Wood-burning Stoves Research Articles

Engaging Communities in Energy Transitions: A Study on Attitudes Towards Sustainable Heating Technologies and the Role of Peer Effects in Southern Chile

This study investigates the role of peer effects in shaping the adoption of sustainable heating systems in two highly polluted communes in Southern Chile. Despite policies promoting cleaner alternatives, wood-burning stoves, a major source of particulate matter emissions, remain widespread. This research work addresses a critical gap in the literature by examining how peer influence—typically studied in relation to visible technologies like solar panels or electric vehicles—affects the adoption of less visible but essential sustainable heating technologies. The main objective of this study is to understand how peer networks can influence the attitudes of residents towards sustainable heating technologies in highly polluted urban environments. Employing a non-experimental, cross-sectional design with a sample of 244 participants, this study reveals that peer effects and health risk perception are significant predictors of positive attitudes towards sustainable heating systems. These findings contribute valuable insights for policymakers seeking to accelerate energy transitions in polluted regions.

Deep energy renovations’ impact on indoor air quality and thermal comfort of residential dwellings in Ireland – ARDEN project

As Europe's residential energy renovation programmes accelerate, field studies assessing their impact on indoor environmental quality are required to ensure maximum co-benefits to occupants' health and wellbeing. In this work, we evaluated the impact of deep energy renovation (DER) on indoor air quality (IAQ), ventilation, and thermal comfort in a sample of Irish homes (n = 12). Indoor air pollutants (IAPs), including particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde, radon, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and BTEX, were measured pre and post DER. Performance of the newly installed mechanical ventilation systems was also assessed. Questionnaires and diaries were used to collect feedback regarding the retrofit and occupant activities. All occupants reported high levels of satisfaction with thermal comfort, and homes were significantly warmer post-retrofit (p < 0.0001). The DER improved indoor CO2 concentrations, indicating a positive impact on residential ventilation. However, many bedrooms were still under ventilated. PM2.5 (p < 0.0001) and formaldehyde (p < 0.05) concentrations increased post-retrofit. Higher concentrations of PM2.5 were most likely due to a combination of factors including inadequate ventilation, ingress from outdoors via open windows or doors, presence of a wood burning stove and other occupant activities. Retrofits were observed to have poor compliance with ventilation recommendations. Greater emphasis on pollutant source control along with proper installation and maintenance of mechanical ventilation systems is required to ensure DERs lead to sustainable and healthy homes.

Tray Dryer's Performance in the Drying of Banana Slices Using LPG and Wood Stove

An evaluation was carried out on a simple tray dryer of banana slices in the "sale pisang" production. The dryer is designed to use gas fuel and a wood-burning stove as a source of energy. The dryer's performance is analyzed to evaluate its ability to dry the product efficiently and effectively to prevent excessive heat use. The research aims to analyze the temperature distribution in the drying chamber, the profile of the product's moisture content, the drying rate on each shelf, as well as the efficiency of dryers using gas fuel and wood-burning stoves. At an air speed of 0.0176 m3/s, the drying chamber reaches a maximum temperature of 76.2 ℃ using gas and 66.23 ℃ using a wood stove. The use of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) gives an average room temperature of 73.46 ℃, while the furnace gives a less stable pattern with an average temperature of 63.02 ℃. Drying using LPG occurs more quickly with a constant drying rate and a falling rate period of 0.8262%/hour and 0.01504%/hour, higher than using wood fuel which is 0.5482%/hour and 0.0098 %/hour. Within 400 minutes, the product’s moisture content reached 24.64% using LPG and 36.762 using the furnace. The efficiency for heating the drying air is 28.51% and the drying process efficiency is 27% using 8.6 kilograms of LPG as fuel. Meanwhile, using a furnace energy source, the dryer provides a heating efficiency of 15.9% and a drying efficiency of 7.37% with a fuel consumption of 34.12 kg of wood.

ხელნაკეთი შეშის ღუმლის ენერგოეფექტიანობა

The results of the study of the energy effectiveness of wood stoves, which were obtained by the authors based on dozens of experiments and mathematical modeling are presented. It shows the advantages and disadvantages of wood-burning stoves with fireboxes internally covered by fire bricks versus typical stoves (without fire bricks) produced and widely distributed in Georgia. The necessity of using energy-efficient stoves in agrarian areas of the country is emphasized. According to the authors, the easiest way to increase the efficiency of stoves manufactured in Georgia and widely available to the population is to cover their combustion chambers (fireboxes) internally with thermally inertial material – fire bricks.

