How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are an ideal option to conserve energy and warm rooms. They will require some maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emissions guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to ensure that your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and sound of a woodfire is a welcome addition in any home. It's essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to a fire which does not burn effectively, and can produce smoke or creosote. These tips will help you start the fire that will warm your home with minimal effort and maximum safety.

Before you begin a fire, check the condition of your coals and logs. 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's fallen into the stove.

Begin by placing a handful of small, dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. Once these begin to burn, add a layer of larger pieces of tinder 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 your wood stove has an automatic combustion control it will automatically pump air into the fire as it expands. This will allow the fire to burn continuously without having to open the stove's door frequently to check on it.

It is essential to avoid using too much tinder, as this could result in an unburned fire that burns at an extremely high rate and fails to utilize the fuel as efficiently as it can. If you have a nice fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grate. Then, add small logs parallel to these and on top of the base logs. This method of building a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that will not completely consume the larger base logs.

Once the fire is established shut off the damper and keep it shut. The fire may be smothered if the user opens the damper before it is fully established. It can also decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Adding Wood

Stoves aren't just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be used in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large houses. The latest stoves that burn clean employ a superior combustion process that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by providing air in two distinct stages. The first stage is for the vaporization and the second is to supply fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps reduce the smell.

The amount of heat you will get from your stove is contingent on both the best wood burning stoves species of wood and the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a ventilated area for several months prior to when you try to burn them, to allow the wood to dry. If the logs are soaked with excessive moisture, they will produce steam, which is basically wasted energy.

You should add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at once. Addition of too much wood at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating the formation of a vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into flames. This can reduce the efficiency of your stove.

You should avoid the use of any other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, because they are not wood and have very different physical properties and cannot be burned safely without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. You should not burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes since they differ in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved to be burned in wood burning stoves.

If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it's essential to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for proper operation and safety and also ensure that your chimney is functioning properly. These experts can also provide maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in good condition. They can look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney, and fix any issues they spot. They will also ensure that the occupants of the house understand and follow the evacuation procedure in case of an accident.

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, the fire will not ignite properly and smoke will pour into your home. You can adjust the damper to get the best flames by testing different positions.

You should keep your damper open to allow air to flow into and out of the flue when a flame is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from becoming depleted of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace is heated and wood burning stove that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure 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 a while, you should close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will prevent warm air from the room from venturing into the chimney, but still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to keep your fire burning and to prevent it from becoming too hot. The draft could be stopped if you shut the damper to far but a cold wind can enter your home if the damper is left open.

You can determine how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight breeze pressing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.

The damper settings can vary between stoves and even among different types of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you might need to tweak until you get the perfect setting for your stove.

Clean Up

It is important to clean your flue and stove after the start of a fire. This will reduce the risk of a fire in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance that can accumulate inside the stovepipe, is extremely hazardous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this substance. This can also occur by fires that are not properly lit.

Regular cleaning can help keep away the buildup of creosote. The best way to do this is by sweeping the chimney at least once a year. It is recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year, too.

It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is best to burn only wood stove online that is well-seasoned since it will create less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They can release chemicals that are dangerous for the flue and air, and could be released into your home.

The glass in the wood burning stove has to be cleaned regularly too. The majority of newer wood stoves online have self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require much scrubs. If you are not able to clean the glass of your wood burning stove modern stove as clean as you'd like, there are stove glass cleaners can be used on the window.

Other suggestions to keep your wood stove in good condition include turning down the vent when you're not using it and opening doors or windows to increase airflow. This will keep the fire burning more hot and more efficiently since it won't have to work as hard to circulate the air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or keep them in the flame for long periods of time as this could lead to splitting and warping. It is advised to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove since the paraffin contained within them can melt and flow into the flue, which could cause damage.