How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a cozy way to heat a room and conserve energy. However, they require some level of maintenance.

A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to ensure your stove doesn't create a lot of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The scent and sound of a fire can be a welcome addition in any home. But it's important to learn how to properly build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause smoke or creosote. The tips below will aid you in starting the fire that will warm your home with the least effort and maximum security.

Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.

Begin by placing a handful of small dry newspaper pieces into your stove. This will help ignite the tinder. After the tinder and kindling have started to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done using a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece.

If you own wood stoves that have an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver an air stream controlled to the fire as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady rate without the need to open the stove door to keep it in check.

Avoid using too much tinder, as this will cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and will not be able to use the multi fuel wood burning stoves efficiently. When you have a good bed of tinder and kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grill. Next, place an additional layer of smaller logs that are perpendicular to them and on top of the base logs. This "top-down" method of creating a fireplace will result in a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't engulf larger logs from the base.

Close the damper after your fire has been established, and keep it closed. The fire could be smothered by opening the damper before it has fully established. It will also reduce the effectiveness of the fire.

Adding Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and also save you money. They can be utilized in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide additional heat in large houses. A lot of the stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage is for the vaporization and the second step is to provide pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and decreases the odors.

The amount of heat you get from your stove will depend on the kind of wood used as well as the amount of moisture in it and the size of the logs. The logs must be stored in a well-ventilated area for several months before you attempt to burn them to give the wood time to dry. If the logs have excessive moisture, they'll produce steam which is essentially wasted power.

You should add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at one time. The addition of too much wood all at once could cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, causing a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into the flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.

Avoid the use of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, because they are not wood and have different physical properties that cannot be burned safely without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, such as Wood burner Fireplace briquettes since they are different in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved to be burned in wood-burning stoves.

It is important to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for safe operation and safety, and also ensure that your chimney is functioning correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in top condition. They will look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney and fix any issues they discover. They will also make sure that the occupants of your home know and follow the fire evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

If you're not making use of your stove, a damper regulates how much heat is lost through the chimney. In addition, it can help you manage the fire. If the flue opens but the damper is not closed the fire will not ignite properly and smoke will erupt into your home. You can adjust the damper to ensure the best flames by playing around with different settings.

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 stay lit for many hours. A proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing out smoke.

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

After the fire has been burning for a while, you should close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air from the room from escaping into the chimney, but still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the best method to stop the fire from getting too hot, while also keeping it burning. The draft may be stopped if you close the damper to far, but a cold wind can enter your home when the damper is left open.

By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will show you how much the damper has sunk. If you can feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.

The damper's setting can vary slightly from one stove to the next, and even between different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the ideal setting for your stove.

Clean Up

After a fire, it is crucial to clean the stove and flue. This will reduce the risk of a fire in the chimney which is the main reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material that can accumulate in the stovepipe, is extremely dangerous. 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 when fires aren't properly lit.

Regular cleaning helps to prevent creosote buildup. The best method to do this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least year.

It is also recommended to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is best to burn only seasoned wood, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These materials can release harmful chemicals into the flue and air, which could be released in your home.

The glass that is used on the wood stove has to be cleaned frequently as well. Many modern wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows so they don't require as much cleaning. You can apply stove glass cleaners to the window if you're not getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.

Other tips to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and cracking windows or doors to increase airflow. This will ensure that the fire is burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove won't have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or keep them in the fire for prolonged periods of time as this could cause warping and wood burner fireplace splitting. It is also recommended to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow down the flue which could damage it.