A novel measurement system for unattended, in situ characterization of carbonaceous aerosols

Abstract. Carbonaceous aerosol is a relevant constituent of the atmosphere in terms of climate and health impacts. Nevertheless, measuring this component poses many challenges. There is currently no simple and sensitive commercial technique that can reliably capture its totality in an unattended manner, with minimal user intervention, for extended periods of time. To address this issue we have developed the fast thermal carbon totalizator (FATCAT). Our system captures an aerosol sample on a rigid metallic filter and subsequently analyses it by rapidly heating the filter directly, through induction, to a temperature around 800 ∘C. The carbon in the filter is oxidized and quantified as CO2 in order to establish the total carbon (TC) content of the sample. The metallic filter is robust, which solves filter displacement or leakage problems, and does not require a frequent replacement like other measurement techniques. The limit of detection of our system using the 3σ criterion is TC =0.19 µg-C (micrograms of carbon). This translates to an average ambient concentration of TC =0.32 µg-C m−3 and TC =0.16 µg-C m−3 for sampling interval of 1 or 2 h respectively using a sampling flow rate of 10 L min−1. We present a series of measurements using a controlled, well-defined propane flame aerosol as well as wood-burning emissions using two different wood-burning stoves. Furthermore, we complement these measurements by coating the particles with secondary organic matter by means of an oxidation flow reactor. Our device shows a good correlation (correlation coefficient, R2&gt;0.99) with well-established techniques, like mass measurements by means of a tapered element oscillating microbalance and TC measurements by means of thermal–optical transmittance analysis. Furthermore, the homogeneous fast-heating of the filter produces fast thermograms. This is a new feature that, to our knowledge, is exclusive of our system. The fast thermograms contain information regarding the volatility and refractoriness of the sample without imposing an artificial fraction separation like other measurement methods. Different aerosol components, like wood-burning emissions, soot from the propane flame and secondary organic matter, create diverse identifiable patterns.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in avocado farmworkers from Mexico.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected farmworkers in the United States and Europe, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the specific impact of the pandemic on agriculture and food production workers in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and assess the mental health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among avocado farmworkers in Michoacan, Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult farmworkers (n = 395) in May 2021. We collected survey data, nasal swabs and saliva samples for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection, and blood samples for immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactivity measurements. None of the farmworkers tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. However, among unvaccinated farmworkers (n = 336, 85%), approximately one-third (33%) showed evidence of past infection (positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2). Unvaccinated farmworkers who lived with other farmworkers (aRR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.05), had ever lived with someone with COVID-19 (aRR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.43), and who had diabetes (aRR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.53, 2.85) had a higher risk of testing IgG-positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, unvaccinated farmworkers living in more rural areas (outside of Tingambato or Uruapan) (aRR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.96) or cooking with wood-burning stove (aRR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.96) had a lower risk of IgG-positivity. Moreover, 66% of farmworkers reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their lives, 29% reported experiencing food insecurity and difficulty paying bills, and 10% reported depression or anxiety symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health and financial well-being of avocado farmworkers. Consequently, the implementation of interventions and prevention efforts, such as providing mental health support and food assistance services, is imperative.

Mechanism of Formation of Smog and some Adverse Effect of Smog on Environment and Human Being

Abstract: The formation of smog is a complex chemical process with significant implications for the environment and human health. This phenomenon primarily results from the interplay of various reactants and products, with its origins tracing back to specific sources. The key contributors to photochemical smog include nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and the energy source that drives the reaction—sunlight. Notably, pollutants like nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are byproducts of fossil fuel combustion, primarily emitted from coal-fired power plants and various energy production facilities. Additionally, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are generated when fossil fuels undergo incomplete combustion, as observed in activities like backyard burning and wood-burning stoves. Smog, characterized by a blend of airborne pollutants, poses significant threats to both human well-being and the environment. It can lead to a range of health issues, including respiratory difficulties, asthma exacerbation, heightened susceptibility to lung infections and colds, and eye irritation.

