Health at Home: The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is… harming our health?

Many of us enjoy the warmth and atmosphere of an open fire or log burner, yet the health implications of its toxins emitted into the home has become a hot topic (pardon the pun).?

Fireplaces, which have been a longstanding feature in our homes, are not typically associated with adverse health effects. However, experts are cautioning their use, particularly for those with young children or pre-existing respiratory issues.?

What are the health implications??

Burning fuels, such as wood or coal, can release a range of airborne contaminants into your home. The burned fuel releases a mix of tiny particles (particulate matter or ‘PM’) into the air we breathe. The smaller the PM, the deeper it may reach into our lungs and even pass into our bloodstream. Particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM2.5) are culprits emitted from fireplaces and log burners and the health effects from inhalation are linked to lung disease, heart disease, dementia and strokes.??

Exposure to PM is bad for everyone’s health but certain groups of people are even more susceptible to its negative effects. Vulnerable persons, such as those with asthma, bronchitis and even cardiovascular problems, are at a heightened health risk as PM may exasperate those conditions. Children are susceptible to harm from inhaling PM because they inhale more air per pound of body weight than adults.?

Caution must be taken (especially for vulnerable people) as the research of these emissions and their health effects is clear. In 2020, a study from the University of Sheffield found that the level of harmful PM inside the homes were three times higher than the levels recorded when wood stoves were not in use.?

Dr James Heydon, Assistant Professor in Criminology at the University of Nottingham, said: “Instead of being seen as a harmless appliance, wood burning stoves should be recognised as having the potential for harm.?

“Bursts of particulate matter can enter the home when the stove door is opened, flooding the inside space with air pollution during refuelling. These particles are so small the body struggles to filter them out, making them particularly harmful to children, the elderly and those with respiratory issues.”?

In addition to PM, fireplaces and log burners emit other airborne contaminants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. These compounds may also wreak havoc on our bodies e.g. headaches, dizziness, damage to the respiratory tract, organs and central nervous system.??

Although this may sound worrying, simply having a fireplace or burner in your home does not guarantee ill-health effects. To quote the father of toxicology (Paracelsus), “solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison’’. In other words, lighting your fireplace once a year is very unlikely to cause an ill-health effect but lighting it daily for months or years creates a much greater chance.?

What should I do to limit the impact??

While the department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recommends considering alternative methods of heating your home, we know that many across the UK are committed to their fireplaces or log burners.

If you’re planning a cosy night by the fire, try the following tips to limit the contaminants emitted into your home and the potential impact on your health:??

• Consider Upgrading to Electric Alternatives: For a similar aesthetic without the emissions, consider an electric fireplace or log-effect heater.?

• Burn Less Often: You may love your firepit, but Paracelsus has it right! Less burning means fewer emissions means a lowered health risk.??

• Install a High-Efficiency Stove: Modern, eco-certified stoves burn cleaner and produce fewer emissions than older models.?

• Use Seasoned or Kiln-Dried Wood: Burn wood that has been dried for at least 12 months or kiln-dried to reduce moisture content, which lowers emissions.?

• Choose Low-Emission Fuels: Opt for smokeless fuels or wood approved by local authorities. Avoid burning damp wood or treated materials.?

• Burn Responsibly with Low and Slow Combustion: Avoid roaring fires that produce more smoke and particles. Slow, steady fires are more efficient and cleaner.?

• Seal Its Door: Fibreglass rope is available to seal the stove’s door. This will improve burn efficiencies as well as help to ensure the airborne contaminants do not leak out as it burns.????

• Ensure Proper Ventilation: Maintain adequate airflow by keeping vents open to help smoke and particles exit the home efficiently.?

• Use a HEPA Air Purifier: Place an air purifier with a HEPA filter in rooms where you have a fire to capture its particles and improve indoor air quality.?

• Respiratory Protective Equipment: This may not be necessary if you have limited your exposure to PM by considering the above actions, but you may also opt for an additional layer of controls such as a dust mask (rated FFP3 ideally) worn when opening the stove door to refuel. A dust mask would also be a good idea when cleaning out its soot-filled chimney.??

Sources?

• Are open fires and wood-burners bad for your health? – British Heart Foundation,?

• Indoor wood stoves release harmful emissions into our homes, study finds | News | The University of Sheffield?

• Open fires and wood-burning stoves - a practical guide?