Stoves make the smoke

Winter fires may be cozy but pollutants in smoke can damage lungs, hurt eyes and smell up your house.

When it drops into the teens outside we all like to spend time indoors with family and friends. Often that time is spent enjoying a fire in the home fireplace. Sometimes however that fire can be a health hazard to a more fragile person.

From November through February winter weather causes us all to seal up our homes against the chill. That can cause air stagnation in the home. Opening and closing a burning fireplace door to stoke it releases air pollutants from the burning wood.

Wood smoke contains harmful chemical substances such as: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, dioxin, and minute particles. The particles and gases are then often released into the room and inhaled into the lungs. Also released into the room are particles caused by burning wood which then produces wood tars, soot, and ash - some of which can be toxic.

Such pollutants can threaten the health of people with heart disease, asthma, and lung diseases, as well as children and older adults. The young, the elderly, and people with heart disease and persons with respiratory problems such as asthma or pulmonary disease are especially susceptible to health problems from fireplace smoke.

Eye and respiratory irritations are also common effects of breathing wood smoke. People with heart and lung diseases may also have symptoms sooner than healthy adults. Older adults that have heart or lung disease are also at risk.

Children who spend a lot of time indoors during the winter watching television and playing video games can be at risk too. Often they sit in the room next to the fireplace. Their lungs are more easily damaged because they’re still developing.

Research on breathing wood smoke shows that people with pre-existing lung conditions are the most vulnerable to wood smoke. Folks with lung and cardiovascular conditions often wind up in the emergency rooms of hospitals after being exposed to a fireplace.

People with respiratory infections, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema are also vulnerable. Those people that have angina and coronary artery disease are often sensitive too. Those folks with lung and cardiovascular conditions must be especially careful and may experience symptoms earlier with wood smoke.

Breathing problems can also occur with outdoor smoke. Winter typically brings conditions that create an inversion that traps wood smoke close to the ground. People are more active outdoors and often breathe more deeply. This tendency increases the amount of air pollution taken into the lungs.

The levels of air pollution that cause health problems might differ for each person. A simple activity like an evening stroll may cause difficulty for some, while others may not be affected until they do yard work or running.

There are a few tricks to lower the risks of heating with firewood. First, burn seasoned firewood. Keep the chimney clean and avoid letting the fire smolder, this lets toxic gases build up in the firebox and particulates build up in the chimney as wood tar which also creates a fire hazard. Make the fire hot to burn as much of the particulate as possible. Small fires burn more efficiently.