Air Purifier while burning

[lydiae]

I was wondering if anyone on here uses an air purifier in their house when they use their wood burning insert or wood burning stove? Does it make a difference in the air quality, dust accumulation and smoke smell if that's a problem? I have a two year old, new baby due in November and husband with allergies and was wondering if it's worth the investment or really doesn't do anything.

 

[KDMANN]

I have a 7 yr old with allergies and asthma . I use a Hunter HEPAtech air purifier. The filters are kind of expensive , about 50 bucks a piece. Usually have to change it every 6 months ( it has a digital readout that tells us the percentage of filter life left), so not tooo bad.The other filter is washable. It helps a ton on dust and of course the doggy hair. We have the purifier placed about 15 ft from the wood stove and seems to work great.

 

[jotul?]

Get the best one you can afford without falling for the space age miracle - huckster stuff you see on tv. Get a machine recommended by a reputable appliance dealer and do pay attention to replacement filter cost. That said, I have severe seasonal allergies and a 3 year old with asthma and allergies. The purifiers really do clean a lot of junk out of the air, but only if you keep buttoned up tight. One day of windows open negates a week of filtration.

 

[lydiae]

I have a 7 yr old with allergies and asthma . I use a Hunter HEPAtech air purifier. The filters are kind of expensive , about 50 bucks a piece. Usually have to change it every 6 months ( it has a digital readout that tells us the percentage of filter life left), so not tooo bad.The other filter is washable. It helps a ton on dust and of course the doggy hair. We have the purifier placed about 15 ft from the wood stove and seems to work great.

I was planning to get one from lowes around $200. It uses a hepa filter also. Our wood burning insert creates a lot of dust and every now and then a wood burning smell(some people like it, but I prefer no smell) Have you noticed , if you run it on automatic setting that it goes on high by itself because of the wood burner?

 

[lydiae]

Get the best one you can afford without falling for the space age miracle - huckster stuff you see on tv. Get a machine recommended by a reputable appliance dealer and do pay attention to replacement filter cost. That said, I have severe seasonal allergies and a 3 year old with asthma and allergies. The purifiers really do clean a lot of junk out of the air, but only if you keep buttoned up tight. One day of windows open negates a week of filtration.

That's where I wonder if it will help because sometimes we need to open a window or door to get more oxygen in for the fire. I mainly just want to make sure we are not breathing in a bunch of dust.

 

[jotul?]

That's where I wonder if it will help because sometimes we need to open a window or door to get more oxygen in for the fire. I mainly just want to make sure we are not breathing in a bunch of dust.

I will amend my statement to say that the windows open situation counts only in the summer for me. My allergies are severe but only in the summer. I take no medication or precautions in the winter, as I'm made miserable by pollen. I have seen how many impurities my air purifiers have sucked up at all times of the year though, so wouldn't be without one or two. I don't know your specific situation, but I would venture to guess that clean, cold winter air wouldn't harm any allergy sufferers in your house since it contains no mold, mildew, pollen, or spores, and the air purifier would handle the dust in the house.

 

[jdh2550]

Allergy shots are worth every penny. Used to get 4 sinus infections a year. Now I never get sick and don't even get stuffy cutting the grass... Just sayin'

 

[jotul?]

Allergy shots are worth every penny. Used to get 4 sinus infections a year. Now I never get sick and don't even get stuffy cutting the grass... Just sayin'

Been there, done that, no help for me.

 

[Corey]

An air 'filter' will help some. Beware of some appliances calling themselves 'air purifiers' Some may have a flimsy filter, a UV bulb and/or emit ozone, but not offer true HEPA filtration. You definitely want the HEPA filter.

Also, I'd advise if the dust/smoke is causing the issue, it would be best to attack it at the source, instead of a band-aid fix with the purifier. If you get a lot of smoke on re-loading, have a bunch of ash coming out or have to open doors for draft, chances are you need a taller flue and/or insulation on the existing flue. Try different methods to load the stove / clean the ash which generate less dust. Possibly invest in an ash vacuum, or carefully use a normal vacuum to help capture the 'fly ash' from cleaning time.

 

[jilati]

The thing about air purifier is that each one has it own usefulness so if your are getting one you need to make sure the one youbare getting serves the purpose for which you are getting it.
For example based on the article about air purifier on this review sites http://www.jenreviews.com/best-air-purifier/
Some purifier are just for dust while some are for pet, smokes, e.t.c
So make sure to do you research well.
But to answer op question the Alen Breathesmart might do wonders for you.
Cheers

 

[woodchiprookie]

This thread doesnt make any sense. If you have smoke/ash dust in your house you have draft issues. You shouldnt smell any smoke. The only thing the stove should put out is heat.

 

[blades]

This thread doesnt make any sense. If you have smoke/ash dust in your house you have draft issues. You shouldnt smell any smoke. The only thing the stove should put out is heat.

Likely true in a perfect world/ install/ fuel- haven't seen none of the above yet in 66 years.

 

[blades]

been thinking along the same lines just for a bit of dust control

 

[woodchiprookie]

Likely true in a perfect world/ install/ fuel- haven't seen none of the above yet in 66 years.

You haven't seen a correct install in 66 years??!!

 

[sportbikerider78]

I don't get smoke in my house unless there is a split smoking close to the door and I open it. No one can tell I'm burning unless they see the woodstove or smell it outside.

