Hearth Applicance Installation Training For Pros Aug 8-10, 2014

The Midwest Chimney Safety Council is hosting a charity hearth workshop August 8 - 10, 2014 at the Boy Scout Camp at Lake of the Ozarks. 

The workshop includes installation of a wood-burning freestanding stove, installation of a Class A stainless steel chimney, different methods of crown building, how to build your own chimney chase top, and Business and Personal Risk Management. Instructors are Steve Hoover, Gary Hart, Gene Padgitt, and Lisa Hatcher.

An auction will be held with auctioneer Steve Hoover and items donated by suppliers and manufacturers in the industry. 

Camping is available on site or stay at a nearby hotel. 

CEU's have been applied for from the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Fireplace Institute.

The MCSC will also hold their annual meeting.

All hearth and chimney professionals and their employees are invited to attend. Visit the website at www.mcsc-net.org for registration and pricing information. 

Missouri Says No to Blanket EPA Regulations on Wood-burning Appliances

Governor Jay Nixon signed legislation Friday prohibiting the Department of Natural Resources from regulating wood-burning heaters, unless specifically authorized by the Missouri Legislature.

High-efficiency freestanding
Wood-burning stove

The legislation was introduced in an attempt to prevent Missouri from helping implement a proposed rule change by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. That proposal would give manufactures five years to meet tougher standards reducing emissions from wood stoves by an estimated 80 percent.

The EPA's existing regulations implemented in 1988 caused emissions to be reduced by as much as 70% due to the use of new technology, and don't apply to all of the different kinds of wood-burning devices now in use. Older stoves sold prior to 1989 produced emissions of 20-40 grams per hour. Today's stove emissions are 1.9 - 4.6 grams per hour, which is a significant reduction that likely can't be reduced. The new regulations are so strict, that manufacturers may not be able to meet the guidelines.

Manufacturers have said the EPA proposal would drive up their costs and force them to raise prices to a point where many consumers could no longer afford to purchase their products.
Wood stove bill HB1302 sponsored by Representative Tim Remole, and co-sponsored by Paul Fitswater specifies that Missourians have the right to heat their homes and businesses using wood-burning furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, and heaters. The bill becomes effective on August 28, 2014.

In part, the Bill reads "New rules or regulations shall not be applied to existing wood burning furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, or heaters that individuals are currently using as their source of heat for their homes or businesses. All wood burning furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, and heaters existing on August 28, 2014 shall be not subject to any rules or regulations enacted after such date. No employee of the state or state agency shall enforce any new rules or regulations against such existing wood burning furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, and heaters."

The Midwest Chimney Safety Council says that this is good news for homeowners who wish to heat their homes with wood and for businesses that service chimneys, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves. If wood-burning were to be drastically reduced or eliminated thousands of jobs would be lost in the hearth sales, stove manufacturing,and chimney service industries
in Missouri.

Masonry heater workshop April 18-24, 2014

The Masonry Heater Association of North America will present a masonry heater, bake oven, and masonry skills workshop at Wildacres Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Asheville, North Carolina April 14 – 20, 2014. 

Masonry heaters are site-built wood-burning appliances that radiantly heat a home with wood.  They are very efficient and use relatively small amounts of wood heat without the use of electricity, gas, fans, or ducts. Wood is burned in a firebox, which connects to channels inside a large thermal mass.  After the fire is out the appliance gradually radiate heat to the living space for many hours without causing large temperature fluctuations or drafts.

The annual meeting and workshop will include hands-on training for a Kachelofen (tile) heater with Jessica Steinhauser and Mario Zauner; A Five Run Masonry Heater with Testing Demo by Doug Hargrave and Norbert Senf; A Finnish Heater for Beginner Masons by Marty Pearson and Jeff Owens; A Bake/Pizza Oven by Pat Manley; a Small Guastavino Vault Demo by Tony Bioundo, a Bricklaying Clinic by Tom Trout and Pat Jenkins, a Grundofen J Loop Masonry Heater with Domestic Hot Water by Eric Moshier, Dan Givens, and Joe Copeland; and A Brick Hammer and Trowel Only: 36” Diameter Clay Brick Dome Oven by Alex Chernov and David Moore. 

