DPE experts warn against heating with wet wood!
Burning wood in stoves has come back into favour. Society was forced to this method of heating homes by, among other things, the high costs of solid fuels, such as coal or gas, and electricity, but also encouraged by education on the use of wood biomass as renewable energy. As experts constantly emphasise, wood is a renewable energy source, but only when all the rules leading to zero CO2 emissions are followed.
Burning wet wood is particularly harmful to us and the environment.
A threat to the entire ecosystem
The most dangerous are of course the effects that will directly affect nature and our health. Water from wet wood settles in chimneys, clogging it and accumulating substances that are unhealthy for people and the environment, such as soot, fly ash or nitrogen oxides, which can lead to chronic cough, bronchial asthma and even cancer.
After escaping in large quantities from a contaminated chimney, they will also settle in the soil, attacking food. It is worth adding that some of the latest heating devices are designed to prevent burning wet wood.
A blow to our wallet
When we are halfway through the heating season, solid fuel resources may be running out and, as a result, unaware fireplace users will decide to use wet wood which in practice is not only low-calorie and therefore uneconomical, but can also cause defects in the heating system and incur additional costs.
That is why we warn against burning wet wood, even for economic reasons. Wet wood has half as much energy as dried wood. It also means that devices that burn it require more frequent servicing and do not release heat properly.
Essential education in wood heating
Wood biomass is a renewable energy source. European Union regulations fully allow it for heating and promote it as an alternative energy source. It is worth noting, however, that wood must be prepared in advance and handled appropriately. In no case is burning wet raw material permissible.
The wood should be dried to 20% humidity. It is best to season it 2 years in advance. The method of lighting is also important – always from the top. This is the method in which we arrange the wood from the largest pieces of wood at the bottom to the smallest at the top. It is also necessary to have a device compliant with Ecodesign, an important EU regulation for ecologists, where it is required by anti-smog resolutions.