Did you know . . . ?

When the weather turns colder, more than half of Washington's fine particle air pollution comes from home wood burning devices such as wood stoves and fireplaces.

Here's how you can help reduce this pollution:

• Replace wood heat with cleaner heating choices such as gas, electric, or oil heat.

• Be sure your house is properly weatherized to use energy in the most efficient way possible.

• If you must use wood, replace older stoves with newer certified cleaner-burning models.

• If you heat with wood, learn the correct way to use your stove and reduce its pollution. You can reduce smoke by burning properly:

• Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Be sure your firewood has been split and dried for at least one year. Store it under cover.

• Never burn wet, painted, stained or treated wood; colored newsprint; plastic; garbage; diapers; or magazines.

• Burn small, hot fires. This helps the wood burn completely and cleanly.

• Never allow the fire to smolder. This wastes wood, produces little heat, and causes a lot of smoke.

• Make sure your fire gets enough air. Dampering down too much can cause smoldering. You can tell if your fire has enough air by checking the smoke coming from your chimney. You should see only heat waves. If you see smoke, increase the air supply to your fire.

• Make sure your wood stove is the right size for its space. A stove that is too large for the space it is heating will have to be damped down, causing more smoke.

• Make sure your stove is properly installed.