Classroom seminars include Google Sketch-up Clinic with Boris Kukolj; What Does it Mean? By the Technical Committee; A Unique and Challenging Heater Built by Jerry Frisch, Masons on a Mission Presentation by Pat Manley, and Untold Stories and Ooops that Confront a Masonry Heater Builder.  The Heater Mason Education and Development class will be held throughout the week.

The annual Design/Build Contest for masonry heaters, bake ovens and masonry will be judged during the week and trophies will be awarded at the final meeting.

An auction will be held on Thursday night, and the Pizza Party, where participants can sample pizza from the wood-fired ovens is held on Friday afternoon.

For more information on how to join the MHA or attend the workshop contact Richard Smith, Executive Director, at 520-883-0191, e-mail execdir@mha-net.org or visit www.mha-net.org.

Use of fireplace for heating can cause house fire

Photo: CScottDorrett - Fotolia.com

During the extreme cold we are experiencing throughout much of the United States this winter many people attempt to use their fireplace as a source for supplemental heat. But what most homeowners are unaware of is that fireplaces are designed for ambient fires only, and are not meant to be used for heating purposes.

Open fireplaces are inefficiently designed so that most of the heat escapes into the flue, rather than the home. In fact, open fireplaces use heated room air for combustion, thereby lowering the temperature inside the house. Exception: Rumford style fireplaces.

According to the Midwest Chimney Safety Council, chimney sweeps are reporting record calls for chimney service, no doubt due to the unusually long and bitterly cold winter. What the chimney sweeps are finding out is that their customers have been using their fireplaces as a heating source, rather than for just the occasional friendly fire. That is when trouble can happen.

Open wood-or gas burning fireplaces are designed with clearances to combustibles set at certain distances with the idea that people will use their appliance for short periods of time – up to four hours in duration. Once that time has been exceeded, or before if improperly installed,  the nearby combustible materials may overheat and ignite. Combustible headers and studs, which are hidden from view by finishing materials may not be properly installed with proper clearance, which makes matters even worse. Unfortunately, improper construction around fireplaces is a common issue and many house fires have been the result.

Nearby combustible wood may pryolizes over time due to exposure to heat through the masonry or metal fireplace. Pyrolization is the chemical alteration of wood, which lowers the ignition temperature significantly. Wood normally ignites at 500 degrees, but pyrolized wood can ignite at 180 degrees or lower.

After a Raytown, Missouri house fire in 2009 Fire Investigator Gene Padgitt was requested to find the cause and origin of the fire. The customer had used their masonry fireplace as the sole source of heat for three days while they had no gas after moving in their new home on a Friday. Combustible wood framing, which was improperly installed above the fireplace without proper clearances, ignited due to exposure to heat for the prolonged period. Padgitt said that this scenario is all too common and that unfortunately, he sees it often.

In yet another fire investigation in Topeka, Kansas in 2012 Gene found that the homeowner used a manufactured gas fireplace for seven days straight when wood framing, which was properly installed, ignited. The fire caused a total loss. The homeowner thought that he could heat his house with the fireplace.

This type of burning is called "Over-firing" in the chimney and hearth industry. The fact is that masonry fireplaces do not come with a homeowner's manual, and rarely do new home buyers find a manual for their manufactured fireplace. So it is up to the homeowner to get operation information from his chimney sweep or from websites.

