I live up here in the sticks where we cut and sell wood, including
firewood, for a living.
The weight of a full cord (128 cu. ft.) of wood could weigh well over two
tons, depending on when it is cut.
Wood cut in the spring, after the sap starts running, could contain as much
as 50% of the weight of the wood fibre in water.
Wood cut in the fall, after the first hard frost, could contain as little
as 25% water. This is nature's way of protecting trees in the winter -
remove the water so that the tree won't explode when it freezes!
A full cord of hard maple could weigh as much as 5000 to 6000 lbs. if cut
in the spring while the sap is running.
That's one of the reasons that wood is sold by the cubic meter or cubic
yard rather than by its weight. Kind of cheeses the truckers off because
they have a load limit on their big trucks of 63,000 kilograms and in the
spring and early summer, a full load of approximately 40 full cords will,
if they get caught at the weigh station, earn them a substantial fine for
exceeding the load limit. So, they're forced to carry smaller loads which
pays less at the same costs.
FWIW, a full cord (96"x48"x48") is normally considered to contain 100 cu.
ft. of wood, a face cord (96"x16"x48"), approx 33 cu. ft. while a stove
cord (96"x18"x48") contains approx. 40 cu. ft., the rest of the dimensional
volume is air.
===
NEXT ISSUE : In the next FeN we'll continue the FIREWOOD feature with an in depth article about the best ways to burn firewood - from how to stack it in the woodstove for heat or for a long burn to how to keep your glass doors clean while burning.
===
2. CO ALERT : CPSC's CO Fact Sheet
Date: 30 Dec 1996 07:06:43 GMT
From: cpsc-ep1@cpsc.gov (cpsc-ep1)
Subject: Carbon monoxide factsheet
U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC
CARBON MONOXIDE FACT SHEET
PUBLICATION #466
CSPC Document #466
THE HAZARD
What is carbon monoxide (CO) and how is it produced in the home?
CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Appliances fueled with gas, oil, kerosene, or wood may produce CO. If such appliances are not installed, maintained, and used properly, CO may accumulate to dangerous levels.
What are the symptoms of CO poisoning and why are these symptoms
particularly dangerous?
Breathing CO causes symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and weakness in healthy people. CO also causes sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and disorientation. At very high levels, it causes loss of consciousness and death.
This is particularly dangerous because CO effects often are not recognized. CO is odorless and some of the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu or other common illnesses.
Are some people more affected by exposure to CO than others?
CO exposures especially affect unborn babies, infants, and people with anemia or a history of heart disease. Breathing low levels of the chemical can cause fatigue and increase chest pain in people with chronic heart disease.
THE DATA
How many people die from CO poisoning each year?
In 1989, the most recent year for which statistics are available, thee were about 220 deaths from CO poisoning associated with gas-fired appliances, about 30 CO deaths associated with solid-fueled appliances (including charcoal grills), and about 45 CO deaths associated with liquid-fueled heaters.
How many people are poisoned from CO each year?
Nearly 5,000 people in the United States are treated in hospital emergency rooms for CO poisoning; this number is believed to be an underestimate because many people with CO symptoms mistake the symptoms for the flu or are misdiagnosed and never get treated.
CO PREVENTION
How can production of dangerous levels of CO be prevented?
Dangerous levels of CO can be prevented by proper appliance maintenance, installation, and use:
Maintenance:
- A qualified service technician should check your home's central and room heating appliances (including water heaters and gas dryers) annually. The technician should look at the electrical and mechanical components of appliances, such as thermostat controls and automatic safety devices.
- Chimneys and flues should be checked for blockages, corrosion, and loose connections.
- Individual appliances should be serviced regularly. Kerosene and gas space heaters (vented and unvented) should be cleaned and inspected to insure proper operation.
- CPSC recommends finding a reputable service company in the phone book or asking your utility company to suggest a qualified service technician.
Installation:
- Proper installation is critical to the safe operation of combustion appliances. All new appliances have installation instructions that should be followed exactly. Local building codes should be followed as well.
- Vented appliances should be vented properly, according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Adequate combustion air should be provided to assure complete combustion.
- All combustion appliances should be installed by professionals.
Appliance Use:
- Follow manufacturer's directions for safe operation.
- Make sure the room where an unvented gas or kerosene space heater is used is well ventilated; doors leading to another room should be open to insure proper ventilation.
-Never use an unvented combustion heater overnight or in a room where you are sleeping.
Are there signs that might indicate improper appliance operation?
Yes, these are:
- Decreasing hot water supply
- Furnace unable to heat house or runs constantly
- Sooting, especially on appliances
- Unfamiliar or burning odor
- Increased condensation inside windows
Are there visible signs that might indicate a CO problem?
