Winter is here. ITC’s inbox has been inundated with newsletters from different organisations promoting the benefit of wood heaters. One article claimed it was the most efficient heating solution and environmentally sustainable. Last year we even received an email from one of the Real Housewives of Melbourne telling me how to care for a fire.
The ITC household has two fireplaces and we have never fired them up. Lane Cove has some beautiful federation homes and California bungalows that have fire places. A warm fire is cozy and nice, but do you neighbours appreciate your fireplace? According to the NSW EPA site, a wood heater can cause issues with neighbours
Are Wood Heaters Permitted in Lane Cove?
ITC was not even sure if wood heaters were even permitted in the Lane Cove Council area.
Lane Cove Council’s Development Control Plan requires wood heaters in new houses to be noted on the DA. If you are renovating and will be installing a wood fire heater you also need to note this on your DA.
The Lane Cove Council policy on wood heaters is:
Council’s position is not to abolish the use of domestic solid fuel heaters within the local government area. However, Council will continue to encourage the community to consider improved residential insulation and alternative approaches to home heating and design which minimise the potential for pollution and encourage the use of renewable resources and more sustainable energy alternatives.
According to the NSW EPA smoke from, wood heaters is a major cause of air pollution. In fact, during winter, wood heaters can produce up to seven times as much particle pollution as cars. Not only is a smoking fire wasting money, but the air pollution it causes impacts on health.
Make Sure Your Wood Heater is Working Correctly
The most important thing to do is to make sure your wood heater is working correctly. The EPA list of Do’s and Don’t’s for a wood burning heater are listed below:
Do |
Don’t |
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Check your heater complies with the Australian Standard for pollution emissions (AS 4013:1999) | Don’t use old inefficient heaters that don’t comply with pollution standards | ||
| Don’t use open fires | |||
|
|
|||
| Burn only, dry seasoned hardwood | Don’t burn coal, coke or moist wood | ||
| Check your wood is dry by tapping it with a coin. You should hear a loud, hollow sound. | Don’t burn rubbish or painted or treated wood | ||
| Use a number of small logs in your heater | Don’t burn just one log | ||
|
|
|||
| Store freshly cut wood for eight to twelve months before use | Don’t use green wood | ||
| Store wood under cover in a dry ventilated area | Don’t store your wood where it is exposed to water or moisture | ||
|
|
|||
| Be aware of the source of your wood | Don’t harvest wood in a way that threatens vegetation and animal habitats | ||
| Ask your wood seller to verify whether wood for immediate use is aged and dry | |||
|
|
|||
| Stack wood loosely in your fire box, so plenty of air circulates around it | Don’t pack wood too tightly in the firebox | ||
| Keep the flame lively and bright | Don’t let your fire smoulder | ||
| Open the air controls fully for 5 minutes before and 15 to 20 minutes after loading the heater | Don’t keep the vent closed when you add fuel | ||
|
|
|||
| Keep enough air in the fire to maintain a flame or let it go out overnight | Don’t dampen down your fire or let it smoulder overnight | ||
| Rely on your home’s insulation to hold in enough heat for the night | Don’t allow creosote to build up in the flue, increasing the risk of a chimney fire. | ||
| Check your chimney regularly to see how well your fire is burning. If it is smoky, increase the air supply | |||
| Clean the woodheater flue and baffle regularly | |||
The old adage of where there is smoke, there is fire is true with the wood heater.
The first two pictures on the right are examples of excessive smoke and are deemed unacceptable. The last picture shows an acceptable level of smoke.
In a nutshell, wood heaters are permitted, however, they must be used correctly. If you use your wood heater correctly it will save you money and your neighbours won’t get upset.
A number of tools are available to help you use your wood heater correctly, minimise harmful wood smoke pollution and save money. The Australian Home Heating Association (AHHA) have some useful tools available on their website and you can order a FREE copy of the DVD, Clear Skies—getting the most out of your wood heater from the AHHA. Email: [email protected]
One of ITC’s Gold sponsors Xchange Air can also assist you with getting the most benefit out of a wood burning fire.
- Sign up for the weekly In the Cove Newsletter
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram @inthecove
- Tweet us on Twitter @InTheCoveITC
- Pin us on Pinterest inthecoveITC
- Tell your friends about ITC (they will thank you!!). Remember to tell them that ITC is a website and they do not have to have access to any Social Media to enjoy ITC – we often speak to people who tell us they want to follow ITC but don’t have Facebook or Instagram account (you don’t need them)