Estimating personal exposures to household air pollution and plastic garbage burning among adolescent girls in Jalapa, Guatemala

Waste collection services are uncommon in rural areas of low-resource countries, causing waste accumulation and subsequent dumping and burning of garbage. Air pollution from household garbage burning, including plastics, has been observed in Jalapa, Guatemala in addition to household air pollution (HAP) from cooking. Adolescent girls often help with these cooking and household tasks, but little is known about their exposures. We characterized 24-h exposures to HAP and household garbage burning in adolescent girls by measuring fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), bisphenol A (BPA), and phthalates. We recruited 60 girls between 13 and 17 years of age who helped with cooking activities and lived with participants of the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial. We recruited n = 30 girls each from the control (wood-burning stove) and intervention (liquefied petroleum gas stove) arms. We also measured real-time kitchen concentrations of BC in 20 homes (33%). PM2.5 and BC were measured in n = 21 control and n = 20 intervention participants. Median concentrations of personal PM2.5 and BC and kitchen BC were lower (p < 0.05) in the intervention arm by 87%, 80%, and 85%, respectively. PAH metabolite concentrations were lower (p < 0.001) for all nine metabolites in intervention (n = 26) compared to control participants (n = 29). Urinary BPA concentrations were 66% higher in participants who reported using cosmetics (p = 0.02), and phthalate concentrations were 63% higher in participants who had reported using hair products during the sample period (p = 0.05). Our results suggest that gas stoves can reduce HAP exposures among adolescents who are not primary cooks at home. Biomarkers of plastic exposure were not associated with intervention status, but some were elevated compared to age- and sex-matched participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Indoor wood-burning from stoves and fireplaces and incident lung cancer among Sister Study participants

Background and aimEpidemiological studies conducted mostly in low- and middle-income countries have found a positive association between household combustion of wood and lung cancer. However, most studies have been retrospective, and few have been conducted in the United States where indoor wood-burning usage patterns differ. We examined the association of exposure to indoor wood smoke from fireplaces and stoves with incident lung cancer in a U.S.-wide cohort of women. MethodsWe included 50,226 women without prior lung cancer participating in the U.S.-based prospective Sister Study. At enrollment (2003–2009), women reported frequency of use of wood-burning stoves and/or fireplaces in their longest-lived adult residence. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRadj) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association between indoor wood-burning fireplace/stove use and incident lung cancer. Lung cancer was self-reported and confirmed with medical records. ResultsDuring an average 11.3 years of follow-up, 347 medically confirmed lung cancer cases accrued. Overall, 62.3 % of the study population reported the presence of an indoor wood-burning fireplace/stove at their longest-lived adult residence and 20.6 % reported annual usage of ≥30 days/year. Compared to those without a wood-burning fireplace/stove, women who used their wood-burning fireplace/stove ≥30 days/year had an elevated rate of lung cancer (HRadj = 1.68; 95 % CI = 1.27, 2.20). In never smokers, positive associations were seen for use 1–29 days/year (HRadj = 1.64; 95 % CI = 0.87, 3.10) and ≥30 days/year (HRadj = 1.99; 95 % CI = 1.02, 3.89). Associations were also elevated across all income groups, in Northeastern, Western or Midwestern U.S. regions, and among those who lived in urban or rural/small town settings. ConclusionsOur prospective analysis of a cohort of U.S. women found that increasing frequency of wood-burning indoor fireplace/stove usage was associated with incident lung cancer, even among never smokers.

Learning to live with smoke: characterizing wildland fire and prescribed fire smoke risk communication in rural Washington

Extreme smoke events from wildland fires are increasing in frequency and intensity across the country. Risk communication around wildland and prescribed fires is an essential component of both smoke-readiness and resilience. To date, little research has been conducted on how smoke exposure risks can be communicated effectively, especially within the context of rural and tribal communities, who experience a disproportionate burden of smoke risks and impacts. This qualitative study analyzed how tribal and non-tribal communities in the Okanogan River Airshed Emphasis Area (ORAEA) receive and share information about smoke exposure to highlight gaps and communication opportunities for smoke risk communication. The ORAEA is a region of north-central Washington that is frequently blanketed with smoke year-round from wildland fire in the summer, prescribed fire in the fall and spring, and wood burning stoves in the winter. This study was the result of a partnership between the Okanogan River Airshed Partnership, the Natural Resource Division for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Colville Environmental Trust Air Quality Program, and the University of Washington. The study team conducted seventeen key informant interviews and six focus groups to identify community perceptions of smoke exposure and describe its impact. A thematic analysis of interview and focus group data identified five themes around wildfire smoke risk communication: (1) perception of the health risks of smoke; (2) current ways of sharing information about smoke; (3) trusted sources of information; (4) gaps and communication opportunities; and (5) perceptions of prescribed fire. Based on these themes, we developed a set of six recommended actions. To create effective smoke risk communication that may be applicable to smoke-impacted regions across the country, messaging must address barriers to action, be rooted in community perceptions of risk, and be delivered through trusted channels.