Yes, these are:
- Improper connections on vents and chimneys
- Visible rust or stains on vents and chimneys
- An appliance that makes unusual sounds or emits an unusual smell
- An appliance that keeps shutting off (Many new appliances have safety components attached that prevent operation if an unsafe condition exists. If an appliance stops operating, it may be because a safety device is preventing a dangerous condition. Therefore, don't try to operate an appliance that keeps shutting off; call a service person instead.)
Are there other ways to prevent CO poisoning?
Yes, these are:
- Never use a range or oven to heat the living areas of the home
- Never use a charcoal grill or hibachi in the home
- Never keep a car running in an attached garage
CO DETECTION
Can CO be detected?
Yes, CO can be detected with CO detectors that meet the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard 2034.
Since the toxic effect of CO is dependent upon both CO concentration and length of exposure, long-term exposure to a low concentration can produce effects similar to short term exposure to a high concentration.
Detectors that meet the UL standard measure both high CO concentrations over short periods of time and low CO concentrations over long periods of time. The effects of CO can be cumulative over time.
Detectors sound an alarm before the level of CO in a person's blood would become crippling.
Detectors that meet the UL 2034 standard currently cost between $35 and $80.
Where should the detector be installed?
CO gases distribute evenly and fairly quickly throughout the house; therefore, a CO detector should be installed on the wall or ceiling in sleeping area/s but outside individual bedrooms to alert occupants who are sleeping.
Aren't there safety devices already on some appliances? And if so, why is a CO detector needed?
Vent safety shutoff systems have been required on furnaces and vented heaters sine the late 1980s. They protect against blocked or disconnected vents or chimneys.
Oxygen depletion sensors (ODS) have also been installed on unvented gas space heaters since the 1980s. ODS protect against the production of CO caused by insufficient oxygen for proper combustion.
These devices (ODSs and vent safety shutoff systems) are not a substitute for regular professional servicing, and many older, potentially CO-producing appliances may not have such devices. Therefore, a CO detector is still important in any home as another line of defense.
Are there other CO detectors that are less expensive?
There are inexpensive cardboard or plastic detectors that change color and do not sound an alarm and have a limited useful life. They require the occupant to look at the device to determine if CO is present. CO concentrations can build up rapidly while occupants are asleep, and these devices would not sound an alarm to wake them.
CPSC's ROLE
CPSC worked closely with UL to develop a safety standard for
CO detectors (UL 2034).
CPSC embarked on an extensive public awareness campaign in
1993 to reach consumers and educate them about CO through the
media. Activities included a message from President Clinton
declaring the last week of September "CO Safety Awareness Week."
CPSC also developed stories for television, radio, and
newspapers, as well as brochures and posters for consumers.
CPSC is proposing that the national model building code
organizations include a provision for the installation of state
of the art CO detectors in all new residential construction. The
proposal calls for installation in sleeping areas, but outside
individual bedrooms.
Under CPSC's proposal, battery-operated units would be
allowed only in existing homes, not new construction. Even homes
with no permanently-installed fuel-burning appliances would have
to install them because CO deaths have been associated with the
use of portable kerosene heaters, wood-burning stoves, charcoal
grills wrongly used indoors, and auto fumes from an attached
garage.
CPSC staff is working with state and local code
jurisdictions to incorporate CO detector requirements into state
and local legislation.
CPSC is working with the National Fire Protection
Association to develop a national installation standard.
CO DETECTOR REQUIREMENTS IN THE U.S.
-- On September 15, 1993, Chicago, IL became one of the first cities in the nation to adopt an ordinance requiring the installation of CO detectors that bear the mark of a nationally-recognized testing laboratory in all new single-family homes and in existing single-family residences that are being equipped with new oil or gas combustion furnaces.
-- Kingston, NY has approved a code to require the installation of CO detectors in multiple dwellings with four or more dwelling units.
-- Bel Air, TX requires CO detectors in some single-family dwellings.
-- The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) requires CO detectors in motor homes made after September 1, 1993. RVIA requires CO detectors in all recreational vehicles that are motorized and in towable recreational vehicles that have a generator or are prepped for a generator. RVIA's membership includes approximately 90% of all U.S. recreational vehicle manufacturers.
===
3(a). CO ALERT : UPDATE - Tammie's Letter Sparks Additional Interest
and She Also Has Some Good News From The Doctors!
You first met TAMMIE in our second FeN (October 20, 1996) - in the "Personal Account of CO Poisoning". That article was also placed on the CO ALERT web site (see next story) and was picked up by two chimney-industry magazines.
A reprint of the entire FeN#002, including TAMMIE's story, was printed in the Winter 1996 edition of the New York State Chimney Sweeps Guild magazine "New York News", and another article on TAMMIE's story will be printed in the February 1997 "SNEWS Magazine" - a very popular journal for professional chimney sweeps across North America. Her story has also prompted some very touching "thank-you's" from readers and visitors to the web site - and has really "driven home" the effects and dangers of CO in our homes - and the lack of "common knowledge" about CO - even among health service professionals.
