How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a cozy way to heat a space and save energy. However, they need some level of maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to ensure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The sound and smell of a fire made from wood can be a wonderful addition to any house. It's essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to the fire not burning effectively and can cause smoke or creosote. The following tips can assist you in starting an fire that can heat your home with minimal effort and ensure your safety.
Make sure to check the condition of your logs and coals before you begin a fire. If they are too wet they could smother the fire and prevent it from burning efficiently. You might want to open the chimney to remove any ash that's fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper into your stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. Once they start to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern so there will be air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove has an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically supply air to the flame as it grows. This allows the fire to burn steadily without the need to open the stove's door often to keep it in check.
It is important to not use excessive tinder as this can lead to the fire burning at an excessive rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as possible. If you have a solid fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, begin 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 a fireplace will result in a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't engulf larger base logs.
Close the damper when your fire has been established and keep it shut. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire to smother and will not allow for the correct air flow, which will lower the effectiveness of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and help you save money. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with a furnace or central heating system to provide the extra heat needed in large homes or homes with many rooms. Many of the new stoves that are clean burning available on the market use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses as well as tar. This is achieved by supplying air at two different stages. The first stage allows the burning of volatile compounds and the second supplies fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces odors.
The amount of heat you will get from your stove depends on the type of wood used and the moisture content, as well as the size of the logs. To let the wood dry, logs should be stored in a well ventilated area for a few months prior to burning. If the logs are not dry enough they will create lots of steam, which is basically wasted energy.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack at intervals, and not all at all at. In addition, adding too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating the formation of a vortex that draws smoke and unburned volatile compounds back into flames. This can reduce the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid using other combustibles in your stove such as paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should also not use compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes as they have a very different physical and chemical composition from actual firewood and are not approved for use in wood burning stoves.
If you're planning to install wood-burning stoves into your home, it is important to have it properly installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician can examine your stove to make sure it is safe and functional. They can also make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in tip-top shape. They will inspect the areas accessible to your chimney for leakage, and repair any problems found. They will also ensure 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 making use of your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. In addition to this it can help you to control the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is not closed the fire won't be able to burn as it should and smoke will erupt into your home. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by testing different settings.
Typically, you'll want to keep the damper open enough to let air in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and helps it stay in good shape so that you can enjoy it for a long time. The proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper properly it is important to first make sure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has good draft. Once this is accomplished the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
After the fire has been burning for a while, you should close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from getting into the chimney, but still allowing smoke to escape.
This is the best way to keep your fire lit and to prevent it from becoming too hot. The draft might be stopped if one closes the damper too far but a cold wind can enter your home if the damper is not closed.
You can test how much the damper is open by holding your hand near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pushing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.
The damper setting can vary slightly 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 may need to adjust it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is crucial to clean your stove and flue after an incident. This can reduce the chance of a fire in the chimney which is the most common reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material that can build up inside the stovepipe, is extremely dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this chemical. It can also be caused by improperly lit fires.
Regular cleaning can help prevent creosote buildup. outdoor wood burning stove can be done by sweeping your chimney at least once a year. It is recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year as well.
It is also a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only seasoned wood since it will create less creosote. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper, plastic and other trash items. They could release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
It is also essential to clean the glass of the wood-burning stove regularly. The majority of newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, which means that they don't require a lot of scrubbing. If you're unable to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you'd like There are stove glass cleaners you can use on the window.
Other ways to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it and cracking windows or doors to allow more airflow. This will help keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently, as it won't have to exert as much effort to circulate the air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or keep them in the fire for prolonged periods of time as this can lead to splitting and warping. In addition, it is a good idea to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, because the paraffin in them can melt and flow down into the flue, which could damage it.