How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a cozy way to heat a space and also save energy. However, they need some level of maintenance.

A majority of modern wood burning stoves wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker either under or on the grate to make sure your stove doesn't generate lots of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The sound and smell of a wood fire could be a welcome addition to any home. However, it is important to know the correct method to make a fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates creosote or smoke. These tips can help you start a safe fire that will warm your home quickly and efficiently.

Check the condition of your coals and logs before you begin an fire. If they're too damp they will choke the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may want to open the chimney to eliminate any ash that's fallen into the stove.

Begin by putting a handful of small dry newspaper pieces into your stove. This will help to ignite the sparks. Once these begin to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there is air between each piece of wood.

If you have a wood stove that has an automatic combustion control it will automatically supply a controlled stream of air to your flame as it heats. This allows the fire to burn continuously without you having to open the stove door constantly to tend to it.

It is important to not use too much tinder, since this could result in a fire that burns at a high rate and doesn't use the fuel as efficiently as it can. After you've built a solid foundation in your stove that is made of tinder, kindling and embers begin the main flame by laying two large base logs on the grill. On top of these base logs put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This "top-down" method of creating the fireplace will create a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't consume larger logs from the base.

When your fire is established Close the damper and keep it closed. Doing this too soon can cause the fire get smothered and not allow for the proper air flow, which can reduce its efficiency.

Adding Wood

Stoves aren't just beautiful home décor pieces - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be used by themselves or together with a furnace or central heating system to provide the supplemental heating required in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. A lot of the stoves that burn cleanly available on the market use advanced combustion principles that can separate the burning volatile substances from combustible gasses as well as tar. This is achieved by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage permits the combustion of volatile compounds and the second stage provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases the odors.

The amount of heat that you will get from your stove depends on both the species of wood used as well as the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. The logs must be stored in a well-ventilated space for a period of time before you attempt to burn them to allow the wood to dry out. If the logs are soaked with excessive moisture, they will create steam, which is basically wasted energy.

While you're burning the fire, you should add more wood to the stack in intervals, not all at once. Adding too much wood at one time can cause the temperature of the firebox to increase and creates a vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame which can decrease the efficiency of your stove.

Avoid using other combustibles in your stove such as cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and are unable to be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. It is not recommended to burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes as they differ in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not type-approved to be burned in wood-burning stoves.

It is important that you have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for safe operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is working correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in tip-top shape. They can check for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney, and fix any issues they discover. They will also ensure that the occupants of your home are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

If you're not cooking on your stove, a damper controls the amount of heat lost through the chimney. Additionally, it can help you manage the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is closed too much the fire will not burn as efficiently and will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust your damper to ensure the best flames by testing different positions.

You should keep your damper open to let air enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to start a fire and also helps keep it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for hours. A proper opening will prevent the fire from starving of air and prevent it from blowing out smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly it is important to first make sure that the fireplace has been preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has a good draft. Once these are done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has been burning for some time, you need to shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from venting through the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove.

This is the most effective way to keep your fire burning and modern wood burning Stoves to prevent it from becoming too hot. If you shut the damper too tightly, it could block the draft from working, but when it's too open, a cold wind could blow through your home.

By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a breeze pushing against your palm The damper is most likely in an open position.

The damper settings can vary from one stove to the next and even among different types of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you will need to adjust it until you find the ideal setting for your stove.

Clean up

After the fire, it's crucial to clean the flue and stove. This will reduce the risk of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the main reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape from the fire. It can also happen by fires that are not lit properly.

Regular cleaning helps to prevent creosote buildup. This can be done by cleaning your chimney once a year. It is also recommended that you have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly.

It is also a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is best to burn only seasoned wood since it will create less creosote. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper plastic, and other waste items. These materials can release harmful chemicals to the air and flue that could end up in your home.

It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood burning stove regularly. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they don't require as much cleaning. If you are not able to make the glass on your wood burner stoves stove as clean as you would like, there are stove glass cleaners available that you can use on the window.

Other suggestions for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent off when you are not using it, and opening windows or doors to increase the flow of air. This will keep the fire burning more hot and efficiently. The wood stove will not have to be as active to circulate air. It is also a good idea not stack logs or place them in the flame for long periods of time as this can lead to warping and splitting. In addition, it is a good idea to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your double sided wood burner stove as the paraffin they contain could melt and spill down into the flue, which could cause damage to the stove.