Environment

Wood Heaters

Information for owners of wood heaters

Smoke from wood heaters is a major cause of air pollution. In fact, during winter, wood heaters can produce two to three times as much particle pollution as cars. Not only is a smoking fire wasting your money, but the air pollution it causes can also affect our health. That's why we need to change the way we use our heaters.

Wood smoke contains a number of noxious gases (including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and a range of organic compounds, some of which are toxic or carcinogenic) and fine particles, which go deep into the lungs. These pollutants can cause breathing difficulties even at relatively low levels, especially for people suffering existing respiratory conditions, such as asthmatics, and for very young children and frail older people. If you can see or smell smoke then you are causing a problem for yourself, your family and your neighbours.

Help clear the air

Smoke from wood heaters contributes to air pollution. You can minimise pollution by:

• Always burning small logs of aged, dry hardwood — unseasoned wood has more moisture which makes a heater smoke
• Storing wood under cover in a dry ventilated area; freshly cut wood needs to be stored for 8-12 months
• Never burning rubbish, driftwood or treated or painted wood, which can pollute the air and can be poisonous
• Using plenty of dry kindling to establish a good fire quickly, when lighting a cold heater
• Stacking wood loosely in your firebox so air can circulate — don't cram the firebox full
• Keeping the flame lively and bright; your fire should only smoke for a few minutes when you first light it and when you add extra fuel. Open the air controls fully for 5 minutes before and 15-20 minutes after reloading
• Not letting you heater smoulder overnight — keep enough air in the fire to maintain a flame
• Checking your chimney regularly — if there is smoke coming from the chimney, increase the air supply to your fire
• Cleaning the chimney every year, to prevent creosote build up.

Check your chimney

Reduce your heating bills

Save money by:

• Insulating ceilings, walls and floors
• Sealing out draughts
• Covering your windows with curtains, blinds or double glazing, and placing a pelmet above curtains
• Installing doorways or other barriers between different areas of your home
• Opening curtains on north facing windows on sunny winters days
• Using ceiling fans to return heat that has risen to a second storey or to the ceiling
• Wearing warm clothing
• Closing off chimneys when they are not being used, to stop heat losses through the chimney cavity.

Cleaner heating

Solar power, green power (electricity produced from renewable energy sources) and gas are clean alternatives to wood heating.
Contact the Sustainable Energy Development Authority for more information. Visit www.greenpower.com.au or the Energy Smart website (www.energysmart.com.au/les) where you can click on 'Homes' then 'Choose a heating system'. Alternatively, phone 1300138638.

For more information on wood heating practices, call Council's Environmental Health Unit on 9839 6000.

 woodsmoke-heater-information.pdf  (136 kb)

Other links
New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation
Department of the Environment and Heritage