Burning Wood? Small amounts of smoke is a good sign
You want a minimal amount of smoke coming from your chimney. Smoke is not “exhaust” – it contains high energy gases that were not burned. That’s why it is a good idea…….
You want a minimal amount of smoke coming from your chimney. Smoke is not “exhaust” – it contains high energy gases that were not burned. That’s why it is a good idea to go outside and take a look at the smoke from the chimney. Dense, black smoke is a sign that the combustion is not optimal, usually because the fire in the wood stove is not intense/hot enough. When the wood stove burns optimally, only a bit of steam and some light, odour-free smoke escapes from the chimney.
Older stoves and fireplaces will have appreciable amounts of smoke that can not be eliminated without replacing or upgrading your stove or fireplace. Even an older device can see a reduction of smoke (and more heat for you) by having smaller hotter fires only burning dry wood.
