Tips to reduce smoke development with a garden fireplace

The main reason why your wood stove or garden fireplace smokes like this is because there is insufficient draft through the stovepipe or chimney. There must be sufficient draft in the stove pipe to remove the smoke. In addition, it can also smoke a lot if you use wet or processed wood. It is also possible that you have extended the stovepipe of a garden fireplace for too long, which reduces the draft and reduces smoke or cannot be properly removed.

Worked, painted or wet wood gives a lot of smoke. Using dry wood is the best way to prevent smoke, the wood is dry when it is cracked or when the crack comes off.

Fruit tree wood gives the least smoke and a nice fire. Oak and beech wood also give beautiful flames. The most important thing is not to use wet wood which has been worked or painted because it gives a lot of smoke.

1. Use the right wood (only burn dry, clean and raw wood).
2. Place the most flammable material on top (small logs on top).
3. Make sure that the stove pipe has a good draft, so extend the stove pipe as little as possible.

Try our tips to prevent smoke development as much as possible (use the right wood, put the flammable material on top and make sure the stovepipe has a good appetite). Do you or your neighbors have smoke nuisance? Then discuss with the causative agent whether you can find a solution. If you can't figure it out together, you can always switch from the neighborhood with a mediator, such as a local police officer or the municipality.
Smoke lingers longer in unfavorable weather conditions and wood smoke contributes to deterioration of air quality in the event of poor air quality due to particulate matter. A heating alert has therefore been developed by the government to ensure that no wood is fired on certain days.

Vinegar is known for neutralizing odors. You can mix a bucket of water with white vinegar and then moisten a cloth with it and spread it throughout the room. What can explain the smoke from a wood stove is a polluted or clogged flue, in this case let the flue be professionally cleaned. In addition to being able to open the windows, you can also use incense, for example, to disguise the smell.

You can burn efficiently by using well-dried wood. For example, you can measure whether your wood is dry enough with a moisture meter. Or apply dish soap to the end of the wood and blow to the other side of the wood block. As soon as soapy water and bubbles come out of the side with the detergent, the wood is dry enough to burn with it.

It is well known that wood smoke is not good for your health. Harmful substances such as particulate matter, dioxins and PAHs are released during combustion for wood, which causes unhealthy air in and around your house. The smoke can cause health problems.

European legislation states that wood-burning stoves may be sold in Europe, as a result of which no wood-burning ban can be introduced in the Netherlands. Always look carefully if and where you can light wood.