I have also received two separate updates from TAMMIE in the interim - both of which I will post for you here :
(start)
-(Received : December 27, 1996)-
Dear HOMESAFE.COM:
Sorry, I haven't contacted you sooner. I have really been ill. The doctors are telling me to be prepared for a double lung transplant in the near future. They want to start me on imuran, which is an immunosuppressive. It's an anticancer drug. I am also having a problem with an enlarged right ventricle in my heart now. My pulmonary specialist put me to bed weeks ago and told me stay. there. I go for an ultrasound on my heart January 2. My lungs are really bad now. I am short of breath even when I speak. The doctors won't even consider the carbon monoxide. They don't want to talk about it at all. I have ILD-interstitial lung disease that can be caused by gases.
Today is the first time, I have been on the computer since
November.
I was wondering, if you could e-mail a copy of the newsletter that you did with my letter in it. I think it is great!!!! that the trade magazine in New York picked up the article. Do you know the name of the magazine?
I hope you had a Merry Christmas and Have a Happy New Year. I
hope by telling you my story and you re-telling it that we save many lives.
Take Care and God Bless,
Tammie
-(Received - January 5, 1997)-
Dear HOMESAFE.COM:
Thanks for the e-mail. I appreciate your concern and everyone elses. It's nice to know my letter is reaching out and hopefully making a lasting impression of the dangers of CO.
Friday, January 3, 1997, I had an appointment with a cardiologist. I received unbelievable news. In December of 1995, when we discovered the carbon monoxide poisoning, I had an echocardiagram of my heart. The results of that were my right ventricle was enlarged and my heart was enlarged to the point that the doctor couldn't calculate the pressure because he couldn't see that part of my heart. I told you in the last e-mail that I was having a problem with sinus tachycardia or rapid heart beat. The cardiologists scheduled another echocardiagram. He could not believe that my right ventricle was actually smaller and my heart was not as enlarged. He told me it was medically unexplainable. Dr. Edmunds said that once that ventricle is enlarged it's irreversible. I told him about the CO poisoning and he said yes that's what caused it but still it should have been irreversible. The rapid heart beats are gone too. The Lord took care of me and answered alot of prayers. My other doctor was about to put me on a breathing machine. I was floored. I am not used to hearing good news. Dr. Edmunds told me my heart overall is in good condition. My pressure is only slightly elevated and my ventricle is only slightly enlarged. Now that my heart has healed some. I am hoping it will take some of the stress off my lungs and maybe they will get stronger.
This is one of the first doctors that said yes the CO actually caused something. He also told me it's going to take a while for all the effects of the CO to go away. He said my body has to make all new hemoglobin and that takes time. He also said I am lucky to be here. My other doctors say it didn't help my situation to have been poisoned by CO.
Thanks again for e-mailing your newsletter. It was great!!
Take care and God bless,
Tammie
(end)
I have recently lost contact with TAMMIE - as her e-mail account seems to be no longer active. I would like to ask TAMMIE to contact me at @@@ again with her new e-mail or other contact information. Thanks Tammie - from all of us.
===
3(b). CO ALERT : UPDATE - Our CO ALERT Site is Improved!
Over the last month we have updated the CO ALERT web site - it now has additional information about carbon monoxide dangers, indoor air quality information, and a good bit of information about the different types of CO DETECTORS on the market. Stay tuned to the FeN about the upcoming decision about new standards for CO ALARMS.
Visit it on-line at : http://www.homesafe.com/coalert
===
4. Q&A : Readers Questions Answered
QUESTION :
To: fen@@@
Subject: Glass replacement
We have a Heat Tech wood stove that is approximately 10 years old. The glass
in the door was recently broken and I have been unable to find a replacement. There are no Heat Tech dealers in my area. Can the glass be replaced with tempered glass obtained from a regular glass dealer?
ANSWER :
This question had me stumped - so I turned to my friends and colleagues on the CHIMNEYS-L mailing list for the answer. Basically this is what I found out :
Tempered glass will probably not work in this situation - as it's ability to withstand temperatures over 600 degrees is not very good. Instead the right material to use would be either pyroceram or neoceram glass - which can withstand about 1400 degrees.
If the piece you need is square or rectangular, chances are it will be easy to match - if it shaped differently, you may need to make a template to submit to the glass shop (this glass may not be easily cut by the average glass shop, since it requires special equipment.) If your local shop doesn't handle pyrocram or neoceram, call "FIREGLASS" at (800) 289-4527 - they were recommended to me as a good source for help.
--> If you have a question you'd like answered, please e-mail it to me at fen@@@ and I may be able to use it in a future issue. If you include your postal mailing address in the e-mail, and I choose your letter for the FeN, I'll send you one of my custom "SOOT HAPPENS" black and white bumper stickers! <--
===
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Thanks a bunch!
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