Wood Stoves & Indoor Air Quality

The Mountain "Haze" inside Your Home

There's nothing cozier than a wood-burning stove during a Tehachapi snowstorm. It provides reliable heat even when the power goes out. But it also introduces fine particulate matter (ash, soot, and smoke) into your living space.

If you find yourself dusting constantly or waking up with a stuffy nose all winter, your wood stove might be the culprit.

Wood Stoves vs. Central Air

Unlike a furnace which uses a filter, wood stoves radiate heat directly into the room. They don't have built-in filtration. As the heat rises, it carries dust and ash with it, circulating it throughout the house.

How to Improve Air Quality

1. Run Your Central Fan

Most modern thermostats have a "Fan On" setting. When your wood stove is burning, turn your central HVAC fan to ON (not AUTO). This will pull air from the room, pass it through your furnace filter, and redistribute clean, warm air to the rest of the house.

2. Upgrade to a 4-Inch Media Filter

Standard 1-inch filters clog up quickly with wood ash. We recommend installing a 4-inch media cabinet. These thick filters have more surface area, capture smaller particles (smoke), and last 6-12 months.

3. Humidification is Key

Wood stoves dry out the air aggressively. Dry air makes dust float longer and irritates your sinuses. Adding a whole-home humidifier to your central system can keep humidity levels healthy (30-40%), which actually helps dust settle so it can be vacuumed up.

Carbon Monoxide Warning

We can't say this enough: wood stoves are a major source of CO. Ensure your stove pipe is clean, the damper is working, and your CO detectors are fresh.