Certain wood and gas appliances are designed for heating, while others are designed for ambient fires. Since there are no standards in the industry that have been adopted for masonry fireplaces, Padgitt suggests that homeowners use common sense when operating a fireplace or stove.  He suggests the following:

Appliances designed for ambient fires:

• Wood-burning manufactured fireplaces (read the manufacturer instructions)
• Wood-burning masonry fireplaces
• Gas-burning manufactured fireplaces (read the manufacturer instructions)
• Gas-burning masonry fireplaces

Appliances designed for heating:

• Wood-burning freestanding stoves with proper clearances
• Wood-burning fireplace inserts in masonry fireplaces
• Wood-burning masonry heaters
• Direct-Vent Gas fireplaces (per manufacturer instructions)
• Non-Venting gas logs in masonry fireplaces (read the manufacturer instructions which likely state that they are not to be used for longer than four hours at a time)

All gas and wood burning appliances should be installed by a professional technician, and inspected annually and swept or serviced as necessary by a professional chimney sweep or certified technician. Wood-burning stoves and inserts should be swept at least twice per season if used for primary heating purposes, or used on a regular basis in order to remove flammable creosote.

Note: Non-Venting gas logs and wood-burning fireplace inserts should never be installed in manufactured fireplaces. To do so voids the warranty on the fireplace, and alters the fireplace which is a code violation. Any alteration can be a fire hazard.

Resources:
Masonry Heater Association of North America
Chimney Safety Institute of America
Midwest Chimney Safety Council
National Fire Protection Association

EPA plans its only hearing on proposed wood stove rules in Boston

EPA plans its only hearing on proposed wood stove rules in Boston
The Portland Daily Sun

On Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Boston, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency held its only national hearing about a proposal to regulate emissions from wood stoves. Critics say the proposed regulations will backfire, prompting people to use non-compliant wood stoves and inordinately hurting low-income residents who rely on wood heat. The EPA says the health benefits of the rules outweigh the economic costs.  See More

New Wood-Fired Magazine

HearthMasters, Inc. announced today that their new Wood-Fired Magazine will be published this summer.  Editor Marge Padgitt has been working on the project for the past two years and is ready to publish the first issue.

Wood-Fired Magazine covers design, construction, maintenance and use of wood-fired appliances. This includes chimneys, fireplaces, masonry heaters, heating appliances, smokers, bake ovens, cooking and baking. Writers interview expert chefs, restaurant owners, masons, tile makers, manufacturers, and chimney sweeps to produce in-depth articles with quality photos of their work.

Chefs, designers, architects, builders, masons, chimney sweeps, and homeowners will find the articles interesting and informative. The magazine will be available in print and via digital download at different price points. Subscriptions are available. 

Marge Padgitt is the author of 12 books including The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Guide and the Homeowner's Operation Manual for Chimneys, Fireplaces, and Heating Appliances. She is a national speaker and has been heavily involved in the chimney industry for almost 30 years.

Article guidelines, calendar, classified, and display advertising information are available at www.hearthmasters.net.

Free and easy way to keep stove or fireplace doors clean

One of the best things about having a cozy warm fire is watching the flames dance around, but if the glass doors are not clean it takes away from the experience. An old tried and true method that my grandfather used can solve the problem, allowing homeowners to once again enjoy their fire.

Hearthstone wood-burning stove

The newer wood-burning stoves have an air-wash system over the glass to help keep it clean. This helps but does not keep the glass perfectly clear at all times. Keep wood pushed back away from the doors for cleaner glass Older model wood-burning stoves do not have the air-wash system and the glass gets dirty very quickly. Glass doors on fireplaces also get blackened with soot, and need to be cleaned periodically.

There are stove glass cleaners on the market that work well, but if you want to save some money and a trip to the hearth store left over wood ashes work fine.

To clean glass doors with ashes:

• Wait until the glass is cool before cleaning
• Get a damp paper towel or soft cloth
• Dip the cloth into cold fireplace ashes and scrub the cold glass thoroughly
• Wipe with a clean damp cloth

_________________________________________________________

Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri.  She is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and NFI Wood-burning Specialist, and writes articles for national magazines and blogs.