Urinary Bladder Carcinoma in Females: A Clinico-Pathological Assessment.

Urinary bladder cancer is an uncommon cancer in females. Despite not being an infrequent encounter, female bladder cancer remains a poorly defined entity. There is a paucity of literature regarding bladder cancer in females, especially in North India. This study aims to evaluate the clinico-pathological profile of bladder cancer in female patients managed at a single centre in north India. This retrospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care centre in North India. Medical records and a database of female patients with bladder cancer treated between January 2012 and January 2021 were retrieved. Data regarding age, duration of disease, associated comorbidity, histopathological variants, and outcomes were studied. Out of 56 female patients with bladder masses, 55 had transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), while one had pheochromocytoma. Painless hematuria (80.3%) was the commonest presentation. At the time of presentation, 5 patients (9.1%) had muscle-invasive bladder cancer (T2-T4), while 50 patients had non-muscle-invasive disease, out of which 31 (56.4%) patients had high-grade and 19 (34.5%) patients had low-grade papillary carcinoma. Twenty-three patients (41.8%) had a history of exposure to domestic chulha (open wood-burning cooking stove), and 11 patients (20%) were smokers; six patients (10.9%) were exposed to both risk factors. Female bladder cancer was most prevalent in the sixth decade of life, with the majority of patients having a high-grade but non-muscle-invasive disease. Of all the risk factors, chulha exposure was the main risk factor in the aetiology of female bladder cancer.

Estimation of heating system energy modeling profiles based on environmental monitoring records in Central-Southern Chile

Data simulated for occupancy profiles, usually based on standard occupancy schedules, must be validated against real measurements, and many studies have pointed out the gap between them. This problem is more pronounced in homes that are not heated by grid-connected energy sources, such as wood-burning stoves, because the meter cannot provide a real-time estimate. In Central-South Chile, 74% of homes are heated by wood stoves, causing an acute problem of air pollution in several urban areas. The government is trying to solve this problem, but at the moment there is no data on occupancy profiles, hence it is not possible to estimate the energy intensity for heating. This exploratory study aims to clarify to what extent occupancy profiles can be estimated from PM 2.5 pollution levels. To this end, publicly available data on PM 2.5 concentrations in 17 cities in central-south Chile was used as a proxy to build occupancy schedules for homes heated by wood stoves. The results show that there is a clear relationship between pollution levels and occupancy intensity, and that the latter does not follow the schedules outlined in international standards or building codes. The results and methodology can be replicated in cities where air pollution is driven by wood stoves, allowing public authorities to have access to accurate occupancy schedules and providing them with reliable data to address local air pollution problems.

69 S-Phenyl Mercapturic Acid as Urinary Biomarker of Indoor Exposure in Children

Abstract Indoor air quality is particularly important for children since they spend more than 90% of their time inside. If outdoor levels of hazardous hydrocarbons are principally traffic related, indoor levels also depend on a variety of sources such as heating and cooking systems, stored products and human behavior (e.g. smoking, cleaning). In this context, within the ENVIRONAGE cohort, was investigated the relationship between SPMA urinary concentration in 214 children (4 to 6-year-old), and indoor sources of air pollution like heating and cooking methods (gas based vs electric) and traffic related air pollution (focusing on NO2 and black carbon). The SPMA urinary concentration was determined developing a high-sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method (LOQ: 0.05 ng/mL). Parents of the children were asked, throughout questionnaire, information about sources of indoor air pollution, such as wood-burning stove, fireplace and gas-based methods of heating or as energy source for the cooking stove and their frequency of using. Interpolation techniques was used to model the regional background levels of NO2 and black carbon for each child's residential address. The use of gas based cooking methods in the residential home of the child was associated with a 74% increase in the mean SPMA concentration of the child (95% Cl: 1.07 to 2.83), correcting for sex, age, BMI, waist circumference, passive smoking, education level of the parents, and time of the day. Consequently, this finding indicates that urinary SPMA can be used as biomarker for looking at indoor determinants of hazard hydrocarbons exposure.