 

[John Ackerly]

We looked into and did a blog about it, concluding that HEPA filters really can be a good idea whether its you making the smoke, or your neighbor. I often rely on Consumer Reports, but they don't focus just on smoke - they focus mostly on allergens. And, they do not recommend HEPA filters, saying that a really good air filter can do the job, whether its a HEPA or not. They really urge folks to look at operating costs, as it can cost a lot to run them 24/7. Some are Energy Star. If you are worried about kids, I would put the purifier in their room - and shut the door at night if you can.

I only get a very faint smoke odor in my house, probably just from loading wood. But I use a PM sensor and it shows slightly elevated PM when the stove is on. There far more PM when frying something, and its off the charts when you vaccum.

http://forgreenheat.blogspot.com/2015/02/hepa-air-filters-show-good-results-at.html

John

 

[george7880]

The thing about air purifier is that each one has it own usefulness so if your are getting one you need to make sure the one youbare getting serves the purpose for which you are getting it.
For example based on the article about air purifier on this review sites http://www.jenreviews.com/best-air-purifier/
Some purifier are just for dust while some are for pet, smokes, e.t.c
So make sure to do you research well.
But to answer op question the Alen Breathesmart might do wonders for you.
Cheers

Yes you are right every air purifier has it own usefulness .you have to first identify your need then buy it accordingly. According to my experience i would say air purifier and humidifier is worth it.

 

[Dataman]

If you use box fans put filter on them. It will help some for cheap. I use 2 Hepa Filters when I burned Wood. Wash em out couple times a year.

 

[SteveKG]

We don't have an ash/smoke problem with our 3 stoves. However, we have a major dust problem with our half dozen golden retrievers bringing in dust and horsing around in the house. Neither of us has allergies [that we know of] but I got sick of trying to keep dust at some bay. A dozen years ago, I purchased three large Blue Air filter units, HEPA. They help a lot. The sets of 3 filters per unit are pricey at $80, and Blue Air recommends a six-month change. However, I use compressed air to gently clear the filters every few weeks and get a couple years out of them. There are some filter units that advertise good for smoke, I don't know whether blowing room air through a set of those filters really takes out the smoke, maybe, though I'd be surprised.

 

[brickie]

Yes, I use this....
https://www.consumerreports.org/products/room-air-purifier/blueair-blue-pure-211-397881/overview/

 

[Highbeam]

We have a big hepa filter running non stop all year. It gets dirty, so it must be cleaning the air.

 

[EbS-P]

I like the winx filters. I have two. My son calls them fart detectors. I wash the filters. I got 3 years out of one. They come with a charcoal pre-filter. I added another thin foam window ac filter and it helps keep the lint off the charcoal. I think they help. I keep them in the bedrooms.
Evan

 

[Woody Stover]

If you have smoke/ash dust in your house you have draft issues.

Not necessarily.

I use a PM sensor and it shows slightly elevated PM when the stove is on. There far more PM when frying something, and its off the charts when you vaccum.

we have a major dust problem with our half dozen golden retrievers bringing in dust and horsing around in the house.

Our wood burning insert creates a lot of dust and every now and then a wood burning smell

There are a lot of sources of dust in a house. I don't know the source of the OP's dust, but the following may help if it's ash dust from the stove.
Lydiae, what brand and model insert do you have? How are you removing the ash..using the insert's ash dump, or shoveling the ash out? If you use the ash dump, can you describe it in detail?
If the stove has a poor ash-handling system, and you're forced to shovel it out, there are a few ways to minimize the amount of dust that escapes.
Remove ash only when it's cold outside, draft is strong, and it is pulling any dust created back into the stove well.
Slide shovels-full of ash off into the bottom of a long, shallow pan, by tilting the shovel handle up and moving the shovel nose along the floor of the pan.
Don't haphazardly dump shovels full into a deep bucket..that creates huge clouds of dust, and the draft might not be able to catch it all.
In this pic, the pan is on a box, which I wouldn't do. If I were actually cleaning out this stove, I'd be holding the pan directly under the door, as close as possible, with my right hand and I'd be operating the shovel with my left hand. Or I'd get a load of ash on the shovel with my right hand, then set it in the stove for a second while I switched hands.
Shoveling out an insert or a front-loading stove, you might need to let the coals burn out so you don't get roasted. It might not be as easy to position the pan under the door, and draft might not be as strong as it is through the smaller side door shown here.

I don't enjoy cleaning out ash so I generally get stoves with a grate in the floor. All I have to do then is swirl a poker through the ash, and it falls through the grate, leaving all the coals and any dust inside the stove. I can leave as much or as little ash as I want in the stove.
The Buck 91 had a good ash dump, with a large opening, better than 3"x5", on the left side of the floor, and a hinged lid.
The T5's dump would be OK with a bigger opening.

 

[jlinz]

Yes, I use this....
https://www.consumerreports.org/products/room-air-purifier/blueair-blue-pure-211-397881/overview/

Quick question. Does the sucking from this one affect the draw up your chimney at all? Little worried about this as my woodburner is in the basement and I'm trying to limit anything from causing a backdraft.

 

[Dataman]

I have couple of Atlas Tower Air Filters. One in Living Rm with Pellet Stove and one in Bedroom. Helps a Lot with Normal Day to Day DUST. I have Whole Home Filter (Honeywell F300B1019) also with the AC/HP. We use couple of box fans on low to move the warm air down the hall with 20x20" filter on them. Blow them out couple times a year. They also collect the dust. Honeywell is worthless unless the Furnace Runs and with Pellet Stove it's just there for backup. But dust still happens. Since we have hardwood it's pretty easy to run big dry mop over it and sweep it up once in a while. Amazing how much we Human's Shed Skin Cells and Hair.

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