46 - Friday, Nov. 20, 1992 — North Shore News HOME & GARDEN Take extra precautions in using wood-burning stoves WOOD-BURNING | stoves can be an economical way to supplement your home heating. in fact, heating with wood is a primary or secondary source of heat in approximately 2.5 million Canadian homes. But along with the increased use of wood-burning stoves, the number of related fires has also risen dramatically. “If you’re not using an approv- ed unit (ULC, CSA, WH), which is properly installed, maintained and correctly operated, you could have a hazard on your hands,”’ says Bill Holloway, a loss preven- tion specialist with The Co- operators, an all-lines insurance company. People are often unaware of the extra. precautions needed to be taken when heating with wood; you can’t just set the thermostat and relax. : Here. are some’ guidelines to keep. your kome safe and warm this winter. . “The. chimney is the most. crit- ical part (from a fire safety. point of. view) and it must be cleaned regularly,” says Holloway. The chimney. flue should be in- spected for any needed repairs and thoroughly. cleaned of soot and creosote in early fall, before you start using it. . “What. is creoscte? When wood is burned slowly; it produces steam, unburned gases and carton Particles (soot) which condenses to form creosote in the chimney. Creosote accumulates on the flue lining and seeps into any cracks in the chimney. This is a fire hazard, as creosote is easily ignited at low temperatures and burns with a very hot flame. : If you do have a chimney fire, have it cleaned and inspected be- fore using it again. ‘ Creosote can be difficult to remove because it’s a sticky, tar- like substance. . A fibreglass brush may do the job but in some cases it will have to be scraped off with a metal blade. Care should be taken to prevent damage to the chimney. The safest way is to have a qualified chimney sweep clean it for you. You can reduce creosote by maintaining a briskly burning fire with well-seasoned wood. Up to half the weight of a freshly cut log is water and may create a serious creosote problem. After proper seasoning only about 20% of the weight ‘s water ~— that is why dry wood ignites and burns easily while wet wood hisses and sizzles. Prepare firewood by splitting it in the early spring and stacking it under cover for burning in the fall. You can wood hy checks in the end grain. Look for these when judging the quality of any pre-cut firewcod you're pur- chasing. Burning dry wood is not only 25% more efficient, it ignites faster, smokes less and is a [ot lighter to carry. Hardwoods (e.g. maple) are more dense and will produce a longer-lasting fire than soft woods (e.g. pine). The wood you burn should be clean, untreated and unpainted. Avoid railway ties and furniture treated with chemicals, which often produce toxic fumes when burned. Never use gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter or other flam- mable liquids to start a fire. Avoid burning chemical logs in any wood stove, metal fireplace and/or furnace. Warnings are printed on these products and for good reason. Wood burns much faster in a masonry fireplace so many gases from the chemical logs f0 up the chimney quickly. Airtight stoves burn slower and the gases could seep into the surrounding room and/or correde the interior of your wood stove. Check the loading and ash door recognize seasoned the large cracks or | gaskets for a tight seal and replace if worn. Wf the firebricks are cracked or damaged, replace them immediately. Make sure the grates, doors and dampers on your stove are in good condition and fit tightly. The idea is to allow as little air as possible into your wood stove because by controlling the amount of air, you control the rate of combustion and your fire burns more efficiently. This way, you use less wood while supplying the maximum amount of heat. When starting a fire, use plenty of crumpled newspaper and kin- dling. As a guide, put in up to 10 full sheets of crumpled newspaper and hold it down with at least 10 pieces of finely split dry kindling. A loosely stacked load of wood (in a_ criss-cross arrangement) burns faster than a tightly packed load of wood. Keep your wood supply at ieast five feet from the stove or fireplace. Put the ashes in a covered metal container and keep them outdoors until you can dispose of them safeiy. Wet down the ashes before you throw them out. Installing smoke. detectors is important in any home but especially in homes with wood- burning stoves and fireplaces. “It’s a fact that it is usually smoke and toxic fumes that kill in a fire, so protect your family and install smoke alarms,’’ says Holloway. It’s best to place one on the ceiling as close to the sleeping area as possible — the hall outside the bedroom is fine. Since heat and smoke rise, plac- ing an alarm in a stairwell is also a good idea, as is putting one in the basement near the furnace. You should also keep a fire ex- tinguisher near your wood stove (Class ‘‘A” or “AB" is recom- mended) and be sure your family knows how to use it. 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Edmonton ~ 10340-134th Street ... : Home building seminar scheduled president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of B.C. THE GREATER Vancouver home from B.C. Gas. Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA) will be sponsor- ing a public’ seminar on home renovations Nov. 21 at the Executive Inn, 4219 Lougheed Hwy. This all-day seminar will cover such topics as: hiring a contractor and. dealing with a contract, with Shell Busey, the Build-It-Man; living with your renovation by Ken Sawatsky of Kenorah Con- struction; financing your renova- tion with Bank of Montreal; and new natural gas products for your - = = mom. What cannot be rev Location of Travel Jacker’s 1 Because pickpockets read E] 1194 Marine Dr. af Pemberton e7eit i FREE Catalo 1-800-387-0110 - Be TRE-WORLD'S BEST TRAVELGLOTHING. E Shell is the ‘home ideas guy,” “‘built-it guy'’ and radio hast for .B.C. Hydro’s Power Smart Home Ideas show. He helps people throughout B.C. to solve their home im- provement problems. Ken Sawatsky is the 1991 Na- tional Renovation Award winner and president of Kenorah Con- struction. He is also the past The cost for this seminar is $26 per person and includes lunch and all materials. Also, enter to win a gas barbecue. For more information or to reg- ister, contact the GVHBA office at 590-5256 (or toll-free 520- 6918) and quote your .Visa or MasterCard number to reserve your place. We have lots of free parking hehind the’ store *H rom pottery to flower baskets, wooden toys to jewellery, you'll im discover these great gift ideas, and more! M See the special CHRISTMAS FAIRS section. BUNOAY + WEDNESDAY - FMOAY North Shore News Classified To Advertise cail Diana Gosling 986-6222, local 208