How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a comfortable method to heat a room and conserve energy. They do require some maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves are compliant with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to make sure your stove doesn't create a lot of harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and sound of a wood fire could be a pleasant feature in any home. However, it is important to know how to properly create a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to an unburned fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. The tips below can help you create a safe fire that can heat your home quickly and efficiently.

Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and prevent the proper burning. It is also possible to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove.

Begin by putting a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help ignite the sparks. Once the tinder and kindling are beginning to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of corner wood Burning stove.

If you have wood stoves that have an automatic control of combustion it will automatically supply an air stream controlled to the flame as it heats. This will allow the fire to burn continuously without having to open the door of your stove often to keep it in check.

It is essential to avoid using excessive tinder as this can lead to the fire burning at a high rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as possible. Once you've got a good bed in your stove of sparks, tinder and kindling begin the main flame by laying two large base logs on the grate. Then, on the top of these base woods, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This "top-down" method of building a fireplace will produce a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't engulf larger base logs.

Close the damper once your fire has been established, and keep it shut. Opening the damper too soon can cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for the proper air flow, which can decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. They can be used by themselves or in conjunction with central heating or furnace system to provide the extra heat required in large houses or homes with many rooms. Many of the new stoves that are clean burning available on the market use an advanced combustion principle which is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is achieved by supplying air at two different stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization process, and the second is to supply fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases smells.

The amount of heat that you can get from a stove is contingent upon the type and amount of moisture of the wood you use, and also the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a ventilated area for several months prior to when you attempt to burn them to give the wood time to dry. If the logs contain too much moisture, they will produce steam that is in essence wasted energy.

It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at once. Adding too much wood at once can cause the temperature of the firebox to rise and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which could reduce the efficiency of your stove.

Avoid the use of other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, because they are not wood and possess different physical properties that can't be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes as they have a very different chemical and physical properties from actual firewood and are not type-approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.

If you're planning to install wood-burning stoves in your home, it's important to have it properly installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for proper operation and safety and also ensure that your chimney is operating properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in good condition. They will look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney, and fix any issues they discover. They will also ensure that all house occupants understand and comply with the fire evacuation procedures in case in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper controls how much heat escapes through the chimney when you're not using your stove. In addition, it can help you to control the flame. If the flue opens, but the damper is closed the fire will not be able to burn as it should and smoke will billow into your home. You can adjust the damper to achieve the most effective flames by testing different locations.

Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and remain lit for a number of hours. The proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace has been heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has an adequate draft. After these steps are completed, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.

Once the fire has smolder for a while, you can shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its maximum. This will stop the warm air in the room from venturing into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.

This is the best method to keep your fire burning and prevent it from getting too hot. If you shut the damper too much, it could stop the draft from working, however when it's too open a cold breeze could blow through your home.

Placing your hand on the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a breeze rubbing against your hand, the damper is likely to be open.

The damper settings can vary between stoves and even between different kinds of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the best setting for your stove.

Clean up

It is important to clean your stove and flue after an incident. This will reduce the risk of a chimney fire which is the main reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky substance that builds up on the inside of the stovepipe and can be very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood burner stoves particles that are unable to escape the fire. This can also occur when fires are not properly lit.

A regular cleaning schedule can help to prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year.

It is also an excellent idea to clean the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is recommended to only burn wood that has been seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These items could release dangerous chemicals for the air and flue, which could be released in your home.

It is also important to wash the glass of the wood burning stove on a regular basis. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they do not require as much scrubs. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're getting the glass as clean as you would like on your wood stove.

Other suggestions to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and cracking windows or doors to allow more airflow. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove will not have to perform as hard to circulate air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or keep them in the fire for prolonged durations of time, since this can lead to warping and splitting. In addition, Corner Wood Burning Stove it is a good idea to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain can melt and then flow down the flue which could cause damage.