Metro Vancouver/ Surrey/Langley/Delta/White Rock woodstoves need maintenance
Even though woodburning fireplaces are more rare (especially in the Lower Mainland and Greater Vancouver) when I'm inspecting these days, they are an important feature of many homes built 15 years or older.
The Metro Vancouver rules about wood stoves/fireplaces
Metro Vancouver (formerly known as GVRD, Greater Vancouver Regional District) of Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond (where the international airport is located), New Westminster, Surrey, Delta, White Rock, the City of Langley, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and the University Endowment Lands (UBC) These areas have some specific rules about Woodstoves.
Residents are not prohibited from using a wood stove or fireplace provided they meet the conditions of the GVRD Air Quality Management Bylaw. Even properly operated fireplaces and wood stoves burning clean, dry fuel will generate odours, and visible emissions will be observable from time to time, especially on cold start-ups. Metro Vancouver’s activities related to wood burning emissions are generally limited to making people aware that they may be impacting their neighbours and providing information on proper burning techniques which minimize smoke generation.
However, under no circumstances can pollution be caused. Enforcement action by Metro Vancouver is possible in severe cases where pollution can be proven, although the threshold for pollution as defined in law is very high as is the burden of proof required. A wood smoke diary is one tool that can help us to establish the frequency and impacts of burning or smoke emissions.
Chimney Maintenance
As temperatures drop and thoughts once again turn to lighting fires and sitting down with a good book, it’s important to revisit chimney maintenance.
Even though chimneys do not require daily upkeep, regular maintenance efforts help chimneys operate safely and prevent deaths and injuries while protecting homes from fire.
Various problems can arise when chimneys are not well maintained. Such problems include chimney fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and early failure of the chimney and heating sources that the chimney vents.
Carbon monoxide can be scary, as it is virtually invisible without a proper detector. When carbon monoxide is breathed in, it builds up quickly and combines with the blood, reducing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The Canada Safety Council says that body tissue and cells can’t function without oxygen. Chimney fires are another potential byproduct of poor chimney maintenance. Chimneys expel the byproducts of combustion, including smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon, tar fog, and assorted minerals, which can condense on the inside of the chimney flue. The residue, called creosote, is highly combustible. With the right conditions, a chimney fire can occur.
To avoid chimney fires and other risks, take these precautions, courtesy of CSIA, HomeAdvisor and Popular Mechanics.
• Have chimneys inspected annually and properly cleaned by a professional chimney technician.
• Make sure tree branches and other obstacles are cleared away from the top of the chimney.
• Use seasoned hardwoods that have been split for several months to a year. “Green” wood creates more creosote.
• The top-down method of building a fire produces less smoke. This means using larger pieces of wood on the bottom and the smallest twigs and kindling at the top. The fire will burn from the top and down, igniting the wood beneath as it goes.
• Put a cap on the chimney to keep out rain, snow and small animals.
• Keep fires small; otherwise, the intense heat may damage bricks and mortar in the chimney. Repair any damage promptly before lighting another fire.
• Open the damper and fireplace doors so that air supply flows freely and can vent the smoke promptly, reducing residence time in the flue; otherwise, creosote can form.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout the home and routinely check the batteries. Learn more about chimney maintenance and find a certified chimney sweep at www.csia.org.