How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are an excellent way to save energy and also heat rooms. They require some care.

Many modern wood burning stoves wood stoves conform to EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker under or beside the grate to make sure your stove doesn't create many harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and sound of a woodfire is a welcome addition in any house. It is essential to know how to build an effective fire on your stove. Unintentional methods can lead to an unburned fire that doesn't burn well, and may produce creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you begin a fire that is safe and will warm your home quickly and effectively.

Check the condition of your logs and coals before you begin an fire. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and hinder proper burning. You may also want to open the flue to let out any ash that has been deposited into the stove.

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

If you have a wood stove that has an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver a controlled stream of air to your fire as it grows. This will enable the fire to burn at a consistent pace without the need to open the stove's door to tend it.

Do not use excessive tinder since this will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and will not be able to use the fuel effectively. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, begin the main fire by laying two large base logs across the grate. Then, on the top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of building a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't completely consume the larger base logs.

Close the damper once your fire has been established, and keep it shut. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire smother and will not allow for the proper air flow, which will decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be used by themselves or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the supplemental heat needed in large homes or homes with many rooms. A lot of the clean burning stoves that are available use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is achieved by providing air at two distinct stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second stage is to supply fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces the odors.

The amount of heat you get from a stove is contingent upon the species and the moisture content of the wood used, and also the size of logs. To let the wood dry, logs should be stored in a well ventilated location for a few months prior to burning. If the logs contain excessive moisture, they'll produce steam, which is basically wasted energy.

When you are burning the fire, it is recommended to add more wood burners outdoor to the pile at intervals, but not all at all at. Too much wood added at once can cause the temperature of the firebox to rise and creates a vortex that draws smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which can reduce the efficiency of your stove.

It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, since they are not wood and have different physical properties that can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes because they have a distinct physical and chemical composition from real firewood, and are not approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.

It is essential to have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for proper operation and safety as well as make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. They provide maintenance services for your stove and chimney to keep them in top shape. They can look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney, and fix any issues they discover. They will also make sure that the residents of the house know and follow the fire evacuation procedures in case in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

If you're not making use of your stove, a damper can control the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. In addition, it can help you manage the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is too closed, the fire won't burn properly and it will release smoke into your living area. To ensure that you get the most efficient fire, with the damper properly adjusted, you must test different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.

Typically, you'll want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and stay lit for several hours. The proper opening will prevent the fire from starving of air, and also prevent it from blowing out smoke.

To properly adjust your damper, you have to ensure that the fireplace is heated and the stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and it also has a strong draft. After this the damper for the wood stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has burned for some time, you need to close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from getting into the chimney, while still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to stop the fire from getting too hot while keeping it lit. The draft may be stopped if one closes the damper too far however a cold breeze can enter your home if the damper is left open.

You can check to see how much the damper is opened by placing your hand on the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pushing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.

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

Clean Up

After the fire, it's essential to clean the stove and flue. This can reduce the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the main reason for fires caused by portable outdoor wood burning stove stoves. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up inside the stovepipe, is extremely dangerous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that cannot escape the flame are the reason for this substance. It could be caused by improperly lit fires.

Regular cleaning helps keep away the buildup of creosote. This can be done by sweeping your chimney at least once every year. It is recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year as well.

It is also a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned because it produces less creosote. It is also recommended to avoid burning cardboard, paper, plastic and other trash items. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for the respiratory tract and the air, and could be released into your home.

The glass that is used on the wood stove has to be cleaned frequently too. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they don't require as much scrubs. You can apply stove glass cleaners to the window if you're able get the glass as clean as you would like on your wood stove.

Other tips to maintain your wood stove include lowering the vent when you aren't using it, and cracking windows or doors to allow more airflow. This will keep the fire burning more hot and best wood burners more efficiently, since it won't need to work as hard to circulate the air. It is advisable not to stack logs, or place them on the fire for a long period of time. This can lead to splits and warping. It is recommended to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove cheap wood burner stoves burning (recommended you read) as the paraffin that is contained in them can melt and flow into the flue which could cause damage.