Cool, fall weather has arrived, marking the start of the heating season. Some people choose to heat their homes with wood, and if it is done so with care, it can have minimal impact on our air quality.
There are ways to reduce the amount of smoke produced by wood heating, which can also help you save money by extending how much heat you get from your firewood:
Seasoned Firewood – Ensure that your firewood is sufficiently seasoned (dried) to get the best heat from your wood. It can take up to a year for split wood to season. How do you tell if your wood is ready to burn? Knock two pieces together and you should hear a sharp or hollow crack (versus a thud). Look for cracks on the ends, too. Firewood should contain less than 20% moisture content. Spokane Clean Air has wood moisture meters available for loan. If you are interested, please email APawlak@SpokaneCleanAir.org.
Chimney Smoke – About 20 minutes after starting your wood-burning device, check your chimney! You should only see heat waves or just a wisp of smoke. State law prohibits excessive smoke. To reduce smoke, ensure you are providing enough air to the fire and that your wood is dry.
Follow burn restrictions and exemptions- Spokane Clean Air issues temporary restrictions on wood heating and outdoor burning when fine smoke particle levels are rising and expected to continue to rise due to stable weather patterns. For more information on burn restrictions, go here.
