How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and also save energy. They do require some maintenance.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker either under or on the grate to ensure your stove doesn't create lots of harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a wood fire could be a pleasant addition to any home. It's essential to know how to build a fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in the fire not burning effectively and can cause creosote or smoke. The tips below will assist 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 are too wet, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning efficiently. You may want to open the chimney to eliminate any ash that falls into the stove.
Begin by putting several small, dry newspaper pieces in your stove. This will help to ignite the sparks. Once these begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If you have a wood stove that has an automatic control of combustion, it will automatically feed an air stream that is controlled to your fire as it builds. This will allow the fire to burn for a long time without you having to open the stove door often to keep it in check.
It is important to not use too much tinder, as it can cause a fire that burns at a high rate and doesn't utilize the fuel as efficiently as it could. When you have a good pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grate. Then, add an additional layer of smaller logs perpendicular to these and on top of the base logs. This method of constructing the fire is called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't overtake the larger base logs.
Close the damper after your fire is established, and keep it closed. If you open the damper too early, it could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for proper air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. wood burning stove uk can be used in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heat in large houses. Many of the new stoves that burn cleanly available use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is achieved by supplying air at two distinct stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization, while the second stage is to provide pre-heated fresh air. This improves the process of combustion and helps reduce the odors.
The amount of heat that you get from your stove is contingent on the type of wood used as well as the moisture content as well as the size of the logs. To allow the wood to dry, logs should be stored in a ventilated area for a few months before burning. If the logs are soaked with excessive moisture, they will create steam which is essentially wasted power.
It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals and not all at one time. In addition, adding too much wood all at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing a vortex which draws smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into flames. This could reduce the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, such as paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes because they have a very different physical and chemical composition from actual firewood and are not type-approved for use in wood burning stoves.
It is important that you have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety as well as make sure that your chimney is working correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in good condition. They can check for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney and fix any issues they spot. They will also ensure that all occupants of the house understand and follow the evacuation procedure in the event of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates how much heat is lost up the chimney when you're not cooking on your stove. It can also be used to manage the fire. If the flue opens but the damper is not closed the fire won't burn properly and smoke will erupt into your home. To ensure you have the most effective fire using your damper set correctly, you must play around with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
It is important to keep your damper open to let air be able to enter and exit the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire get going and also helps keep it burning so that you can enjoy it for hours. The right opening can stop the fire from becoming depleted of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To be able to adjust your damper, you need to first make sure the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure the chimney is warm, and also that it has a good draft. After this the damper on the wood stove may be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned slightly, you need to close the damper to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop warm air in the room from venturing into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.
This is the best way to keep the fire from getting too hot while still keeping it lit. The draft may be stopped if you close the damper too tightly but a cold wind can enter your home when the damper is left open.
You can test how much the damper is opened by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a small draft pushing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.
The damper settings can differ slightly from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you might need to adjust it until you find the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean up
After the fire, it's crucial to clean the stove and flue. This reduces the chance of an explosion in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance that can build up inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape the fire. It could also be caused by poorly lit fires.
A regular cleaning routine helps to prevent the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once every year. It is recommended that you have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year as well.
Also, it is a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is a good idea to only use seasoned wood for burning, as it will create less creosote as well as ash. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper plastic, and other waste items. These items could release dangerous chemicals for the air and flue, which can be released into your home.
The glass that is used on the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned regularly as well. Many modern wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows so they do not require as much scrubs. You can make use of stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not able get the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove.
Other ways to keep your wood stove in good condition include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and cracking windows or doors to increase airflow. This will help keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently, as it won't need to work as hard to circulate the air. It is recommended not to stack logs, or place them on the fire for a long period of time. This can cause splitting and warping. Finally, it is a good idea to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, as the paraffin they contain can melt and flow down the flue which could cause damage to the stove.