How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a warm method to heat a room and save energy. They do require some 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 isn't releasing harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The scent and sound of a fire can be an enjoyable addition to any home. But it's important to learn the correct method to make a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to a fire which does not burn well, and may produce smoke or creosote. The following tips can help you create a safe fire that will warm your home quickly and effectively.
Examine the condition of your coals and logs before you start the fire. If they are wet they will choke the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by putting a few small newspaper pieces that are dry in the stove. This will help to ignite the tinder. Once they start to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces to the top of the pile. This should be done using the crosshatch pattern to ensure that there is air between each piece.
If your wood stove has an automatic combustion control it will automatically pump air into the fire as it expands. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to open the stove's doors to tend it.
Do not use too much tinder as this will cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and not use the fuel effectively. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, begin the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grill. On the top of these base woods put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This "top-down" method of creating a fireplace will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't completely engulf larger logs from the base.
When your fire is established shut off the damper and keep it shut. The fire could be smothered by opening the damper before it is fully established. It will also reduce the efficiency of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and also save you money. They can be utilized in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large homes. fireplacesandstove of the clean burning stoves that are available on the market use advanced combustion technology that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second step is to supply fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases smells.
The amount of heat you get from your stove depends on the type of wood used as well as the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated area for a period of time before you try to burn them, to give the wood time to dry. If the logs have excessive moisture, they will produce steam, which is basically wasted power.
During the burning of the fire, you should add more wood to the stack in intervals, but not all at once. The addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into the flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.
You should avoid the use of any other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, since they are not wood and possess different physical properties and cannot be burned safely without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes since they are different in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be burned in wood burning stoves.
If you are installing wood-burning stoves into your home, it's essential to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will test your installation to ensure that it is safe and efficient. They will also check that your chimney is functioning properly. These experts can also provide maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in top condition. They will inspect the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leakage, and fix any issues discovered. They will also make sure that the occupants of the house are aware of and follow the evacuation procedure in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates how much heat is lost to the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. It can also be used to regulate the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and it will billow out smoke into your living area. To get the most effective fire using your damper adjusted properly you have to play around with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
It is important to keep your damper open to allow air to enter and exit the flue when a fire is burning. This lets the fire get going and also helps keep it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for a long time. The right opening will also keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing out smoke.
To adjust your damper properly it is important to 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 a good draft. Once this is done the damper for the wood stove can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned a bit you should close the damper to about three-quarters of its full position. This will stop warm air in the room from venturing into the chimney, while still permitting smoke to escape.
This is the best way to keep your fire burning and prevent it from getting too hot. The draft could be stopped if one closes the damper to far but a cold wind can enter your home if the damper is not closed.
You can check to see how much the damper is opened by holding your hand near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a breeze pushing against your hand The damper is most likely in an open position.
The damper settings can differ a little from one stove to the next and even between different types of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you will have to keep adjusting until you get the perfect setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is essential to clean your chimney and stove after an incident. This reduces the chance of a fire in the chimney, which is the primary reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance that forms on the stovepipe's interior and is extremely dangerous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape the fire. It can be caused by improperly lit fires.
Regular cleaning can help prevent creosote buildup. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once a year. It is recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year.
It is also a good idea to clean out the ash tray and grate it regularly. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned since it will create less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These can release harmful chemicals for the flue and air, which could be released into your home.
The glass in the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned regularly as well. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they do not require as much cleaning. You can make use of stove glass cleaners on the glass if you aren't capable of getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.
Other tips for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent down when you are not using it and slamming a window or door to increase the flow of air. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove won't have to perform as hard to circulate air. It is a good idea not to stack logs, or place them on the fire for an extended time. This can cause warping and splits. It is best to avoid using combustible wood that has been compressed in your wood stove as the paraffin contained within the logs can melt and leak into the flue which could cause damage.