Burn This, not That, in your Fireplace this Winter

A wood-burning fireplace can be a good source of supplemental heat, but it will emit more pollutants into the air if the fire isn’t built properly. Here are some tips for minimizing wood smoke pollution from your fireplace or wood stove, and making a happy and healthy fire in your home this Winter, courtesy expert Danny Lipford of Today’s Homeowner.

• Try out some manufactured logs. You may not think they have quite as much charm as the real thing, but they burn cleaner than wood logs and tend to last longer. too.
• If you do use wood, burn only dry seasoned wood. Start a small fire using soft woods, and add larger hard-wood logs after the fire gets going.
• Don’t burn garbage, glossy paper or wood that has been painted or chemically treated.  Those chemicals will burn off and their particles will enter your atmosphere where you can breathe them in, and that’s not good.
• Watch that smoke.  Excessive smoke is a sign that your fire wasn’t lit properly or is not burning correctly.

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