How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a great method to reduce energy consumption and also heat the room. They do require some maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate, to ensure that your stove won't produce many harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The scent and sound of a wood fire can be a wonderful addition to any home. But it's important to learn the proper way to build a fire in your stove. Unintentional methods can lead to an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively, and can produce creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you begin an efficient fire that will warm your home quickly and efficiently.
Before you start a fire, check the condition of your coals and logs. If they're wet they will choke your fire and hinder proper burning. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Start by placing some small newspaper pieces that are dry in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and ignite the kindling. Once these begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of tinder to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove is equipped with an automatic combustion control it will automatically feed air to the fire as it expands. This will allow the fire to burn for a long time without the need to open the door of your stove constantly to tend to it.
It's important to avoid using too much tinder, as this can lead to the fire burning at a high rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as it can. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grill. Next, place small logs perpendicular to these and on top of the base logs. This "top-down" method of building a fireplace will produce an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't consume larger base logs.
Close the damper after your fire is established and keep it shut. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for the correct air flow, which can decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't just beautiful home décor pieces - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be utilized in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide additional heating in large houses. A lot of the stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that separates the burning of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage allows the combustion of volatile compounds and the second provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and reduces the odors.
The amount of heat you get from a stove will depend on the species and moisture content of the wood you use as well as the size of logs. To let the wood dry, logs must be stored in a ventilated area for a few months before burning. If the logs are soaked with excessive moisture, they will produce steam, which is basically wasted power.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack at intervals, not all at all at. Adding too much wood at one time causes the temperature in the firebox to rise, and creates a vortex, which draws smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame, which can decrease your stove's efficiency.
It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, since they are not wood and possess different physical properties that cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes, as they have a completely different physical and chemical composition from real firewood and aren't type-approved for burning in wood burning stoves.
It is crucial to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for safe operation and safety, as well as make sure that your chimney is operating correctly. They offer maintenance services for your stove and chimney to keep them in top shape. They can check the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leaks, and fix any issues that are found. They will also ensure that the residents of the house are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not making use of your stove, a damper controls how much heat is lost through the chimney. In addition to this it can 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 get wood burning stove near me using the damper properly adjusted, you should play around with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
You want to keep your damper open to let air enter and exit the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire start a fire and also helps keep it lit so you can enjoy it for hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from becoming depleted of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace has been preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has an adequate draft. After that, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for an extended period, shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air from the room from escaping into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.
This is the best method to prevent the fire from getting too hot, while also keeping it burning. If you close the damper too much, it could block the draft from working, however when it's too open a cold breeze could enter your home.
You can test how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a slight breeze pushing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.
The damper setting can vary a little from one stove to the next, and even between different types of wood. Playing around with different settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you might need to tweak it until you find the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is important to clean your stove and flue after the start of a fire. This can reduce 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 substance that can build up inside the stovepipe, is extremely dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape the fire. This can also be caused when fires aren't lit properly.
Regular cleaning can help stop the buildup of creosote. This can be done by cleaning your chimney once a year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and checked at least year.
It is also a good idea to clean the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned since it will create less creosote. It is also recommended to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. They could release harmful chemicals for the respiratory tract and the air, which could be released into your home.
It is also essential to clean 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 cleaning. If you are not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you'd like There are stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window.
Some other helpful tips for maintaining your wood stove are to turn the vent off when you're not using it and slamming windows or doors to increase air flow. This will keep the fire burning more hot and efficient. The wood stove will not need to be as active to circulate air. It is recommended not to stack logs or place them on the fire for a long period of time. This can lead to splitting and warping. Finally, it is a good idea to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove because the paraffin they contain can melt and flow down the flue which could cause damage to the stove.