A culturally sensitive educational intervention to improve the acceptance and sustained use of safer cooking stoves in the Guatemalan highlands.

This study introduces a culturally sensitive educational intervention to households that use open-fire cooking methods in order to improve the acceptance and sustained use of a safer cooking stove. A wood-burning stove with a closed firebox was introduced in two villages in the highlands of Guatemala. Usage rates were measured over a seven-month period after the stoves were built. Although higher initial acceptance rates were seen in the village that received the educational intervention, households in both villages showed acceptance and sustained usage rates of the stoves. This finding supports the premise that culturally sensitive educational interventions as well as community-based programmes lead to higher acceptance of initiatives, and news of these improvements spreads through culturally accepted routes.

Perceptions of accountability and trust in the regulatory governance of wood burning stove sustainability: Survey evidence from the post-Brexit UK

Perceptions of accountability and trust in the regulatory governance of wood burning stove sustainability: Survey evidence from the post-Brexit UK

Editorial

Over the last few months, grassroots activists based in urban Russia have got involved in humanitarian projects supporting the inhabitants of Mariupol, a city almost fully destroyed by what the Russian government calls a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. Control over the city was surrendered to the Russian military in May 2022. Volunteers provide survivors of a three-month-long siege with clothes, food, medicine and firewood – the latter being important as heavy bombardment and severe fighting have damaged the heating systems of residential apartment blocks, which means that many individual apartments are kept warm this winter with the help of home- or industrially made metal wood-burning stoves. Yet, apart from bringing these material necessities to Mariupol, volunteers also return with new perspectives on the conflict. ‘Mariupolitans are remarkably resilient’, explained one of the volunteers. But they also pointed to the ‘flip side’ of this resilience: ‘This woman, for instance, thinks that after managing her daily survival thanks to the stuff that we bring, things might start looking up and [that] she might be eventually able to continue as before, living essentially a European life’. Volunteers saw their duty here also in explaining that the inhabitants of Mariupol had yet to fully grasp what kind of society they were now a part of. Conveying new regimes of silence and hierarchies can be seen as a form of grassroots humanitarianism. The present special issue of Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale explores cases of humanitarianism and their sociohistorical conditioning.

Between Ordinary Harm and Deviance: Evaluating the UK’s Regulatory Regime For Controlling Air Pollution From Wood Burning Stoves

Abstract Particulate matter (PM) in air pollution causes illness, injury and premature death by infiltrating essential organs. Wood burning stoves are a primary source of PM in the United Kingdom, where domestic wood burning emissions have tripled over the last decade. This article adopts a constructivist lens to examine the regulatory regime controlling these pollutants. Combining analysis of ‘expert’ interviews, responses to Freedom of Information requests and government records exempting appliances from Smoke Control Area rules, it illustrates how efforts at controlling ‘smoke’ in the past have become instrumental in encouraging the production of PM from stoves in the present. In doing so, this article demonstrates the utility of research sensitive to processes underpinning the (non)construction of environmental issues as deviant and suggests a lens through which ordinary harms can be better understood.

