As the weather gets colder, many people choose to stay at home and enjoy the cozy warmth of a wood stove. Using a wood stove not only helps keep your home comfortable but can also save you money on your electricity bill. However, it’s important to use a wood stove safely to prevent accidents such as fires and smoke. This article provides some simple safety tips for using a wood stove in your home.

Types of Wood Stoves

There are several kinds of wood stoves that are suitable for indoor heating. Most of them are classified as wood-burning stove inserts and free-standing. 

While wood stove inserts are modified to fit within the fireplace opening and vent through the chimney, freestanding wood-burning stoves stand comfortably inside a room and use a connector to connect to the chimney. Often, wood stoves share the chimney flue of an existing fireplace, but sometimes they vent to another chimney which is designed mainly for wood-burning stoves. 

General Safety Tips For Using A Wood Stove

1. If you are buying a new wood stove, make sure to have it installed by a qualified chimney professional.
2. Choose a wood stove that is made to modern standards and is approved by nationally recognized testing laboratories. 
3. Before you use your wood stove, have your chimney, flue vents, and wood stove inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep. Make sure to determine if your chimney is suitable to use for your wood stove. 
4. For the DIY task, make sure to check the hinges, latches, and gaskets regularly and pay attention to signs of damage. 
5. For the free-standing wood stove, place it near the woodstove to limit the length of the chimney connector. 
6. Make sure your home has smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Install them on every floor and test them often to make sure they work correctly.
7. Keep a working fire extinguisher in your home, and make sure everyone knows how to use it.

The Do’s and Don’ts Of Using a Wood Stove

• Keep children and pets away from a wood stove when it is being used. The outer surfaces of the stove, as well as the flue pipe, are extremely hot. 
• Place your wood stove on a fire-resistant base or flooring. 
• Keep combustible materials such as curtains, upholstery, mattress, and others at least 3 feet away from the wood stove. 
• Remove ashes regularly and dispose of them in a metal-covered container. Let the ashes cool down before discarding them. Then, place the container outside at least 10 feet away from your home and other buildings. 
• Don’t overfire a wood stove. Making a larger or hotter fire than what you need may lead to damage to your stove.
• Burn only well-seasoned or dry wood such as ash, hickory, oak, beech, or maple. Do not burn green wood or trash in a stove as it can lead to creosote buildup or chimney fire. 
• Don’t start a fire or increase its intensity using a flammable liquid such as gas or kerosene. These substances may explode. 
• Don’t allow ashes to accumulate in the stove as it can block airflow, retain heat, and take a while to extinguish.
• Never leave a burning wood stove unattended. Put out the fire before going to bed or leaving your home.

Professional Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Services

To keep your home safe while using a wood-burning stove, follow safety precautions to prevent fires. But if your home suffers from fire or smoke damage due to a woodstove or chimney fire, contact Superior Restoration Riverside immediately. We are experts in restoring homes and offer fire and smoke damage restoration as well as water damage restoration services. Trust us to handle your home with our experience and expertise. Contact us today for more information about our restoration services.