Covid - good reason to curb woodburner use?

[Dougal2345]

Being exposed to particulate pollution increases Covid-19 mortality:
https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/covid-pm

... A small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate. Despite inherent limitations of the ecological study design, our results underscore the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations to protect human health both during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The data and code are publicly available so our analyses can be updated routinely.

Fresh air can help prevent coronavirus infection in shared spaces.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53917432

...According to workplace regulations set up before the pandemic, everyone should get 10 litres of fresh air every second, and that matters more than ever now.

So if a place seems stuffy, just turn around and leave, says Dr Hywel Davies, technical director of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

He says that it's vital to have a flow of clean air:
"If you've got someone who's infected in a building, and you're bringing in plenty of outside air, you're diluting whatever infectious material they're giving off. You're reducing the risk of other people becoming infected."

It's also vital that those who have the virus and are having difficulty breathing can get fresh, cool air.

For people who live in areas with high concentrations of woodburners, now the colder months are here, opening the windows is impossible without smoke flooding in.

Perhaps government restrictions on the use of woodburners would be a sage move?

 

[MarlowDonkey]

For people who live in areas with high concentrations of woodburners,
now the colder months are here, opening the windows is impossible
without smoke flooding in.

Perhaps government restrictions on the use of woodburners would be a sage move?

A local Council has banned the use on bonfires on allotments citing COVID-19 as a reason. They have a point regaring smoke, but leaving windows and doors open in cold weather is a bit paranoid for my taste, even if it seems to appear in official Government advice.

 

[Bantamzen]

Being exposed to particulate pollution increases Covid-19 mortality:
https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/covid-pm

Fresh air can help prevent coronavirus infection in shared spaces.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53917432

It's also vital that those who have the virus and are having difficulty breathing can get fresh, cool air.

For people who live in areas with high concentrations of woodburners, now the colder months are here, opening the windows is impossible without smoke flooding in.

Perhaps government restrictions on the use of woodburners would be a sage move?

That second article is a good reason why lazy journalism ought to be avoided. In one paragraph it talks about the importance of circulating fresh air, then in another it talks about avoiding draughts.

As for banning wood burners, well I really don't see the connection. In winter people tend to keep windows & doors shut, and heating on. It is generally how people keep from freezing to death.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As for banning wood burners, well I really don't see the connection. In winter people tend to keep windows & doors shut, and heating on. It is generally how people keep from freezing to death.

There are areas without gas, but most people have gas central heating these days, and woodburners are just used for enjoyment.

The guy opposite me has one and it stinks. When I was last having bad asthma issues it was very unpleasant.

I think we'll end up with "clean air" regs making a reappearance soon. (They still exist for older properties, typically anything built 80s or earlier).

 

[Bantamzen]

There are areas without gas, but most people have gas central heating these days, and woodburners are just used for enjoyment.

The guy opposite me has one and it stinks. When I was last having bad asthma issues it was very unpleasant.

I think we'll end up with "clean air" regs making a reappearance soon. (They still exist for older properties, typically anything built 80s or earlier).

There may will be regs in the future, but more around environmental reasons than anything to do with the virus.

 

[HSTEd]

Just make them burn dried timber

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just make them burn dried timber

It's already, I believe, illegal to sell non-dried timber as firewood, and in towns most people will be buying it. In rural areas it's less of an issue, because if you've got the land to cut your own trees down you've probably not got another house within smoking-out distance.

 

[Howardh]

It's already, I believe, illegal to sell non-dried timber as firewood, and in towns most people will be buying it. In rural areas it's less of an issue, because if you've got the land to cut your own trees down you've probably not got another house within smoking-out distance.

Oh, hang on....I have some dried wood (an old rotting fence) in the garage that I want to give away as bonfire wood. Is that illegal?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oh, hang on....I have some dried wood (an old rotting fence) in the garage that I want to give away as bonfire wood. Is that illegal?

It's illegal to burn treated wood, which a fence almost certainly is. However, "it's only illegal if you get caught", and burning it is a fairly effective way of destroying the evidence

(Note: the above is a joke, not incitement to break the law!)

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

How should one dispose of treated wood, may it be composted?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

How should one dispose of treated wood, may it be composted?

Most recycling centers take it (it presumably gets used in some way) - not a good idea to burn it , or wood-ply or painted wood in a log burner. I work on a 2 year cycle for seasoning wood - which is always bone dry when burned. Yes - we have gas central heating - but once the house is warmed up - we knock the CH off and rely on the wood stove. Economical as free fuel. Never buy wood.

 

[kylemore]

I would love to curb the curbers!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I would love to curb the curbers!

You could be sure that any restriction would not apply for favoured areas ,wood burning pizza stoves and those serving grouse shoots.

In any case - apart from burning clean , dry , warmed wood - I have something called an "air wash" filter - which is a phenomenally clean burning and produces hardly any ash and virtually no smoke. Anyone , being the son of a colliery manager might think I was brought up on proper domestic fuel. (in my case - 99% carbon best Welsh anthracite , clean enough to be recommended for malting , food processing etc.)

 

[Bletchleyite]

You could be sure that any restriction would not apply for favoured areas ,wood burning pizza stoves and those serving grouse shoots.

In any case - apart from burning clean , dry , warmed wood - I have something called an "air wash" filter - which is a phenomenally clean burning and produces hardly any ash and virtually no smoke. Anyone , being the son of a colliery manager might think I was brought up on proper domestic fuel. (in my case - 99% carbon best Welsh anthracite , clean enough to be recommended for malting , food processing etc.)

I doubt anyone will mind if you have a filtered flue of some kind. Indeed, a regulation requiring this may be the best way forward, as it would allow people to continue having the stoves in urban areas without causing issues for others.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I doubt anyone will mind if you have a filtered flue of some kind. Indeed, a regulation requiring this may be the best way forward, as it would allow people to continue having the stoves in urban areas without causing issues for others.

Specially bought as the ultimate clean burning equipment. Excellent and hugely efficient.

I dread to think what people used to burn in urban areas "back in the day" - not just cheap slack coal , but rubbish and worse.

In Wales - plastic etc often flung onto Rayburns and open fires to eke out the supply - "the piece de resistance" was when a neighbour flung a stripped chicken carcass on to the fire. A local deputation ensured she never did it again. Fish bones was another favourite of hers. Stunk. Anyway - O/T.