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There's nothing cozier than curling up near a wood stove or fireplace on a cold winter day, but...
...are you sure that you are burning your wood safely?
By following a few easy tips, your family can enjoy your beautiful wood fire in safety, reducing the risk of a chimney fire and helping cut air pollution at the same time.
Many Canadian homes use wood as a source of heat and enjoyment. It's economical, renewable and can heat well, if used properly. While the efficiency of wood stoves will vary, open fireplaces will actually draw heat from your home. A wood stove or fireplace can produce more smoke than heat, which wastes energy, builds up dangerous creosote, and creates air pollution.
Inefficient wood stoves and fireplaces can be a fire hazard. Dark or smelly smoke drifting from your chimney means the wood is not burning completely. Your wood is being wasted and is producing not only pollution, but hazardous creosote. This highly flammable, crusty deposit sticks to the inside walls of your chimney and provides the perfect fuel for chimney fires if it's allowed to build up.
 Smoke can cause minor irritations like sore throats, coughs, runny noses, headaches and nausea. But much more serious health problems can be caused by chemicals such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, which are present in smoke. Children, the elderly, and those with asthma, allergies, heart problems or lung conditions are most sensitive to smoke and its health effects.
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