How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove

Wood stoves can be an inexpensive and cozy way to heat your home. Smoke from wood stoves can be hazardous to your health. It is essential to know how these appliances function and how they operate.

Modern stoves employ secondary or catalytic combustion to reduce emissions. However, older open fires and stoves create large amounts of particulates.

The firebox

The firebox is the heart of any fireplace system. It's where you create a fire to heat your home and provide ambiance. It's a simple concept, but there are many important details that must be accounted for to keep your wood burning stove safe and efficient.

The simplest way to think of the firebox is that it's a box-like combustion chamber with walls and an entrance. Most fireplaces have an already-built metal or the masonry fireboxes. The type of firebox you pick will depend on your preference as well as the type of fireplace that you have.

Most wood-burning fireplaces utilize a continuous flow of air to create the flame and burn Multi Fuel Wood Burner. Fresh air is pumped into the stove via dampers that can be adjusted inside its doors. This lets the fuels burn properly and reduces the harmful gases that are produced by incomplete or unburnt combustion. The exhaust gases will then be dragged through the chimney and away from your home.

Modern stoves with catalytic secondary combustion make use of a specific catalyst to reburn the unburnt gasses to generate additional heat. This produces a cleaner and less polluting exhaust than traditional wood stoves that have no secondary combustion. Modern wood stoves that are not catalytic are available however they are generally less efficient than stoves with catalytic second combustion.

Some wood-burning stoves have a backboiler that can be used to heat water in addition to space heating. They are also known as "combination" or "hybrid" stoves and have been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.

Wood burning stoves should only be made use of seasoned wood. Freshly cut (green) wood has a high moisture content, which can cause low flue temperatures and excessive creosote buildup in the chimney. This could lead to chimney fires, which could cause damage to your stove and could cause harm to the health of your family members.

If you're in search of an expert to examine your wood burning stove or make any firebox repairs, make sure the chimney professional you choose is CSIA certified and provides testimonials from customers on their website. Find out their rates, and what type of work they perform.

The pipe for ventilation

Wood stoves require ventilation in order to remove the smoke from the combustion process and keep your home warm and healthy. Ventilation helps remove carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and excess moisture from the process of combustion. It also reduces the amount of air pollution and loss of heat to the outdoors. Wood, pellet and gas stoves have different venting requirements to adapt to the way they operate. It is essential to maintain the stove's venting system on an every year to ensure security and efficiency.

The ventilation system is comprised of the firebox, the ventilation pipe and the chimney. The chimney and the vent pipe work together to create draft, drawing smoke from the stove through the fireplace to outside air. Draft is created by the differences in temperature and density between hot wood burner fireplace smoke and cold air outside. The higher the temperature of the smoke, the more it can rise up the chimney and through the ventilation pipe.

Modern wood stoves are EPA-certified low-emission units. They emit less pollution than older models that contribute to global warming and other environmental issues. Most modern stoves have built-in pollution control systems that limit the amount of emissions while making sure that they burn efficiently.

Older stoves that have open flues create more carbon dioxide. This is a poisonous, toxic gas and it cannot be escaped into your home. This could happen if the chimney is not clean or there is insufficient ventilation, which is why it is essential to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

Before installing a brand new or used wood stove, take note of the distance from the place where the stove is placed on the floor to the chimney opening on the ceiling or wall. Multiplying this distance by 2 will give you the shortest length of stovepipe you need. Single-wall or double-wall stovepipes and be aware of the proper clearances from combustibles for either type.

When the stove is lit for the first time then adjust the air vent until a good flame has been established and combustion process is stable. It is best to avoid using wood logs in the stove since they could contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vents to malfunction.

The chimney

The chimney is a complicated system that requires careful care. The chimney is composed of many important components which are all essential to ensure the safety and efficiency of your stove.

The combustion gases are vented to the outside by the firebox, the ventilation pipe, and the chimney. This process is critical in preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels in your home. To achieve this the chimney and flue have to be sufficiently hot to carry the gasses out of the fireplace without them cooling. This is achieved by using a woodburning stove with a high heat output and by regularly adding new logs to the fire.

Modern wood-burning stoves have a higher chimney than older systems to improve the drafting effect. However, this may have disadvantages in the event that the height of your chimney is higher than the maximum allowed for your particular location. If this occurs, the chimney may compete with the house stack for draft, causing the gases to cool prior to exiting. This could impede the flow of gases and create a buildup of creosote that could be a fire danger.

The most frequent mistake that homeowners make is to open the fireplace door and close it too often. This can adversely affect the combustion. It is crucial to keep the fireplace door as tightly shut as you can, and only open it to add ash or firewood. Keeping the door open too long allows the hot air to escape from the stove, causing the logs to cool and harder to light. It also releases unburned volatile compounds into the room.

Other types of combustibles can create higher emissions, or even a chimney fire. Woodburning stoves are designed and optimized to burn firewood. They are not suitable for other combustion products.

The flue

A woodburning stove requires an appropriately size flue to permit adequate draft development and air flow. Usually, the size of the flue should be at least 25 percent larger than the stove pipe (which connects the stove to the chimney) to ensure adequate room for smoke circulation. In addition, a wood stove must be placed on a hearth constructed of non-combustible materials and has a clear, unobstructed area that is in the front of the opening for the fireplace.

Modern stoves have the feature of a catalytic combustor that can help reduce the amount of harmful by-products that are released into the chimney. This feature can also assist to improve the efficiency of a wood stove by burning a flame that produces more heat and emits less. Making use of other types of combustibles other than firewood however, could cause issues, such as lower efficiency and more emission levels.

When you are burning wood in a fireplace or stove it is essential to burn seasoned or dried wood. If your wood isn't dry or seasoned it will release high levels of creosote and water vapour into the chimney. This could result in low flue temperatures and even a chimney fire.

A professional can also help you avoid the possibility of a chimney fire by regularly checking and cleaning the flue system. This includes the stovepipe, the chimney, and the chimney itself.

A dirty stove or system can cause an unclean draft in your chimney, which could cause carbon monoxide to accumulate in your home. This can be harmful to your family members and should not be allowed to happen.

It is a good idea to have your stove and chimney swept by a professional every year. This will help keep your chimney and stove in good condition.