How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an excellent way to save energy and heat a room. However, they need an amount of care.
Many modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to make sure your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a woodfire is an enjoyable addition to any house. It's essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn well, and may produce smoke or creosote. The following tips can help you start an efficient fire that can heat your home quickly and efficiently.
Before you begin a fire, you should check the condition of your coals and logs. If they're too damp, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning efficiently. You might also want to open the flue to let out any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by putting a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper into your stove. This will help ignite the tinder and kindling. Once the tinder and kindling have started to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on top. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove that has an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver an air stream that is controlled to your fire as it builds. This will allow the fire to burn at a steady rate without the need to open the stove's door 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 use the fuel as efficiently as possible. If you have a solid pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, begin the main fire by laying two large base logs on the grate. Then, on top of these base logs lay a layer parallel to them. This method of building a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that will not completely consume the larger base logs.
Once your fire is well established shut off the damper and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for the proper airflow, which will decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves aren't just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be utilized in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide additional heating in large homes. Many of the new stoves that are clean-burning employ a superior combustion process that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases 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 has been pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases the odors.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove depends on the type and amount of moisture of the wood you use as well as the size of logs. To allow the wood to dry, logs should be stored in a ventilated space for a few months before burning. If the logs have too much moisture, they will produce steam that is in essence wasted energy.
It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at all at. The addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into flames. This could decrease the efficiency 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 creating dangerously high temperatures. You should not burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes as they differ in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be burned in wood-burning stoves.
If you're planning to install a wood burning stove in your home, it is crucial to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will examine your stove to make sure that it is safe and efficient. They can also make sure that your chimney works correctly. They offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top shape. They can check for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney and repair any issues they discover. They will also ensure that all occupants of the house understand and follow the evacuation procedure in the event of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost to the chimney when you're not using your stove. It can also be used to regulate the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust your damper to ensure the best flames by playing around with different locations.
Typically, you should keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and stay lit for many hours. The right opening can stop the fire from becoming depleted of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
In order to properly adjust your damper, you have to first make sure the fireplace is preheated and the stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and also that it has an adequate draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
After the fire has smolder a bit you should close the damper to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop the warm air in the room from venting through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the best way to keep the fire from becoming too hot while keeping it lit. If you shut the damper too far it could block the draft from working, but when it's too wide, a cold breeze could enter your home.
Holding your hand at the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a slight breeze pressing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.
The damper's setting can vary slightly 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 most suitable setting for your stove.
Clean Up
After an incident, it is essential to clean the stove and flue. This will reduce the risk of a fire in the chimney which is the main cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material that can accumulate inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that cannot escape the fire. This can also be caused by fires that are not lit properly.
Regular cleaning helps to prevent creosote buildup. This can be done by sweeping your chimney once a year. It is also recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected 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 only use seasoned wood for burning, as this will result in less creosote as well as ash. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper, plastic and other trash items. These items can release dangerous chemicals into the air and flue that could end up in your home.
It is also essential to wash the glass of the wood-burning stove on a regular basis. Many newer wood stoves are designed with self-cleaning glass, meaning that they do not require any cleaning. If you are not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you would like There are stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window.
Other suggestions for maintaining your wood stove are to turn the vent down when you are not using it and cracking windows or doors to increase the flow of air. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove won't have to be as active to circulate air. wood burning stove small is a good idea not to stack logs or leave them on the fire for an extended duration. This can lead to splits and warping. It is advised to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove as the paraffin in them can melt and flow into the flue, which could cause damage.