Benefits of sauna on lung capacity, neurocognitive diseases, and heart health

Sauna refers to passive heat therapy that involves exposure of the body to a high-temperature environment for an appropriately short period, contingent on the therapy’s purpose. Ideally, the therapy aims to raise the internal body temperature by a few degrees, and its effect happens in two phases. The first phase occurs during the first ten minutes, encouraging the body to perspire while maintaining a temperature of around 98.6 degrees. The extra heat is dispersed by increased blood circulation, blood pushing on the skin's surface, and sweating. The body enters the second phase after 10-30 minutes in the sauna. During this period, the body cannot disperse the sauna heat, thereby increasing the body temperature. In return, the heart rate and sweating increase. There are four different types of saunas. These include traditional saunas, usually heated with wood-burning stoves, rocks, or an electric coil. Far-infrared saunas are usually heated by metallic or ceramic elements that produce a small spectrum of light, referred to as far-infrared. Infrared lamp saunas are heated using heat lamps that produce radiant heat. The last type is steam saunas, traditionally heated, but water increases the humidity and air temperatures. During sauna therapy, the heart rate of an individual increase from the standard range up to 120 or 150 beats per minute. Unlike physical activity, sauna therapy does not involve any active function of the skeletal muscles. Even though skeletal muscles are inactive during a sauna session, blood volume is partially redirected to the internal organs' exterior body parts due to decreased venous return. Sauna therapy assists in liberating toxins piled in our tissues, facilitating lymph and blood circulation and strengthening one's immune system. Sauna bathing has mainly been used for purposes of relaxation and pleasure. Today, the activity is increasingly becoming popular as a form of treatment therapy. Several pieces of evidence claim that sauna bathing has numerous health benefits, including hemodynamic regulation processes, reduced risk of vascular diseases, cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive diseases, mortality, pulmonary diseases, stabilized arterial blood pressure, and enhancement of conditions such as flu, headache, and arthritis. However, response to stress from heat can increase muscle blood flow. This report will precisely explore the benefits of sauna bathing on lung capacity and heart health for people with cardiovascular, lung-related or respiratory-related, and neurocognitive diseases.

Effect of wood moisture content on the performance of wood burning cook stoves

ABSTRACT Rural Ethiopian communities rely mostly on biomass fuels for subsistence and productive purposes. With an increasing population and dwindling forest resources, wood fuel consumption has exceeded its supply. Besides, people do not know ways of maximising biomass efficiency. The study involves the burning efficiencies of woods with varied moisture contents. Eucalyptus wood of five different moisture contents was used in five identical wood-burning stoves purposefully constructed for this purpose. Tests were conducted over 5 days, thereby giving five replications. In the tests, food temperature, stove body temperature, and stove smoke outlet temperature measurements were conducted along with ambient air temperatures. Wood with 10% moisture content performs better during combustion with respect to low and high moisture content wood. High moisture content delayed the cooking onset and low moisture decreased the duration of effective cooking. The 50% moisture content or greater with respect to oven-dried wood failed to cook. Moisture content of around 30% delayed the time to reach cooking temperature by two and hence elongated the cooking time. There is also the extended smoke time as observed from the smoke outlet temperature.

Cleaning the Flue in Wood-Burning Stoves Is a Key Factor in Reducing Household Air Pollution.

In experimental settings, replacing old wood stoves with new wood stoves results in reduced personal exposure to household air pollution. We tested this assumption by measuring PM2.5 and levoglucosan concentrations inside homes and correlated them with wood stove age. Methods: Thirty homes in the Albuquerque, NM area were monitored over a seven-day period using in-home particulate monitors placed in a common living area during the winter months. Real-time aerosol monitoring was performed, and filter samples were analyzed gravimetrically to calculate PM2.5 concentrations and chemically to determine concentrations of levoglucosan. A linear regression model with backward stepwise elimination was performed to determine the factors that would predict household air pollution measures. Results: In this sample, 73.3% of the households used wood as their primary source of heating, and 60% burned daily or almost daily. The mean burn time over the test week was 50 ± 38 h, and only one household burned wood 24/day (168 h). The average PM2.5 concentration (standard deviation) for the 30 homes during the seven-day period was 34.6 µg/m3 (41.3 µg/m3), and median (min, max) values were 15.5 µg/m3 (7.3 µg/m3, 193 µg/m3). Average PM2.5 concentrations in 30 homes ranged from 0–15 μg/m3 to >100 μg/m3. Maximum PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 100–200 μg/m3 to >3000 μg/m3. The levoglucosan levels showed a linear correlation with the total PM2.5 collected by the filters (R2 = 0.92). However, neither mean nor peak PM2.5 nor levoglucosan levels were correlated with the age (10.85 ± 8.54 years) of the wood stove (R2 ≤ 0.07, p > 0.23). The final adjusted linear regression model showed that average PM2.5 was associated with reports of cleaning the flue with a beta estimate of 35.56 (3.47–67.65) and R2 = 0.16 (p = 0.04). Discussion: Cleaning the flue and not the wood stove age was associated with household air pollution indices. Education on wood stove maintenance and safe burning practices may be more important in reducing household air pollution than the purchase of new stoves.