How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a great way to save energy and warm the room. However, they need some level of maintenance.

Many modern wood burning stove wood stoves conform to EPA emissions guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to make sure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The scent and sound of a wood fire could be a welcome feature in any house. But it's important to learn the proper way to make a fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in the fire not to burn efficiently, and produces creosote or smoke. The tips below can help you start a safe fire that can heat your home quickly and efficiently.

Make sure to check the condition of your logs and coals before you begin a fire. If they're wet it will dampen your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might want to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that falls into the stove.

Begin by putting a few small dry newspaper pieces in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and kindling. Once these begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done with an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece.

If your wood stove has an automatic combustion control, it will automatically supply air to the fire as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to constantly open the stove's door to keep it in check.

Do not use excessive tinder since it will cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and will not be able to use the fuel effectively. After you've built a solid base in your stove with sparks, tinder and kindling, start the main flame by laying down two large base logs on the grill. Then, you can lay small logs that are perpendicular to them and on the top of the base logs. This method of constructing a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that will not overtake the larger base logs.

Close the damper once the fire is established and kept it shut. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for the correct air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.

Adding Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and also save you money. They can be utilized together with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heat in large homes. A lot of the stoves that are clean-burning employ a superior combustion process that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage allows the burning of volatile compounds, while the second step offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases smells.

The amount of heat you will get from a stove depends on the species and the moisture content of the Wood Burning Stoves For Sheds as well as the size of logs. To let the wood dry, wood burning stoves for sheds logs should be stored in a ventilated space for a couple of months prior to burning. If the logs have too much moisture, they will create steam which is essentially wasted power.

During the burning of the fire, you should add more wood to the stack in intervals, not all at one time. The addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating an air vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into flames. This could reduce the efficiency of your stove.

It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles like cardboard or paper in your stove, as they are not wood and have very different physical properties that cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. It is not recommended to burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes since they differ in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not type-approved to be used in wood burning stoves.

If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it's important to have it properly installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test your installation to ensure it is safe and reliable. They will also ensure that your chimney is functioning properly. They provide maintenance services for your chimney and stove to keep them in top condition. They will look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney and repair any issues they spot. They will also make sure that the occupants of the house are aware of and follow the evacuation procedure in case of an accident.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper controls the amount of heat that is lost up the chimney when you're not using your stove. In addition to this it can help you manage the fire. If the flue opens but the damper is too closed the fire will not ignite properly and smoke will erupt into your home. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by playing around with different settings.

Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This allows the fire to start a fire and keeps it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for a long time. The proper opening will stop the fire from being starved of air and stop it from blowing smoke.

To be able to adjust your damper, you need to first make sure the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and that it has a strong draft. Once this is accomplished the damper on the wood stove may be adjusted.

After the fire has been burning for some time, you need to close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air from the room from escaping into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to keep the fire from getting too hot while keeping it lit. The draft might be stopped if one closes the damper to far however a cold breeze can enter your home when the damper is left open.

By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.

The damper settings can vary from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the most suitable setting for your stove.

Clean Up

It is essential to clean your flue and stove after an incident. This will help 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 builds up on the inside of the stovepipe and can be very dangerous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape from the fire. It can also happen by fires that are not properly lit.

A regular cleaning routine helps prevent the buildup of creosote. The best way to do this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and checked at least every year.

It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only seasoned wood because it produces less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They can release chemicals that are dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the air, and could be released into your home.

It is also essential to clean the glass of the wood-burning stove on a regular basis. Many newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, meaning that they do not require much scrubs. If you're not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like you can use stove glass cleaners available that you can use on the window.

Other tips to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you're not using it and opening doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, since it won't have to exert as much effort to circulate the air. It is recommended not to stack logs or place them on the fire for an extended period of time. This can cause splitting and warping. It is best to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove because the paraffin contained within them can melt and flow into the flue which could cause damage.