Environmental Issue: Wood Burning Fireplaces
Environmental Psychology considers two issues with wood burning fireplaces. What's
important to you? Your home environment for emotional support or saving the
environment?
If you plan to move to a new home or to build a home, you may draw a line through a
fireplace as a necessity. Although people love the warmth, comforting crackling sounds,
aromas, and moving light a wood burning fire provides, fireplaces can emit polluted air
into your home and into your neighborhood.
Most home shoppers request a fireplace. Home buyers desire a hearth, which symbolizes
home. Families gather around the fireplace during holiday celebrations and quiet
conversations. Book lovers enjoy curling up next to a fire on a cool afternoon. Many new
homes feature fireplaces in the main bedroom. After all, what’s more romantic than a fire.
Environmental Psychology considers two issues with wood burning fireplaces. What's
important to you? Your home environment for emotional support or saving the
environment?
If you plan to move to a new home or to build a home, you may draw a line through a
fireplace as a necessity. Although people love the warmth, comforting crackling sounds,
aromas, and moving light a wood burning fire provides, fireplaces can emit polluted air
into your home and into your neighborhood.
Most home shoppers request a fireplace. Home buyers desire a hearth, which symbolizes
home. Families gather around the fireplace during holiday celebrations and quiet
conversations. Book lovers enjoy curling up next to a fire on a cool afternoon. Many new
homes feature fireplaces in the main bedroom. After all, what’s more romantic than a fire.
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Some urban cities have considered banning wood-burning fireplaces altogether to stem
the flow of pollutants in the smog-filled air. Some California cities and counties have
enacted local ordinances to limit the growing wood smoke problem.
Mammoth Lakes, Squaw Valley, Cloverdale, Fresno, and many cities and counties in the
Bay Area permit installation of only U.S.EPA certified wood-fired appliances in all new
construction. Since 1991, the Bay Area AQMD has issued advisories for a voluntary
no-burn program on poor air quality nights, "Spare the Air Tonight."
But wait! Solutions exist so you can enjoy your fire. To keep pollutants from entering
your room air, you can install a certified clean-burning fireplace insert and a glass screen.
Buy a carbon monoxide monitor and an oxygen-depletion sensor to ensure safe air. The
new fireplace systems keep pollutants from leaving your chimney.
Other considerations for you to ponder include the source of heating for your home.
What happens when natural gas demand outpaces production? Prices skyrocket. And if
your heat comes from a coal-burning electrical plant, doesn't the burning coal produce
toxins that pollute the air?
If you're building a new home, consider installing a Pellet Stove, the most efficient and
least polluting of the new stove designs. Pellet Stoves provide less than 1 gram per hour
of particulate emissions. Most of these stoves s require electricity and burn compressed
wood waste formed into pellets.
Be kind to yourself and to the environment. Consider these environmental issues when
you light up your fire.
the flow of pollutants in the smog-filled air. Some California cities and counties have
enacted local ordinances to limit the growing wood smoke problem.
Mammoth Lakes, Squaw Valley, Cloverdale, Fresno, and many cities and counties in the
Bay Area permit installation of only U.S.EPA certified wood-fired appliances in all new
construction. Since 1991, the Bay Area AQMD has issued advisories for a voluntary
no-burn program on poor air quality nights, "Spare the Air Tonight."
But wait! Solutions exist so you can enjoy your fire. To keep pollutants from entering
your room air, you can install a certified clean-burning fireplace insert and a glass screen.
Buy a carbon monoxide monitor and an oxygen-depletion sensor to ensure safe air. The
new fireplace systems keep pollutants from leaving your chimney.
Other considerations for you to ponder include the source of heating for your home.
What happens when natural gas demand outpaces production? Prices skyrocket. And if
your heat comes from a coal-burning electrical plant, doesn't the burning coal produce
toxins that pollute the air?
If you're building a new home, consider installing a Pellet Stove, the most efficient and
least polluting of the new stove designs. Pellet Stoves provide less than 1 gram per hour
of particulate emissions. Most of these stoves s require electricity and burn compressed
wood waste formed into pellets.
Be kind to yourself and to the environment. Consider these environmental issues when
you light up your fire.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, wood-burning fireplaces emit nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, organic gases, and particulate matter.
These pollutants can cause serious health problems for children, pregnant women, and
people with respiratory problems. Like cigarette smoke, some of these elements contain
cancer-causing properties.
oxides, carbon monoxide, organic gases, and particulate matter.
These pollutants can cause serious health problems for children, pregnant women, and
people with respiratory problems. Like cigarette smoke, some of these elements contain
cancer-causing properties.
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