How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be a great option to conserve energy and also heat a room. They do require some maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or beneath it to ensure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The scent and sound of a fire can be a welcome addition in any house. It is essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in the fire not to burn efficiently, and produces creosote or smoke. The following tips can aid you in starting an fire that can heat your home with minimal effort and ensure your safety.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your logs and coals. If they're too damp they will choke the fire and prevent it from burning efficiently. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove.
Start by placing a few small newspaper pieces that are dry in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder. After the tinder and kindling have begun to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on top. This should be done with a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece.
If your wood stove comes with an automatic combustion control, it will automatically supply air to the fire as it grows. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to open the stove door to keep it in check.
Be careful not to use too much tinder as it will cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and not use the fuel efficiently. When you have a good bed of tinder and kindling in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grill. Then, on top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. Fireplaces & Stove -down" method of building the fireplace will create an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't engulf larger logs from the base.
Close the damper once your fire has been established and keep it closed. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire be smothered, and it will not allow for proper air flow, which can decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't only beautiful pieces of home decor They can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be utilized in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heat in large homes. Many of the latest stoves that are clean burning available today utilize advanced combustion technology that can separate the burning volatile substances from combustible gasses as well as tar. This is accomplished by providing air at two distinct stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second step is to supply pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and reduces the odors.
The amount of heat you can get from your stove depends on the type of wood used and the amount of moisture in it as well as the size of the logs. To allow the wood to dry, logs must be stored in a well ventilated location for a few months prior to burning. If the logs are not dry enough they will release a lot of steam that is essentially wasted energy.
During the burning of the fire, add more wood to the stack in intervals, and not all at one time. Addition of too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing a vortex which draws smoke and unburned volatile compounds back into the flames. This can reduce the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, like cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without causing 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 approved to be used in wood-burning stoves.
If you're installing 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 your stove to ensure it is safe and functional. They can also make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. They provide maintenance services for your stove and chimney to ensure they remain in top condition. They can check the accessible areas of your chimney to determine if there is leakage and fix any issues found. They will also make sure that all house occupants understand and comply with the evacuation procedures for fire in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not using your stove, a damper can control how much heat is lost through the chimney. In addition, it can also help to control the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is too closed, the fire won't burn properly and will release smoke into your living space. To ensure you have the most effective fire using the damper properly adjusted, you have to play around with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
You should keep your damper open to allow air to flow into and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and stay lit for many hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from being deprived of air and stop it from blowing smoke.
In order to properly adjust your damper, you have to first ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure the chimney is warm and also that it has a good draft. Once this is accomplished the damper for the wood stove can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned for a while, you can shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop warm air from the room from going into the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the best method to keep your fire lit and prevent it from getting too hot. The draft might be stopped if you shut the damper too far however a cold breeze could enter your home if the damper is not closed.
By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will show you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a small breeze pushing against your palm, the damper is likely in an open position.
The damper settings may differ from one stove to another and even among different types of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you may have to keep adjusting it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
After an incident, it is essential to clean the flue and stove. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the main cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky material that builds up on the stovepipe's interior and can be extremely hazardous. The moisture and the unburned parts of wood that cannot escape the fire are the cause for this substance. It can also be caused by improperly lit fires.
A regular cleaning routine can help prevent the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once every year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least year.
Also, it's recommended to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
The glass on the wood burning stove needs to be regularly cleaned too. The majority of newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require any cleaning. You can make use of stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.
Other suggestions to keep your wood stove in good condition include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and opening doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will ensure that the fire is burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove won't have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended not to stack logs, or leave them on the fire for a long time. This could cause splitting and warping. It is best to avoid using combustible wood that has been compressed in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow into the flue which could cause damage.