Is Your Fireplace a Health Risk? Researchers Uncover Hidden Dangers
By Alec Basson, Stellenbosch University
During the cold winter months, it is nice to light an indoor fireplace for extra warmth or to have the occasional ‘braai’ (South African term for barbeque). The downside is that you may be inhaling tiny solid or liquid substances that could be harmful to your health.
In
a new study published in Energy Research & Social Science, a
group of researchers from the Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University
(SU) found that using an indoor fireplace can result in the release of harmful
particles that can be dispersed in the air and cause health problems when
inhaled. Some particles can settle in the lungs, while others can even enter
the bloodstream.
The researchers point out that various studies have raised concern about poor indoor air quality in informal settlements, where fires are made indoors as a necessary measure for heating. However, its impact in formal housing, where fireplaces and indoor braais are commonly used as amenities, has not been investigated.
Health Implications of Poor Air Quality
“Our
results show that the levels of harmful substances released during indoor
fireplace use exceeded the recommended guidelines and standards of the World
Health Organization (WHO). The WHO recommends prolonged exposure to these small
particles for no more than three days in a year,” says PhD candidate Rita van
der Walt from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at SU.
“Prolonged
exposure (months to years) to finer substances has been associated with early
deaths, particularly among individuals with chronic heart or lung conditions,
and stunted lung function growth in children,” adds van der Walt, who conducted
the study with her supervisors and colleagues from her department and the
Department of Industrial Engineering.
Research
Methodology and Data Collection
They
looked at the air quality in a few houses that use open and closed indoor
fireplaces during winter. “It is imperative to consider the effect of
particles, released from an indoor fireplace, on the indoor air quality and the
potential health risks associated.”
To
collect air-quality data, they used sensing devices to measure and record the
concentration of tiny particles in the air every 11 minutes – a total of 130
times daily. These sensing devices were placed on counters or tables near the
fireplace.
“Our
results suggest that the 24-hour average concentration of tiny particles often
exceeds the WHO’s recommended limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter (a space
that is one meter long, one meter wide, and one meter tall). Fifteen micrograms
is very tiny and lightweight. If you were to split a grain of table salt into
four equal parts, one part would weigh 15 micrograms.
Comparative
Analysis of Fireplace Types
“The
daily average exposure to these particles showed that, in all households
measured, particle levels remained above the recommended limit for a long time
after fireplace use. The results indicated periods ranging from slightly less
than an hour to more than three hours of high exposure.
“The
concentrations of these substances are only marginally higher for open
fireplaces than enclosed ones.”
“However,
when we compared the average levels of small particles between open and
enclosed fireplaces, we found much higher and more unusual readings in homes
with open fireplaces,” add the researchers.
Impact
and Future Research Directions
During
the study, they shared their findings with one of the households. “After
sharing the preliminary measurements with one of the households that had an
open fireplace, they immediately stopped making indoor fires. This resulted in
a substantial reduction in the particulate concentrations and peak
measurements.
“As
many South Africans may not know about the health risks associated with using
indoor fireplaces, these results might inform households on fireplaces and
indoor air quality. Hopefully, this would reduce the number of indoor fires or
get people to stop making them.”
Conclusion
and Next Steps
The
researchers say that even though this was an exploratory study, it delivered
valuable results laying the groundwork for a larger future study with more
households. These households may include lower-income housing, where indoor
fire-making becomes necessary for heating in winter, posing a potential public
health concern.
They
add that future work may also include conducting interventionist experiments
that could involve making indoor air quality monitoring data available to
households, potentially leading to proactive changes in behavior and indoor
environmental practices.
Reference:
“Lifting the unseen smokescreen on indoor air quality due to amenity indoor
fireplaces in South African homes” by R.E. van der Walt, R. Jacobs, S.S.
Grobbelaar and M.J. Booysen, 27 May 2024, Energy Research & Social
Science.
DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103597
