Dos and Don'ts When Using a Log Burner Fire

Log burners are the ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy a fire's atmosphere. They also provide a potent heat source for your home.

To get the most heat out of your log burner, make sure the wood is dry prior to use. The reason for poor performance is by the loss of moisture from the stove, higher temperatures than needed and unburned gas emissions.

Burning logs

It is important to make use of Ready To Burn certified logs for wood stove. This will increase the efficiency of your stove. When used correctly will burn at the highest temperatures and decrease the amount of creosote that builds up in your chimney. This will reduce your energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If you are using greenwood or unseasoned wood it could cause harm to your chimney and stove. Unseasoned wood has a higher moisture content than kiln dried wood, and this can cause issues when burning. Wet wood can generate lots of smoke when they're burned, which could reduce the effectiveness of your heating system. It can also cause creosote to accumulate in your chimney, which poses an important fire risk and can lead to chimney fires.

Wet and unseasoned logs will also burn slower than dried wood that has been kiln-baked. It is best to only use wood that is seasoned to keep your flue from being damaged and overheating your stove. To test the moisture content of your logs, you can knock two sticks together to see how they sound. Dry wood will produce a thudding, dull sound whereas dry logs will create a sharp cracking sound. Logs that have been seasoned are also darker in color than freshly cut damp wood.

Once you've set up a small fire and a adequate airflow in your stove, it's now time to add bigger logs. It's important to not add too many at a time as this will smother the flames and stop them from catching. It's also recommended to spread the logs out evenly around the fire and keep some of your kindling between them.

Opening your stove door too often can also affect the burn rate. This could cause the log burner to stop working, which could also affect its effectiveness and increase the amount of smoke emitted. It is also important to ensure that the space surrounding your appliance is free of combustible material and that furniture is far away from the appliance to be in line with the distance-to-combustible requirements for your model.

Ventilation

To ensure that fireplaces, log burners, and stoves work efficiently, they need ventilation. The English Building Regulations require that combustion appliances like log burners have a sufficient supply. Smoke could get into your home if you don't have sufficient ventilation for the stove, particularly when it's not burning correctly.

To prevent this from happening, make sure that the chimney or flue isn't blocked. However, making sure there is adequate ventilation in the room around your fireplace or stove is also essential. Otherwise, smoke and soot could escape through the flue or chimney and back into the house. Ventilation is essential to ensure that your fire burns effectively and you get the most heat from your wood, and reduce emissions.

To get the most efficiency, you should always use seasoned wood. This means it has been cut and split, then stacked for longer periods of time to allow the moisture within the wood to dry out. Usually, this is between six to twelve months. The logs should be kiln-dried to enable them to be burned more easily.

When you start the fire, add only small pieces of wood initially to let the flames get established. Then, once they have been established you can add larger logs. Don't add too many at once though, because this can cause the flames to become smothered and leave fuel that has not been burned that creates creosote and smoke.

It's important to keep the fire burning until all the logs are reduced to soot or embers. If you remove the logs too soon, you could suck up smoke and other volatile substances into the room, and this could also impact the effectiveness of the fire.

Avoid touching the flame with your fingers to avoid releasing smoke into the room and cause the wood catch fire. If you open the stove too fast, it will release a cloud of smoke into the room, and cause the wood to catch fire.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is the key to the success of a log burner fire, not only in terms of aesthetics but also for heating efficiency. A dirty stove produces less heat, consumes more fuel and releases unpleasant odours. It could also pose a fire hazard and clog the flue, resulting in an inefficient exhausting of smoke and fumes.

There are other items that require attention in addition to the regular cleaning of your Ash pan. For example, the riddling grate and bottom burn plate should be cleaned of any soot particles. The baffle plate and ash bucket should be checked for wear, as should the gaskets around the door and glass.

Before beginning any maintenance work, it is essential to put on protective gloves and goggles as dust particles that are abrasive like ash and soot can cause painful abrasions. It is also a good idea to allocate a safe space for the work, and free of any dangers. It is also recommended to place the tarpaulin sheets on the floor, to catch any falling debris and make the cleaning process much easier.

When emptying the ashes, it is important to remove them from the fireplace using metal containers and leave the container open until they are completely cold. Ashes are a good insulation material and will retain heat for hours or days after the fire has been extinguished. They can be used as fertilisers however only if they're made from untreated, clean wood.

Another important point to consider is the kind of firewood you use. It is a good idea to choose firewood that is seasoned, that has been split and stored away from the weather and dried until its moisture content is between 20 and 25 percent. This will help prevent the accumulation of creosote buildup and keep the chimney free Standing electric log burners of soot, tar and other stains.

We also offer a range approved by DEFRA for wood burning stoves as an alternative to traditional log burner fireplace ideas fire. These stoves are extremely energy efficient and produce less emissions than a traditional open fire. It has been estimated that between 25% and 33 percent of London's fine particle air pollution derives from domestic wood burning, so switching to a stove can make a huge difference to the environment.

Safety

Log burners are a warm and efficient method of heating your log cabin. They are relatively simple appliances consisting of a firebox, stove door and stove-pipe with air vents to control the fire. However, they require some maintenance and understanding of how to use them properly. Here are some guidelines and don'ts when using log burners.

It is recommended to use seasoned and dried wood for your log stove, as this will burn more efficiently, generating more heat with less smoke. Green and unseasoned wood can create tar deposits in the chimney and flue which block the circulation of air and decreasing your heating efficiency. It could also create a fire hazard, potentially sparking fires in chimneys or flues. The best option is to buy kiln-dried wood that has the "Ready to Burn' label as this is a reliable indicator that it is dry and safe to burn.

Similarly, you should avoid using any other fuels in your log burner such as charcoal lighter logs or paraffin firelighter logs lighter fluid. These substances are highly inflammable and could create fireballs in the stove, releasing harmful gasses. If you are using a log burner in a Smoke Control Area it is recommended to only use fuels that are smoke-free.

Pellet stoves require a lot less effort to operate than traditional wood burners. Most require plugging the appliance in and pressing the ignition button. However, it is essential to follow the manufacturer's instructions when using your stove, and be aware that you must clean out the combustion chamber frequently. It's not a huge job, but it will take some time and effort. A good tip is to place an open-top indoor log burner holder near your stove so you can quickly remove ash and debris whenever you need to. You can also purchase a stove that has an automatic cleaning chamber to facilitate cleaning. However, it will require regular emptying of the ash tray. This will decrease the amount of time and effort you have to put into cleaning your log burner.