[Greenbuilding] Fireplace options

[Kirsten Flynn]

But what should I burn said wood in?  Is there an evaluation criteria I should use for potential fireplaces?  Is there a third party certification I should be looking for? Are EPA certified inserts the best way to make a firebox efficient?  Is there a good article or book about this I should read?  We would like to reuse the existing masonry, demolishing and rebuilding would be way out of this client's budget.

I would appreciate any direction you can give me.

Kirsten

On Oct 3, 2012, at 8:16 AM, Ron Cascio <roncascio at verizon.net> wrote:

> Yes species is the base for BTU availability, but if not properly dried and burned even the most dense of hardwoods will not burn hot and create gobs of smoke (unspent fuel up the chimney).
> 
> Ron
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynelle Hamilton" <lynelle at kos.net>
> To: "Green Building" <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 10:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Fireplace options
> 
> 
> From the perspective of someone who needs to have a heat source, much
> also depends upon the type of wood, I've found.
> 
> Lynelle
> On 03/10/2012 9:20 AM, Ron Cascio wrote:
>> Re: [Greenbuilding] Fireplace options
>> Sustainably sourced wood, properly dried and burned, can't be beat. The last part (properly burned) is the one most folks have difficulty with.
>> Ron
>> 
>>    ----- Original Message -----
>>    *From:* Jason Holstine <mailto:jason at amicusgreen.com>
>>    *To:* Greenbuilding Listserv
>>    <mailto:Greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
>>    *Sent:* Tuesday, October 02, 2012 6:47 PM
>>    *Subject:* Re: [Greenbuilding] Fireplace options
>> 
>>    From a true-sustainable emboddied energy perspective, I would
>>    submit that a wood burning stove is likely superior to a gas
>>    insert. If you are burning local woods—especially from urban
>>    surplus (storm damaged trees, deconstruction, etc.)--then it is
>>    effectively carbon neutral and doesn’t have the ghosts of the
>>    fossil gas. There have to be some good sources of local surplus
>>    woods in the Berkeley area, Sausalito, Napa, etc, etc.
>> 
>>    There are a couple of European brands, such as RAIS from Norway,
>>    that are very efficient and thus burn clean—they minimize the PM
>>    emissions. However, they create a TON of BTUs (heat). Maybe they
>>    would be overkill if she really doesn’t want heat as much as
>>    prettiness. Or, maybe she’d see how effective and efficient it is
>>    at keeping them cozy without their “other” heating source and
>>    would switch to use it as their primary or more-often heat source.
>> 
>> 
>>    On 10/2/12 2:49 PM, "Kirsten Flynn" <kf at declan.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>        Hi everyone,
>> 
>>        I have mostly been lurking on the list, I am a green interior
>>        designer, so don't always come across issues of building
>>        science. Now I do have a question I think the combined wisdom
>>        of this list could help me with.
>> 
>>        In my region, most municipalities ban wood fireplaces in new
>>        construction. I usually recommend that folks that have an
>>        existing convert to a good quality gas insert, they burn
>>        cleaner and give the hearth feeling in the winter. In our
>>        climate (SF bay area) we are very temperate, and don't need
>>        heating. I live on the San Francisco Peninsula, which is very
>>        population dense, and does have air pollution issues on occasion.
>> 
>>        I have a client that has a 1950's house, and wants to keep her
>>        fireplace. She is very green, but is very opposed to fossil
>>        fuel use. She would like a solution for occasional heating
>>        that is not dependent on natural gas, but she IS concerned
>>        about particulate pollution. What should I tell her, I am not
>>        as up on EPA rated wood burning inserts as I should be.
>> 
>>        If I need to convince her not to be so attached to the wood
>>        burning option, she is intelligent and interested, I am happy
>>        to do so, but I want to know what the best options are.
>> 
>>        Thank you in advance for your answers.
>> 
>>        Kirsten Flynn
>>        Designer
>>        *Sustainable Home
>>        *Sustainablehome.com <http://sustainablehome.com/>
>>        650-855-9476
>> 
>>        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>        _______________________________________________
>>        Greenbuilding mailing list
>>        to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>>        Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>> 
>>        to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org
>> 
>>    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>    _______________________________________________
>>    Greenbuilding mailing list
>>    to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>>    Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>> 
>>    to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Greenbuilding mailing list
>> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>> 
>> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
> 
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
> 
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org