michelle kaufmann designs

This is the time of year when those of us with wood burning fireplaces like to enjoy a warm, crackling fire whenever it get especailly wintery outside.  A big roaring fire adds a wonderful holiday ambiance to a home and makes everyone feel more welcome and secure.  But if you’re not careful it can also create indoor and outdoor air pollution in the form of smoke.  Wood smoke can be extremely hazardous to a person’s health, plus it can account for about 80% of the air pollution in a residential area.

There are a few things you can do to avoid creating a smokey fire this winter. Have your fireplace cleaned and inspected annually and always make sure it’s properly vented. Burning the right kind of wood is crucial; you want to use only dry, well-seasoned wood that has been split properly. Properly seasoned wood is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood.

Before using any wood you cut yourself, season it outdoors for at least 6 months during the hot, dry summer. Store wood outdoors, stacked neatly off the ground with the top covered. You want your fire to burn hot and bright.  If the purpose of your fire is just to create a little ambiance and not heat then keep is small.  Once your fire has burned out, the leftover ashes you clean out of the fireplace are an ideal natural fertilizer for the garden, so save them for the spring or add them to your compost pile.