How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a great method to reduce energy consumption and Stove wood Burning heat rooms. However, they need some level of maintenance.

A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to make sure your stove doesn't emit harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and the sound of a woodfire is an enjoyable addition to any house. It's crucial to learn how to properly make a fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in a fire that doesn't burn effectively and produces creosote or smoke. The following tips can assist you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimal effort and ensure your safety.

Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your logs and coals. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and hinder proper burning. You may want to open the chimney to remove any ash that falls into the stove.

Start by placing a few small, dry newspaper pieces into your stove. This will help ignite the fire. Once these begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.

If your wood stove has an automatic combustion control it will automatically pump air into the fire as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to constantly open the stove's doors to maintain it.

Avoid using too much tinder as this will cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and will not be able to use the fuel effectively. If you have a nice pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by laying two large base logs across the grate. On the top of these base logs lay a layer parallel to them. This "top-down" method of building the fireplace will create a long-lasting, efficient fire that doesn't engulf larger logs from the base.

Close the damper once your fire has been established and keep it shut. The fire may be smothered by opening the damper prior to it being fully established. It can also decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Add wood burner fireplace ideas

Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and help you save money. They can be used alone or together with central heating or a furnace system to provide the supplemental heat required in large houses or houses with a lot of rooms. A lot of the stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization, while the second stage is to provide pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and reduces odors.

The amount of heat you will get from your stove depends on the type of wood used and the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them, to allow the wood to dry. If the logs contain too much moisture, they will create steam that is in essence wasted power.

It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at all at. Addition of too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.

Avoid using other combustibles in your stove such as cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. It is not recommended to burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes since they are different in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved to be burned in wood burning stoves.

It is essential that a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure safe operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is working correctly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they are in good shape. They can inspect the accessible areas of your chimney to determine if there is leakage and fix any issues that are discovered. They will also make sure that all house occupants understand and comply with the fire evacuation guidelines in case in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

If you're not making use of your stove, a damper controls how much heat is lost through the chimney. It can also be used to manage the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is closed too much the fire will not burn as efficiently and it will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust the damper to achieve the most effective flames by experimenting with different locations.

Typically, you'll want to keep the damper open enough to let air in and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire get a good fire going and keeps it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for hours. The right opening can stop the fire from becoming depleted of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.

To properly adjust your damper it is important to first make sure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm, and that it has a strong draft. Once these are done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has been burning for an extended period, close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop warm air from the room from escaping into the chimney, while still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the best method to prevent the fire from getting too hot while still keeping it lit. If you close the damper too tightly, it could stop the draft from working, but when it's too open a cold breeze could blow through your home.

You can check to see how much the damper is opened by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you can feel a small draft pushing on your hand it is probably in the open position.

The damper settings can differ slightly from one stove to the next and even between different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get an idea of the best setting for your Stove wood burning.

Clean up

After an incident, it is crucial to clean the flue and stove. This can lower the risk of a chimney fire which is the most common reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky substance that forms on the stovepipe's interior and can be very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape the fire. This can also be caused when fires aren't lit properly.

Regular cleaning can help keep away the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly.

It is also recommended to clean the ash tray and grate regularly. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned because it produces less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These items could release dangerous chemicals into the air and flue, which can be released into your home.

The glass on the wood burning stove has to be cleaned regularly too. A lot of modern wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, which means they do not require much cleaning. If you're unable to make the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like, there are stove glass cleaners available that you can use on the window.

Other tips to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you aren't using it, and slamming doors or windows to allow more airflow. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove will not need to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or leave them in the flame for long periods of time, as this can lead to warping and splitting. It is best to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove since the paraffin that is contained in the logs can melt and leak into the flue and cause damage.