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Wood Burning Stoves and Safety

Embracing warmth safely with log-burning stoves.

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September 9, 2024
3 min read

Picture yourself in your cozy home, during winter, reading a book, near a wood-burning stove. Isn’t that just perfect? Having a log stove is great, especially if you’re living in rural areas. Yet there are key safety measures you should consider to keep the experience as enchanting as possible. Let’s check them out!

Health Effects

To avoid health issues, ventilation is crucial. When not used correctly, wood-burning stoves can cause adverse effects on health, especially for people with breathing problems. When it’s operating, there’s carbon monoxide released, and without proper ventilation, it tends to concentrate.

Therefore, having proper air circulation where the wood stove is located is very important. It will ensure that air flows and that the environment is well-ventilated reducing health risks. You can even install carbon monoxide detectors in your home for extra safety.

Outdoor Pollution

Wood-burning stoves can contribute to outdoor pollution. When functioning, these release greenhouse gasses, such as monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). That’s why ventilation and the type of wood stove you have is key! There are ecological designs that mitigate these pollutants and are more eco-friendly.

Moreover, we strongly suggest hiring a professional when installing your wood stove. Having an expert in the matter of setting it up, choosing the right location for the stove, and also corroborating if the vents are working properly, is crucial. Also, remember to arrange for regular maintenance.

Risk of Fire

Fire is the main cause of accidents with wood-burning stoves. So no matter if it was properly installed or settled in the ideal location, if you aren’t careful daily the potential risk of causing fire is quite high. But there’s no need to panic, the first key step here is to keep away inflammable objects.

Also, if you want, you can add a fire alarm, or even buy a fire distinguisher. There are available discounts when you’re a homeowner, a tenant, or a landlord. And it goes without saying, that you must only use proper burning wood. When you use other materials as fuel, there is a much larger risk of fire, damage, or even pollutant release. These safety measures can help you with your insurance coverage rates.

Conclusion

All in all, we can say that having a wood-burning stove is an enchanting experience. The rustic charm, the smell, the coziness. Yet, there are key measures you have to take into consideration when installing and using it.

Regular maintenance, proper ventilation, and keeping safety fire measures like a fire alarm or a distinguisher are the first key steps. Having proper coverage that keeps you, your loved ones, and your home secure, is the final notch! At PSIC we’re all about your safety, that’s why wood stove inspections are a must when getting your insurance coverage. We recommend you contact an agent for more information and learn more about all the safety measures you can take when keeping your home safe and your coverage at a great price!

Ready to explore your insurance options?
Start a quote today and let us help you find the coverage that best suits your needs.

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Last updated: June 27, 2023

  1. About this Notice. This privacy notice sets out how The McGraw Group of Affiliated Companies collects and uses personal information about you in compliance with our obligations under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA). This Notice supplements all other privacy policies we have in place.

We take the privacy of our employees and applicants very seriously. Please read this notice carefully as it contains important information on the personal information that we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and that it is not sold to third parties.

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Other terms used but not defined will have the meaning set forth in the CCPA, as amended by the CPRA, Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.100—1798.199.100, and accompanying regulations set forth under Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7000 et seq.

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We will not retain your personal information for longer than necessary for the purposes set out in this notice. Different retention periods apply for different types of personal information.

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