It is getting colder and the fireplace is lit more often to create warmth and cosiness. But lighting your fireplace for two hours produces more particulate matter than a road trip of 600 miles. Therefore, be aware of your own and your neighbours fireplace habits. Particulate matter in the outside air easily penetrates your indoor space and also causes high indoor particulate matter concentrations. Resulting in health issues in the short and long term.
Fireplaces emit extreme particulate matter concentrations
A fireplace that burns for two hours, emits as much particulate matter as a road trip of 600 miles. In short, wood burning creates extreme high concentrations of particulate matter. Not only does a fireplace emit extreme particulate matter concentrations (just like a wood and pallet stove), the released particulate matter contains very small particles (PM2.5). Particulate matter consists of many different particles. The rule of thumb is the smaller the particle, the deeper it can penetrate into the body and the more dangerous it is for your health. Inhaling these particles (PM2.5) must be avoided.
Airtight buildings
Buildings become more and more airtight. Because of this, air pollution which is created indoors, think for example of particulate matter from the fireplace or while cooking, will remain indoors longer. Air pollution originating from outdoors, brought indoors by the ventilation system or by opening doors or windows, will remain indoors longer as well. This results in a longer air pollution exposure time, hereby increasing health risks.
Lighting the fireplace at the wrong time
In addition to the fact that fireplaces emit large amounts of particulate matter, fireplace habits also affect the concentration that is emitted and affect the time it lingers in the nearby surroundings. When lighting the fireplace on windless days, the wood smoke will remain to linger locally. The wood smoke and therefore particulate matter can hereby penetrate your and your neighbours indoor spaces easily. When wet wood and wood that is not properly split is used in the fireplace, the fireplace will emit even more particles compared to burning wood that is dry and split correctly.
Fireplace alarm
In response to the high particulate matter concentrations originating from fireplaces and lighting the fireplace at the wrong time, Flanders (Belgium) have created a fireplace alarm. The fireplace alarm will be issued on windless days and will include the advice not to ligth the fireplace or wood stove for a few days.
Jelmer Krom from the Dutch Lung fund tells BNR this is also a good idea for the Netherlands. “The smoke makes you sick; there are carcinogenic elements, toxins and people are genuinely getting sick from these elements: reduced lung function and even when the fire has burned out, you breathe in what you smell, and that is not always good.”
If you are affected by wood smoke and high particulate matter concentrations
Sometimes, discussions with neighbours on wood smoke nuisance do not result in a reduction of the wood smoke nuisance and associated health problems. In that case, the only solution is air purification in the own building.
If the building is equipped with a balanced ventilation system, a ventilation system that controls the supply and discharge of air in the building, the ASPRA S, L or XL INduct will remove the wood smoke, the particulate matter in the wood smoke and the smells originating from wood smoke. The ASPRA INduct systems remove 99% of the particles from the air that pass through the air purifier. Making it possible to breathe in healthy air that does not contain wood smoke, particulate matter or wood smoke odours.
When the building is not equipped with a ventilation system or the ventilation system only extracts air from the building, ASPRA Recirculation air purification can be applied. Recirculation air purifiers are stand-alone air purifiers, which recirculate and clean the air in the room where they are placed. Depending on the system, 97-99% of the particles (particulate matter/wood smoke) will be removed from the air that goes through the air purifier. Resulting in healthy air.
Please contact us if you have any doubts on which ASPRA air purifier is suited for you. We will quickly provide a suitable product advice and hereby offer you clean and healthy air.
