How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an ideal way to save energy and also heat the room. However, they require a certain amount of maintenance.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker either under or on the grate to ensure your stove won't produce a lot of harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and the sound of a fire can be a welcome addition in any home. However, it is important to know the correct method to create a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to the fire not to burn efficiently, and produces creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you start a fire that will heat your home with the least effort and ensure your safety.
Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they're wet, it will smother your fire and hinder proper burning. You may want to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that's fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in the stove. This will help to ignite the fire. Once the tinder and kindling have started to burn, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done using a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece.
If your wood stove comes with an automatic combustion control, it will automatically supply air to the fire as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to open the stove door to keep it in check.
Avoid using excessive tinder since it will cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and not utilize the fuel effectively. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, you can start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grate. Then, on the top of these base logs lay a layer parallel to them. This "top-down" method of creating a fireplace will produce a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't engulf larger base logs.
Close the damper when the fire is established, and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for proper airflow, which will decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home décor pieces they can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the additional heat needed in large homes or homes with multiple rooms. Many of the new clean burning stoves that are available on the market use advanced combustion principles that separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air at two distinct stages. The first stage allows for the vaporization of the volatile compounds and the second stage provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps reduce the smell.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the species and the moisture content of the wood you use, and also the size of the logs. To let the wood dry, logs should be kept in a ventilated location for a few months prior to burning. If the logs are wet they will release a lot of steam that is essentially wasted energy.
wood burning stoves for sale near me should add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at one time. Adding too much wood at one time causes the temperature in the firebox to increase and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame which can decrease the efficiency of your stove.
It is recommended to stay clear of any other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, as they are not wood and have different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes because they have a very different physical and chemical composition from real firewood, and are not suitable for burning in wood burning stoves.
If Wood burning stove indoor are installing wood-burning stoves into your home, it's essential to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety and also ensure that your chimney is operating properly. They provide maintenance services for your stove and chimney to ensure they are in good shape. They will look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney, and fix any issues they spot. They will also ensure that the residents of the house know and follow the evacuation procedures for fire in the event in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not cooking on your stove, a damper regulates how much heat is lost through the chimney. Additionally, it can help you to control the flame. If the flue opens but the damper is too closed, the fire will not ignite properly and smoke will pour into your home. You can adjust the damper to achieve the most effective flames by testing different settings.
Typically, you'll want to keep the damper open enough to let air enter and out of the flue when the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and remain lit for a number of hours. A proper opening will stop the fire from becoming starved of air, and also prevent it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly, you must first ensure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has good draft. After this, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned for a while, you can close the damper to about three-quarters of its full position. 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 still keeping it lit. The draft may be stopped if one closes the damper to far, but a cold wind could enter your home when the damper is left open.
Placing your hand on the top of the flue pipe will show you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a breeze rubbing against your hand the damper is probably in the open position.
The damper settings can differ from one stove to the next and even between different kinds of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get an idea of the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
After the fire, it's essential to clean the stove and flue. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the main reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance that can build up in the stovepipe, is very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the flame are the reason for this chemical. It can also happen when fires aren't properly lit.
Regular cleaning helps to stop the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once every year. It is also recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a yearly.
It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to use only wood that is seasoned for burning, as this will produce less creosote and less ash. It is also a good idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper or plastic items. These can release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the air, which could be released into your home.
It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood-burning stove regularly. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they do not require as much cleaning. If you're not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you would like There are stove glass cleaners that you can use on the window.
Other helpful tips for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent off when you're not using it and cracking the door or window to allow more air flow. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove will not have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended not to stack logs or leave them on the fire for an extended period of time. This can lead to warping and splits. It is recommended to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove since the paraffin that is contained in the wood can melt and then flow into the flue which could cause damage.