If you have a wood-burning fireplace it is probably the centerpiece of your home. This is where the family can gather on a cold winter day to warm up after a morning of tobogganing. However, an increasing number of people have made the decision to stop burning wood. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Respiratory Infections - Wood smoke hinders lung development in babies and children. Plus, it increases the risk of bronchitis, pneumonia, and other lower respiratory infections.
2. Depressed Immune System - Wood smoke damages cells in the lungs that are responsible for cleaning and protecting the airways, thereby depressing the immune system.
3. Cancer - Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, and fine particles and other gases contain carcinogens that contribute to cancer.
4. Irritation - Toxic air pollutants in smoke can cause headaches, coughs, sore throat, and eye irritation.
5. Asthma Attacks - Hospital emergency rooms see a surge of traffic on the first few cold nights of the year because wood smoke commonly triggers asthma attacks.
6. Heart Attacks and Strokes - Individuals exposed to wood smoke regularly have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
7. Bad for the Environment - It is proven that wood smoke has an adverse effect on health, so you can just imagine what it does to the environment. Some cities in the country no longer allow wood-burning fireplaces. Denver, Colorado is a good example.
8. Carbon Monoxide - Wood fires are the most dangerous carbon monoxide producers. This colorless and odorless gas kills more than 400 people in America every year. Your fireplace basically becomes a carbon monoxide factory the moment the flames die and coal embers start creating that red glow.
9. Fire - The last thing in the world that you want to think about is being the victim of a house fire. Unfortunately, even if you take every safety precaution, you can't always prevent them. A blocked chimney or cracked masonry can easily contribute to a fire.
Convert the Space
You do not have to say goodbye to your fireplace for good. There are ethanol fireplace burners available that you can buy to place right inside your fireplace. They burn biofuel, which is a clean-burning fuel source that produces a smoke-free, safe, and odorless fire. You can find a nice selection of them from stores like EthanolFireplacePros.com. It's definitely nice not maintaining a dirt wood pile.
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12 comments :
I've always wanted a fireplace-- but for many of the reasons you've listed we never got one--I LOVE the sleek look of the Ethanol Fireplace
As an asthmatic I love this post. It is very informative and shares critical information that I am sure many people are not aware of.
Homes with fireplaces are very uncommon here in the Philippines, being a tropical country and all. It's a good thing since we probably wouldn't have one built anyway as asthma runs in our family.
Interesting!
Ella
Wow, I never though about those chemicals and compounds being in wood smoke. It makes me glad I no longer have a fireplace.
What I love about my wood stove in Tahoe is that it's sealed so there's no leaking of fumes. I make sure to have it serviced every year to avoid any build-up in the pipes. That said, it certainly creates mess as the wood is carried in and put on the fire. Much cleaner to have gas.
Our fireplace ends up pulling smoke inside of the house and its gross. This would be a great addition in our house.
All fires produce carbon monoxide when starved for air. Sometimes the clean ones are more dangerous as you don't have the smell warning you of the issue!
I'm definitely checking this out! We have 2 wood burning fireplaces in our house. I'd love to have an alternative fuel, especially one that's earth-friendly.
Thanks for shring, I had no Idea burning woods inside home has so many ill effects on us and the environment
Oh wow. I love burning wood and was unaware of these effects. You've given me much to think about. Thank you!
I didn't know about any of this except it causing asthma attacks. This is a great product and I would love one of these instead of burning wood. Thanks for sharing,
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