October 10th, 2007

Get Cozy: Guide to Eco-Smart Fireplace Fires

Posted by Jessica Jensen

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It’s getting to be the time of year when it’s nice and chilly in the evening, and we start to say, “Hey, let’s make a fire in the fireplace!”  Well that sounds cozy and lovely, but here at Low Impact Living we naturally have to question the environmental impact of that crackling fire. 

We hate to tell you that burning wood is not very eco-friendly.  Burning wood not only uses wood that had to be cut down (sometimes unsustainably), but the burning process releases many nasty items. According to the EPA, wood smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and some carcinogenic chemicals, and also dangerous particulate matter. These all go right into the outdoor air where they contribute to pollution, but they also go into our lungs as we breathe the air coming out of the fireplace. This smoke can be be harmful to our health, and particularly to children and folks with asthma and other heart & lung conditions. So, sadly, burning wood is not good for our air quality– both indoor and outside. (And please check with your local air quality board as many cities and states have implemented strict regulations on home fires in order to curb pollution.)

Don’t despair!!

First, burning a natural gas fire is much better than a wood fire. It is very clean and produces few toxic byproducts during combustion. Although it is nonrenewable, for now you are nearly guaranteed that your natural gas originates in North America. 

You can also get an EPA certified wood or pellet stove. Pellet stoves burn dried wood and sawdust and burn cleaner than cord wood fireplaces. All of these are much safer for your lungs and greatly reduce your pollution contribution. To find certified stoves, visit the EPA’s site here.

If you are going to burn a wood fire, there are several steps you can take to limit the negative impacts. First, get your chimney cleaned annually.  Second, only burn the right materials. Use wood that has been dried for at least six months, choose hardwoods over softwoods (the resins in softwood can increase smoke and pollution), and cut wood into smaller pieces. Never burn trash or plastics– the latter are particularly toxic. Never burn plywood or pressure-treated woods which likely contain hazardous chemicals. Third, the way your burn wood will greatly affect efficiency and also the amount of pollution you emit. Start fires with clean newspaper and dry kindling. Reload your wood stove by adding at least three pieces of wood each time (avoiding single logs), on and behind the mound of hot coals, and make sure your flue is adjusted so that the fire burns brightly. For more info on how to burn wood safely and efficiently, the EPA also has great resources you can visit through this link.

Throw on a Java Log 

This is a product we’ve recently found and we think it’s a great innovation– the Java Log. These are made from, you guessed, compressed coffee grounds. We can tell you from personal experience that they make a nice crackle and burn great! There is even a faint pleasant coffee smell.  Apparently coffee is more efficient than wood: coffee has 25% more energy than wood and 3x the flame per unit of energy. And these little java logs are much better for the environment than standard wood logs: they produce 8 times less creosote and 5 times less particulate matter.  They also come in recycled packaging, which is a nice bonus. To find stores that sell Java Logs, click here.