Household Heating And Air Polution

Depending on where you live you probably have had to turn on the heat as the temperature dips and we say goodby to Summer and hello to Fall.
Over the last several years air pollution has significantly increased in our area. With fireplaces, old wood stoves, open burning and poor burning practices, not only does it look and smell bad it's also bad for all of us who breath it in.  Weather you're young or old, healthy or have health concerns we are all breathing in those dangerous fine particulates.
Breathing in these chemical causes resperatory distress and alters our breathing, especially in those with existing issues such as asthma, COPD or allergies. 

 Health Canada and Environment Canada list the hazardous chemicals in wood smoke as the following.
 1. Carbon Monoxide (CO) - When inhaled in high levels causes headaches, nausea, confusion, and fatigue and in extremely high levels it can lead to death.  It reduces oxygen in the blood which causes stress on the heart.
 2. Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) -This can lower the bodies resistance to lung infections, while also causing shortness of breath and irritation of upper airways especially in those that already have lung disease.  
 3. Acrolein - can cause both respiratory tract and eye irritation.
 4. PM2.5 - varied size and composition of microscopic toxic particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.  As a result this can lead to extremely serious respiratory issues especially for those who already suffer from any type of existing lung issues.
 5. Formaldehyde - can be a trigger for asthmatics. It causes eye and lung irritation, coughing, and headaches.
 6. Hydrocarbons (HC) - can cause lung damage.
 7. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH's) - Long time exposure poses cancer risks.
 8. Dioxins and Furans - some are considered carcinogenic.
 9. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) - can cause respiratory irritation and some are known carcinogens.

According to the US EPA, the worst wood burning appliance by far is the wood fireplace and the old or uncertified wood stove. A wood fireplace can cause 20 times the pollution of a certified wood stove. Pellet stoves produce even lower levels of emissions while gas produces the least amount.

By switching to a high-efficiency wood stove that is certified "Low Emission by the EPA" you significantly increase efficiency and reduce the amount of toxins in the air by up to 90 percent. They also use considerably less wood to get the same amount of heat. 
But there is still more you can do if you're using a wood stove. 

1. NEVER EVER burn garbage or any kind of painted or treated wood.  It can contain poisons and toxic chemicals that you could release into the air.

2. NEVER burn wood that's been in salt water. The chlorine in the salt when burned can cause dangerous dioxins and furans.

3. Burn dry hardwoods. Do not burn green or wet wood (as it will produce the most smoke). Soft woods will also leave more deposits inside your chimney and produce more emissions than hard woods.

4. By burning smaller hotter fires you can reduce the smoke of smoldering fires.

5. Store your wood outside to avoid bringing any mold into your home.

6. By making your home more energy efficient you can also reduce the use of your wood stove.

According to the "Government of Canada, Burn It Smart" the best types of wood to burn (most energy per cord) in order are as follows:

Ironwood, Rock elm,Hickory, Oak, Sugar Maple, Beech, Yellow birch, Red elm, Red maple, Tamarack, Douglas fir, White birch, Manitoba maple, Red alder, Hemlock, Poplar, Pine, Basswood, Spruce and Balsam.

In British Columbia we have a Provincial Wood Stove Exchange Program.  This program provides funding to communities to promote the exchange of old wood stoves for new cleaner burning wood stoves, pellet stoves, gas and even heat pumps.  
For more information on this program check out the website 
BC Wood Stove Exchange Program
Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec also offer incentive programs. For more information on these programs check out the website
 Woodstove Changeouts

Source:
www.lung.ca/news/advocacy-tools/our-position-statements/residential-wood-burning
www.epa.gov/burnwise/burn-wise-energy-efficiency
www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/air/chauf-bois/index-en.htm
www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/air/chauf-bois/index-en.htm