How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an ideal option to conserve energy and warm a room. They do require some maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emissions guidelines. Look for cast iron wood stove on the underside or next to 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 welcome addition to any house. However, it is important to know the correct method to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect methods can result in a fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you begin a safe fire that can heat your home quickly and effectively.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they're damp, it will smother your fire and hinder proper burning. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper into your stove. This will help ignite the sparks. Once they start to burn, add a layer of larger pieces of tinder to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove has an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically pump air into the flame as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn continuously without the need to open the stove door often to keep it in check.
Do not use too much tinder as it will cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and will not be able to use the fuel effectively. Once you've got a good bed in your stove of igniters, tinder, and embers to start the main flame, you can do this by laying two large base logs on the grate. Then, on the top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This "top-down" method of building a fireplace will result in a long-lasting, efficient fire that doesn't engulf larger logs from the base.
Once the fire is established Close the damper and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon can cause the fire be smothered, and it will not allow for the proper air flow, which can reduce its efficiency.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't just beautiful home décor pieces They can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be used in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heating for large homes. The latest stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization and the second step is to provide fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases odors.
The amount of heat you will get from a stove depends on the species and the moisture content of the wood and also the dimensions of logs. To let the wood dry, the logs should be stored in a ventilated area for a few months prior to burning. If the logs are not dry enough they will release lots of steam, which is basically wasted energy.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack at intervals, not all at once. In addition, adding too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, causing an air vortex that pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flames. This could reduce the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid the use of other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, because they are not wood and possess different physical properties that cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. You should not burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes as they are different in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used 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 proper operation and safety as well as make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in top condition. They can inspect the accessible areas of your chimney for leaks, and repair any problems found. They will also ensure that the occupants of the home understand and follow the fire evacuation procedure in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost up the chimney when you're not cooking on your stove. In addition to this it can also help to control the flame. If the flue is not open 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. You can adjust the damper to get the best flames by testing different positions.
Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire get going and helps it stay lit so you can enjoy it for a long time. The right opening will also prevent the fire from starving of air and will keep it from blowing out smoke.
To properly adjust your damper, you must first ensure that the fireplace has been preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm, and that it has a strong draft. Once this is accomplished the damper for the wood stove may be adjusted.
After the fire has smolder a bit you should reduce the damper to around three-quarters of its original position. This will stop the warm air in the room from venting into the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the most effective way to stop the fire from becoming too hot while still keeping it lit. If you shut the damper too tightly, it may stop the draft from working, but should it be too wide, a cold breeze could enter your home.
You can test how much the damper is open by holding your hand near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pushing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.
The damper setting can vary a little from one stove to the next and even between different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the most suitable setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is important to clean your stove and flue after an incident. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney, which is the primary reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky material that forms on the inside of the stovepipe and can be very dangerous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape from the fire. This can also occur by fires that are not properly lit.
A regular cleaning routine can help to prevent the buildup of creosote. The best method to do this is by sweeping the chimney each year. It is recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year.
It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grate it regularly. It is recommended to use only seasoned wood for burning, as it will create less creosote and ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These can release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the air, which could be released into your home.
The glass on the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned regularly too. 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 would like you can use stove glass cleaners you can use on the window.
Other helpful suggestions for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent down when you're not using it and slamming windows or doors to increase the flow of air. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, as it won't need to work as hard to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs or leave them on the fire for an extended time. This can lead to splitting and warping. In addition, it is recommended to avoid using compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, as the paraffin they contain could melt and spill down into the flue, which could cause damage.