How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves can be an ideal method to reduce energy consumption and also heat a room. However, they require an amount of care.

Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to ensure your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and the sound of a woodfire is a welcome addition in any home. It's important to know how to build an effective fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively and produces creosote or smoke. The tips below will aid you in starting an fire that can heat your home with minimal effort and ensure your safety.

Before you start a fire, check the condition of your logs and coals. If they are too 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 been deposited into the stove.

Start by placing some small modern wood burning stoves (learn this here now), dry newspaper pieces in the stove. This will help ignite the tinder and kindling. Once they start to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of tinder to the top of the pile. This should be done using an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece.

If you have portable wood burning stove indoor stoves that have an automatic control of combustion it will automatically supply an air stream that is controlled to the fire as it builds. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady pace without the need to open the stove's doors to keep it in check.

Avoid using too much tinder as this will cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and not utilize the fuel efficiently. If you have a nice fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, you can start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grate. On the top of these base logs put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This method of constructing a fire called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't overtake the larger base logs.

Once the fire is established, close the damper and ensure it stays closed. Doing this too soon can cause the fire get smothered and not allow for the correct air flow, which will decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Add Wood

woodburning stoves aren't just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood stove burning heat. They can be utilized in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large homes. Many of the new stoves that burn clean use a superior combustion principle that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by providing air in two distinct stages. The first stage allows for the vaporization of the volatile compounds, while the second step offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps to reduce 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 and the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated space for several months before you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry. If the logs are too wet they will release a lot of steam that is in essence wasted energy.

It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at one time. In addition, adding too much wood at once causes the temperature inside the firebox to increase and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which can decrease the efficiency of your stove.

It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, because they are not wood and possess different physical properties that cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive 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 by the type to be burned in wood burning stoves.

If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it is essential to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for proper operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is functioning properly. They offer maintenance services for your stove and chimney to ensure they remain in top condition. They can check for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney and repair any issues they spot. They will also ensure that the occupants of the house understand and follow the fire evacuation procedure in the event of an accident.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney when you're not using your stove. Additionally, it can also help manage the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is too closed, the fire won't be able to burn properly and it will release smoke into your living space. To get the most efficient fire, with your damper adjusted properly you must test different settings and observe how each affects the flames.

It is important to keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue when a flame is burning. This will let the fire start and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening can stop the fire from becoming depleted of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly, you must first ensure that the fireplace has been preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm, and also that it has a good draft. Once this is done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has smolder a bit you should close the damper to about three-quarters of its maximum. This will stop warm air in the room from venturing into the chimney, but still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to ensure that your fire is lit and keep it from getting too hot. If you close the damper too far it may stop the draft from working, however should it be too open a cold breeze could enter your home.

Holding your hand at the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it is probably in the open position.

The damper setting can vary a little from one stove to the next, and even between different kinds of wood. Playing around with different settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you will have to keep adjusting it until you find the perfect setting for your stove.

Clean up

After a fire, it is essential to clean the flue and stove. This can reduce the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up in the stovepipe, is very dangerous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. It can also happen by fires that are not properly lit.

A regular cleaning schedule can help keep the buildup of creosote at bay. This can be done by cleaning your chimney once every year. It is also recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly.

Also, it is recommended to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only seasoned wood because it produces less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. They could release chemicals that are dangerous for the respiratory tract and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.

It is also important to clean the glass of the wood stove regularly. The majority of newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, which means they don't require a lot of scrubs. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're able get the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.

Other tips to maintain your wood stove include lowering the vent when you aren't using it, and opening doors or windows to improve airflow. This will keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, since it won't have to be as active to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or place them in the flame for long periods of time as this can lead to warping and splitting. It is advised to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your 10kw wood burning stove stove as the paraffin that is contained in the wood can melt and then flow into the flue and cause damage.