Harnessing the power of fire was one of the key steps in human evolution. And up until only quite recent times, burning wood and other combustible material was your only option for keeping your home warm in the winter. Of course today’s technology has expanded the options available for heating your home. But there’s still an element of comfort and traditional style associated with the use of wood stoves that is irreplaceable through more modern means.
Modern wood stoves function in much the same way as they have been for centuries. You build your fire inside of a closed chamber typically constructed of cast iron or steel. This chamber is connected to your chimney, which draws out the fumes through combustion. Dampers regulate this flow of air, controlling the size of the fire and thus the heat that it produces.
Because the fire inside your wood stove requires a steady supply of cool air, modern stoves are built to pull in air from outside via the stove pipe. This reduces both draughts and air pollution inside of your home. Whether or not your Wood Stove in Hagerstown MD uses an external air supply, ensuring proper ventilation is critical to both the safety and functionality of your stove.
There is routine maintenance that you can perform yourself to assure regular air supply, such as emptying the ash pans. Other maintenance must be performed by an experienced chimney sweep. The soot and creosote created by the combustion process must be regularly removed in order to prevent fire and smoke damage to your chimney and roof. If allowed to build up for too long, these substances will restrict the airflow in your stove pipes and flue, preventing smoke from exiting as intended through the chimney. If smoke cannot properly escape, the problem will only compound itself with time. This buildup drastically effects ventilation, causing smoke and even dangerous carbon monoxide gas to be released into your home.
This potential health hazard doesn’t have to prevent you from enjoying the heat and comfort of your internal Wood Stove in Hagerstown MD. Contact Magic Mountain Chimney Sweeps to find out more about what you can do to prevent damaging creosote buildup and guarantee the continued safety and enjoyment of your wood burning stove.