I Hate Fireplaces—and It Turns Out, I’ve Obtained Good Motive To | Actual Property Information & Insights

For years I thought there was something un-American about me. Friends, family, and even fictional characters seemed to romanticize – even adore – the flickering flames of the hearth. Chestnuts roasting over an open fire … pruning the tree … snuggling on the couch … a fireplace seems to be the epitome of almost every indoor winter activity. Who wouldn’t want one in their home?

Me. Others see togetherness and redemption in cold weather. I see a mess.

When a chimney was discovered behind slabs of rock during renovation work in our house, my husband and I were asked if we would like to open it. There was no hesitation.

“No thanks,” I replied politely. No way, I thought. Our toddler, the flames, the dirt …

And while I was reluctant to share my OCD problems, I now have environmentalists and health experts by my side.

It turns out that wood-burning fireplaces can cause all sorts of grief for the environment and your health. Wood smoke contains several toxic pollutants – including benzene, formaldehyde, acrolein, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – as well as microscopic particles that can irritate the eyes and lungs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In just hours or days of exposure, Wood smoke can cause asthma attacks, bronchitis, and respiratory infections. Long-term exposure for months and years has been linked to cancer and reproductive problems such as infant mortality and low birth weight.

Then there is the environmental impact: wood smoke has been found to contribute to a type of pollution known as ‘haze’ which reduces visibility. In fact, the EPA has found that visibility in America has been reduced to a third of what it should be – only 15 to 30 miles – due to haze.

With all these dangers you have to ask yourself: is it really worth lounging in front of a blazing fire?

When the news of the disadvantages of wood fires spread, The domestic taste reacts accordingly, says Mark Clements from myfixituplife: “In the last 50 years the number of chimneys has decreased significantly.” According to the US Census Bureau, the number of new buildings built with a chimney has fallen to only about half of all new buildings since 1990.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid wood-burning fireplaces entirely if you love the ambience they create. The EPA has launched a voluntary partnership program called Burn Wise to help consumers do just that. Adopt some smart wood burning practices and you can contain the negative effects.

The easiest tip? Burn only dry, split and well seasoned wood (that is, it is stored in a dry place for at least 6 months). How to tell if it’s ready to burn: Correctly seasoned wood is darker, weighs less and sounds hollow when hit against another piece of wood. (Green wood that is fresh and still has juice in it creates a lot of smoke.)

If you are in the market for a wood burning stove or want to upgrade to a safer one, buy one that is EPA certified and has low pollutant emissions. In some states you can get a tax break!

Last but not least, here is a list of local, municipal, and state regulations against incineration.

So if my rhetoric converted you and you vowed never to light a fire in your fireplace again, what’s next? Two steps: do a chimney sweep to clean everything up. And then make your stove a part of your home decor without burning wood. Some suggestions from Clement:

• Decorate with birch logs, complete with white peeling bark that you swear it won’t burn.
• Instead of lighting a fire, light some candles by your fireplace to create a cozy glow.
• Sports fan? Decorate with a logo for your favorite team.
• Install a decorative fire-backed metal plate that covers the back wall of your fireplace.
• Stack some books in your stove to trick people into curling up with a good story.
• Use it as a shrine to seasonal items: vacation villages, goblins for Halloween, and so on.

This, of course, begs the question: what would Santa Claus think?