How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and save energy. However, they need a certain amount of maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to ensure that your stove doesn't emit harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The scent and sound of a fire made from wood can be a wonderful feature in any home. It's important to understand how to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to the fire not burning effectively and produces smoke or creosote. These tips can help you start a fire that is safe and will warm your home quickly and efficiently.
Check the condition of your coals and logs before you start an fire. If they are too wet they will choke the fire and prevent it from burning efficiently. It is also possible to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove.
Begin by putting a handful of small dry newspaper pieces in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and kindling. Once wood stove furnace Fireplaces And Stove start 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 there is air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove has an automatic combustion control it will automatically supply air to the fire as it expands. This will help the fire to burn at a consistent pace without having to constantly open the stove's door to keep it in check.
Be careful not to use too much tinder, as it will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not utilize the fuel efficiently. If you have a solid pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grate. Then, add an additional layer of smaller logs that are perpendicular to them and on the top of the base logs. This "top-down" method of building the fireplace will create an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't engulf larger base logs.
When your fire is established Close the damper and keep it closed. The fire can be smothered if the user opens the damper before it is fully established. It can also decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't just beautiful home decor pieces they can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be used together with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heat in large houses. Many of the latest stoves that are clean burning available use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses as well as tar. This is done by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage permits the burning of volatile compounds and the second stage provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces the odors.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the species and moisture content of the wood, and also the size of logs. The logs must be stored in a ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry. If the logs contain too much moisture, they'll produce steam that is in essence wasted energy.
You should add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at one time. Adding too much wood at one time causes the temperature inside the firebox to increase and creates a vortex, which draws smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame, which can reduce your stove's efficiency.
You should avoid the use of any other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, since they are not wood and have very different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes because they have a completely different chemical and physical composition to real firewood and aren't approved for burning in wood burning stoves.
It is crucial that you have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for proper operation and safety, and also ensure that your chimney is working properly. They offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they are in good condition. They will inspect the areas that are accessible to your chimney to determine if there is leakage and repair any problems found. They will also ensure that the occupants of the house understand and follow the fire evacuation procedure in case of an accident.
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 also help you to control the flame. If the flue opens, but the damper is too closed the fire won't burn properly and smoke will erupt into your home. To ensure that you get the most effective fire using your damper set correctly, you should test different settings and observe how each affects the flames.
You should keep your damper open to allow air to be able to enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and keeps it burning so that you can enjoy it for hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from becoming starved of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has a good draft. Once this is accomplished the damper on the wood stove may be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for some time, you need to close the damper approximately 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 best way to stop the fire from getting too hot while keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if you close the damper too far however a cold breeze can enter your home if the damper is left open.
By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has sunk. If you can feel a slight breeze pushing against your hand, it is probably in the open position.
The damper settings can differ from one stove to the next and even among different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the best setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is important to clean your stove and flue after a fire. This will help to reduce the chance of a chimney fire which is the primary cause of wood stove related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky substance that forms on the stovepipe's interior and can be extremely hazardous. The moisture and the unburned parts of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this chemical. This can also be caused when fires are not properly lit.
A regular cleaning routine can help to prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year, too.
Also, it's recommended to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned since it will create less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These items could release dangerous chemicals for the air and flue, that could end up in your home.
It is also important to wash the glass of the wood-burning stove regularly. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they don't require as much scrubs. You can make use of stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not capable of getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.
Other tips to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it and opening doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will help keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently, since it won't need to exert as much effort to circulate the air. It is recommended to not stack logs or place them in the fire for prolonged periods of time as this could cause warping and splitting. In addition, it is a good idea to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and then flow down into the flue, which could cause damage to the stove.