Fine dust from a pellet stove, is it dangerous?

A pellet stove is a sustainable way to heat a room. But make no mistake, because the truth is that a pellet stove also emits a lot of pollution. In addition, pellet stove fine dust is dangerous for your health. Especially if you live in a city or close to a highway or airport. The question is to what extent a pellet stove is unhealthy in the home.

What does a pellet stove do?

Winter is approaching and in the Netherlands the stoves are turned on on a large-scale again. That means a period is coming with a lot of fine dust in the air. A pellet stove heats up a room by burning wood pellets. Fine dust particles are released during this process. The ignition pattern in the stove causes the wood pellets to burn, because it creates a flame. The heat from the flame rises and is blown into the room thanks to a fan.

How much fine dust does it emit?

Pellet stove experiences show that they are cleaner than wood stoves. Wood stoves emit about 3.5 kilograms of fine dust per 1000 hours, while for pellet stoves that’s “only” 0.68 kilograms. A pellet stove is therefore more environmental friendly than a wood stove, but they still emit more ultra-fine dust than heating on gas or electricity. Pellet stove ultrafine dust is a risk for vulnerable groups. Think of people with bronchitis, asthma and lung complaints.

What health complaints does fine dust from a pellet stove give?

With occasional use you do not have to worry immediately. If you use a pellet stove as the main heating, this will lead to potential health problems in the long term. People with allergies are especially at risk.

Various authorities have been warning people for the health risks of fine dust for years. According to the Long Fonds (source), an increased concentration of ultra-fine particles at home leads to the following complaints:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Infections of the respiratory system
• Lung diseases such as asthma (read more about air purifiers for asthma)

How can you protect yourself against pellet stove fine dust?

We do not recommend a separate fine dust filter for your pellet stove, because the filter effectiveness is often disappointing. So what is a good way to remove fine dust from a pellet stove in the house? We recommend the use of a pellet stove fine dust air purifier.

Air purifiers are very effective in removing fine dust. They also remove other air pollution from the air, such as pollen, bacteria and viruses. With an air purifier you live and breathe in the most optimal indoor air. We recommend the EA30 air purifier for living rooms with pellet stoves. This top pellet stove air purifier has a patented filter technique that removes fine dust with an effectiveness of 99.99%.

Thanks to its sleek design, the EA30 will fit in well with your interior

Do you want to measure the fine dust emissions from your pellet stove?

According to the Dutch Lung Fund (Longfonds), the air quality in 1 in 7 houses is insufficient due to fine dust. By measuring the fine dust emission from your pellet stove, you gain insight into the air quality in your environment. You also determine the effectiveness of your air purifier. View our product page about the fine dust meter or read more about the fine dust meter in our extensive advice. Do you have any further questions or would you like some personal free advice? Call +31 20 6464028 or go directly to our range of fine dust meters: