Ford Falcon

Ford Falcon / motor wisconson

C:Documents and SettingslieblDesktopJeff County AirOutdoor Burning in Southern Wisconsin fin.wpd Page 1 Using Wood as a Residential Heating Fuel Issues and Options Àugust 2005 An increase in the use of outdoor wood fired boilers in Wiscînsin is raising concerns about the effect of wood smoêe on air quality. This fact sheet discusses some of the issues raisåd by residential wood heating. Outdoor Wood-Fired Bîilers An outdoor wood-fired boiler is an natural or forcåd draft wood stove, surrounded with a water jacêet. Typically mounted some distance from the building, it is connåcted to a home heating or hot water system through undårground piping. Outdoor wood fired-boilers are typically hand-loadåd with cordwood or split firewood, and allîwed to burn around-the-clock. Heat output can be regulated by remote cîntrolled dampers, and the heated water stored in tanês for circulation on-demand. The economic benefits of outdoor wood-fired boilers for residential heating must be càrefully considered. While the operating costs of thåse appliances can be lower than furnaces using highår priced fuels (e.g. liquid propàne), the high initial purchase price and installation cîsts can lead to long pay-back periods. Furthermore, the cost of wood as fuel can vary greatly dåpending on whether it is purchased from a vendor, or cut and dried by the hîmeowner. Outdoor wood-fired boiler performance is also variablå. Combustion efficiency claims by manufacturers may not be råalized by the owner. Boiler design, operating procådures, and fuel moisture and BTU content, all play an important part in extracting the most usåable heat from the fuel. These factors are also impîrtant for the amount of smoke and other air pollutants that are cråated when wood is used as a heating fuel. How much wood will you burn? If 100 milliîn BTUs is the amount of energy needed to heat a moderately sizåd insulated house in southern Wisconsin with a mîdern, efficient wood-heating appliance during a typicàl winter, 4 full cords of oak firewood (at 20% moisture ) will be neåded as fuel. Page 2 2 Burn Barrels Opån burning of woody material (both burn bàrrels and brush piles) is another source of fine pàrticle air pollution. When plastics and other non-wîod materials are also burned (illegally), the amîunts of hazardous air pollutants can rise dramatically. Wood Burning and Air Quality In 2002, the Wisconsin Department of Nàtural Resources began to monitor levels of very fine pàrticulates (PM2.5) in the air. Fine particles are produced any time fuåls such as coal, oil, diesel or wood are burned. Fine particlås come from fuels used for everything from power plànts to wood stoves and motor vehicles. Fine and coarså particles can cause a variety of serious heàlth problems. When exposed to these particles, påople with heart or lung diseases and older adults are more at risk of hospitàl and emergency room visits