There's nothing like a warm fire on the hearth to make a chilly evening feel cozy, but burning wood can pollute the air you breathe and impact your health. To make you aware of potential problems, Charlie's Chimney Sweeps and Masonry, an experienced fireplace cleaning service in New Richmond, OH, explains how a fireplace affects indoor air quality. This information should encourage you to take steps to minimize pollutants and keep your family safe.

How Your Fireplace Can Affect Indoor Air Quality

Combustion Particulates

Not all of the smoke particles released during fireplace combustion exit up the chimney. Some remain in the room and enter the lungs, where they can cause damage and breathing difficulties. Exposure to some pollutants has been linked to cancer, while others exacerbate asthma, bronchitis, or allergy symptoms. To limit particulate release, burn only hardwoods like beech, maple, and oak that have been properly dried and seasoned. These woods burn hotter, so their fires consume more of the particulate matter and produce less smoke. Also, you should schedule regular chimney and fireplace cleaning so smoke can vent freely.

Poisonous Gases

Burning firewood releases poisonous gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). NO2 exposure can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, aggravate symptoms of asthma, and lead to respiratory infections. CO is a colorless, odorless gas that prevents your body from fully utilizing available oxygen. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include flu-like symptoms, including dizziness, weakness, fatigue, headaches, and nausea. If CO levels increase and exposure continues, it could lead to unconsciousness or death. To stay safe and healthy, never burn a fire without cracking a window for ventilation. Moreover, it's a good idea to install a CO detector and an oxygen depletion sensor.

As you can see, a fire burning in your fireplace releases dangerous pollutants, so it's important to burn seasoned wood and schedule routine chimney and fireplace cleanings to prevent creosote buildup and allow smooth airflow so particles and gases can be removed. Contact Charlie's Chimney Sweeps and Masonry in Clermont County for fireplace cleaning and chimney repair. They also carry a variety of fireplace supplies such as gas logs and chimney caps. Visit their Facebook page to learn more about the company, or call (513) 553-0229 to schedule service.