Are wood burning stoves bad for your health?

by Fire Places on November 7, 2010

When we purchased our home 2 years ago it came with a woodburning stove. The thing has probably been here since the house was built…or a few years later …in 1976. I have two children, 4 and 2 months and am concerned on potential negative effects on their health. We used it last year, and I felt awfully congested fairly frequently. My husband is adamant on using it, and my father in law has been chopping wood to store for the winter every chance he gets. What do you think? Use it or not? How about newer ones…to possibly replace it? Any answers are very appreciated.


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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

tammy_c28645 November 7, 2010 at 5:52 am

Absolutely! Wood burning stoves are bad for your health as well as the health of your children & husband. There’s a reason other forms of heating are called "cleaner". Wood heat can cause depressed lung and bronchial function. You are right to be concerned. It would be a shame to cause life long health problems if you have a choice.

carobygirl November 7, 2010 at 5:52 am

It’s fine if the building has good circulation, if the smoke vents outside (and not inside the house), if you put a gate around it to protect your children, and if nobody in the house has lung problems or a compromised immune system. Also install several carbon monoxide detectors around the house and make sure somebody always keeps an eye on it (and an eye on the kids) while it’s burning.

I lived in a house with a wood stove and I loved it.

sue November 7, 2010 at 5:52 am

Get the flue cleaned! and use it. it will save you an enormous amount of $$$. My fire place doesn’t have a glass front which it needs to be really efficient.

To keep from having the congestion problems, set a kettle of water on top of the stove. Works as a humidifier. And learn to adjust the damper so it doesn’t burn really fast but draws the smoke up the chimney.

It is healthier for kids than some other fuels burning and you know it is vented if the smoke is going up the chimney. With some other furnaces, you can only guess if they are venting properly or not.

Our ancestors survived with less effecient wood stoves and fireplaces!! My grandmothers are the ones who taught me to keep a kettle of water on the hearth or on top of the stove. And you can get those little scent things to go in the water too if you want. They look like little candles without the wick???

Enjoy the less than $600/month fuel bills!!!

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