What Are the Effects of Wood Burning?
What do you associate with fireplaces? For a lot of you, I’m sure you think about winter, snowfall, maybe a cozy home. I think about all of those things too. But whatever reasons you have for using a fireplace, you should also know about the risks.
In this blog, I’ll go over what risks are associated with wood burning and share what you can do to protect yourself.
What is Wood Burning?
A quick Google search of the question above returns definitions of a historical and storied art-form that is in all honesty quite interesting. But as you may have guessed, isn’t exactly what I’m talking about here. Rather, in the context of this blog, wood burning is referring to the physical act of burning wood, like you would for a campfire. This is done for a number of reasons, with some of the most common being for the creation of heat and as a fuel source. Some common reasons for wood burning in today’s world include:
- Fireplaces
- Woodstoves
- Older Heating Systems
- Campfires
As cited in a 2024 study, wood is used as a source of heat in around 11 million US homes, with it being the primary source in 2.2 million. Additionally, according to the WHO, 2.1 billion people worldwide cook using open fires or inefficient stoves that rely on wood or other pollutant material. So, you may not engage in wood burning activities in your day-to-day life, but plenty of people do. What does that do to someone’s health?
How Wood Burning Affects Your Health
Wood burning, in and of itself, may not be directly harmful to you. However, when wood is burned, it creates smoke, as I’m sure you all know. That smoke worsens air quality and contains pollutants that can be toxic to your health. Breathing in smoke, and the pollutants it contains, is the main health culprit in this situation. But what are these pollutants and how do they affect you?
1. Particulate Matter
Particulate matter is a US EPA identified criteria air pollutant, meaning it is one of the most common air pollutants contributing to poor air quality. The health effects of PM (shorthand for particulate matter) have been heavily researched, particularly for smaller sizes of particles 2.5 microns and below. Some health effects that PM exposure has been linked to include “asthma, cardiovascular problems, and respiratory infections” (Kloog, Itai et al.).
The primary concern related to PM is that it can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. In fact, according to the EPA, in addition to what is mentioned above, PM has been linked to:
- premature death in people with heart or lung disease
- nonfatal heart attacks
- irregular heartbeat
- aggravated asthma
- decreased lung function
- increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.
2. Other Pollutants found in Wood
While particulate matter is the only criteria air pollutant commonly found in woodsmoke, it is not the only pollutant. Several other pollutants are also commonly present, including:
- Benzene - A vapor that can cause a variety of health issues when interacted with or inhaled.
- Formaldehyde - A colorless gas with a stong smell that is a known carcinogen.
- Acrolein - A vapor that the CDC has assigned an IDLH (Immedietly Dangerous to Life or Health) value.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - A class of chemicals that can bond to or form small particles in the air.
What Does this Mean for You?
The truth is that wood burning produces a number of air pollutants that are harmful to your health. But this doesn’t mean that you need to halt all wood burning activities immediately or jump on finding safer alternatives. Doing that would of course reduce or eliminate pollution from these sources, but it also isn’t logistically or financially possible for a lot of people. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure to wood smoke pollution while still engaging in wood burning activities.
- Split large logs before storage. Pieces that are 3 ½ to 6 inches in diameter dry and burn best.
- Stack wood in an alternating fashion to allow more exposure to air.
- Store your wood at least 6 inches off of the ground to reduce exposure to ground moisture and cover if outside.
- Use wood that has been drying for 6 months to a year.
- Start a fire with softwood, because it burns and gets hot quickly, and then switch to hardwood to sustain the fire.
- Avoid burning anything that isn’t dry wood, fireplace logs, or non-glossy white paper.
Read more from the WA Department of Ecology and the California Air Resources Board.
It may also be the case that you don’t rely on wood burning yourself, but are in close proximity to it because of one of your neighbors or something similar. In this case, there are some other things you can do:
- Make sure your home is properly ventilated.
- Limit outdoor activity if you know smoke is present.
- When driving, keep your windows closed and use the recirculate AC option if available.
Read more from the CO Department of Public Health and Environment.
If you’re ever unsure if you’re breathing in smoke, know that according to CARB, if you can smell it, you’re breathing it.