Have a fire extinguisher handy in case a fire
does occur.
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Small hot fires are safer and yield less
smoke.
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Clear excess ash to prevent clogging of
stove's intake vents.
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Ensure your stove is placed on an approved
stove board to protect the floor. Stove boards can be made of metal or be
some type of stone.
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Start fires with clean newspaper and dry
kindling.
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Stack wood off the ground and cover the top
of the wood. Prevent the wood from getting exposed to rain.
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Plan and practice a family escape plan for
your home and family. Plan for multiple methods of escape.
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Don't use gasoline, kerosene, charcoal
starter, or propane torches to light a fire. Don't use charcoal in a stove
or fireplace as it produces an excessive amount of carbon monoxide.
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Burn hot bright fires. Burn hot fires
at least twice a day to reduce the amount of creosote in the chimney.
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Install a chimney cap to keep debris and
animals out of the chimney.
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When cleaning out your ashes always put them
in a metal container.
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