How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and save energy. They will require some maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't create a lot of harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and the sound of a fire can be an enjoyable addition to any home. It is essential to understand how to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to a fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause smoke or creosote. These tips will aid you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimal effort and ensure your safety.

Check the condition of your logs and coals before you begin the fire. If they're damp they will choke your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might also want to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.

Begin by putting a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder. Once they start to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of wood.

If you have a wood stove with an automatic control of combustion, it will automatically feed an air stream controlled to your flame as it heats. This allows the fire to burn for a long time without the need to open the stove door constantly to tend to it.

It's important to avoid using too much tinder, as this can lead to an unburned fire that burns at an excessive rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as it could. After you've built a solid foundation in your stove that is made of tinder, kindling and embers, start the main flame by placing two large logs of the base on the grill. On top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This "top-down" method of building the fireplace will create an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't consume larger logs from the base.

Close the damper once your fire is established, and keep it shut. Doing this too soon could cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for proper airflow, which will reduce its efficiency.

Adding Wood

Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. They can be used together with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heating in large houses. Many of the latest clean burning stoves that are available today utilize an advanced combustion principle which can separate the burning volatile substances from combustible gasses and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air at two different stages. The first stage allows the burning of volatile compounds and the second stage offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases smells.

The amount of heat you get from a stove will depend on the type and amount of moisture of the wood and also the dimensions of logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them, to allow the wood to dry. If the logs are soaked with excessive moisture, they'll produce steam that is in essence wasted energy.

You should add wood to the pile in intervals and not all at all at. In addition, adding too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, creating a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into flames. This could reduce the effectiveness of your stove.

Avoid using other combustibles inside your stove such as cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without producing dangerously high temperatures. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes because they are different in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used in wood burning stoves on sale-burning stoves.

It is important to have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will test your stove to ensure it is safe and functional. They will also ensure that your chimney works correctly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top condition. They will look for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney and fix any issues they discover. They will also make sure that all house occupants know and follow the evacuation procedures for fire in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper regulates how much heat is lost up the chimney when you aren't using your stove. Additionally, it can also help you to control the flame. If the flue is not open but the damper is too closed, the fire won't be able to burn properly and will release smoke into your living space. To get the most efficient fire, with the damper properly adjusted, you must experiment with different settings and observe how each one affects the flames.

Typically, you'll want to keep the damper open enough to let air in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This lets the fire get 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 stop it from blowing smoke.

To properly adjust your damper, you need to ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has a good draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has smolder slightly, you need to shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop warm air from the room from going into the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove.

This is the best wood burner stoves method to prevent the fire from getting too hot while still keeping it lit. If you close the damper too tightly, it may stop the draft from working, but should it be too open, a cold wind could enter your home.

You can test how much the damper is open by placing your hand on the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a breeze pushing against your palm The damper is most likely in an open position.

The damper settings may differ between stoves and even among different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the best woodburning stove setting for your stove.

Clean up

After the fire, it's essential to clean the stove and flue. This will reduce the risk of an explosion in the chimney which is the main cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance which can build up in the stovepipe, is extremely hazardous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape from the fire. This can also be caused by fires that are not lit properly.

A regular cleaning schedule can help keep the buildup of creosote at bay. The most effective method for doing this is by sweeping the chimney each year. It is also recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year.

Also, it's a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to use only seasoned wood for burning, as this will result in less creosote as well as ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They could release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.

It is also important to clean the glass of the wood-burning stove on a regular basis. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they don't require as much scrubbing. If you are not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you'd like, there are stove glass cleaners available that you can use on the window.

Other ways to keep your wood Stove Wood Burning in good condition include turning down the vent when you're not using it and slamming doors or windows to increase airflow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, since it won't have to work as hard to circulate air. It is also a good idea not stack logs or leave them in the fire for long durations of time, since this could lead to warping and splitting. It is also recommended to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain can melt and then flow down into the flue, which could cause damage.