How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves can be an ideal option to conserve energy and warm the room. However, they need some level of maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves are compliant with EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to ensure your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants.

How to Start a Wood Fire

The smell and sound of a fire can be a welcome addition in any house. It's crucial to learn the correct method to make a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to a fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates creosote or smoke. The tips below 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 logs and coals. If they are wet they will choke your fire and prevent the proper burning. It is possible to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that has fallen into the stove.

Begin by placing several small woodburners newspaper pieces that are dry and clean in the stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. After the tinder and kindling have begun to burn, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on top. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern so there will be air between each piece of wood.

If you have a wood stove that has an automatic control for combustion it will automatically supply an air stream controlled to the flame as it heats. This will allow the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to open the stove's doors to maintain it.

Do not use excessive tinder since this will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and will not be able to use the fuel efficiently. Once you've got a good foundation in your stove that is made of sparks, tinder and kindling to start the main flame, you can do this by laying two large logs of the base on the grill. Then, you can lay an additional layer of smaller logs perpendicular to these and on the top of the base logs. This method of constructing a fire called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't overtake the larger base logs.

Close the damper when your fire has been established, and keep it closed. The fire may be smothered if the user opens the damper prior to it being fully established. It will also reduce the efficiency of the fire.

Adding Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the extra heat needed in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. Many of the new stoves that burn clean use a superior combustion principle 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, while the second stage is to provide fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases odors.

The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the type and amount of moisture of the wood, and also the size of logs. To let the wood dry, logs must be kept in a ventilated location for a couple of months prior to burning. If the logs are wet they will create plenty of steam that is in essence wasted energy.

You should add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at one time. 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 the flames. This could decrease the efficiency of your stove.

Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, like paper or cardboard, as they are not wood. They have different physical properties and are unable to be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should also not use compressed combustibles like wood briquettes, as they have a distinct chemical and physical composition to real firewood and aren't type-approved for use in wood burning stoves.

It is crucial to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for safe operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is operating properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in top condition. They will look for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney, and fix any problems they find. They will also make sure that all house occupants understand and comply with the fire evacuation procedures in case of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper controls the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney when you aren't using your stove. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue opens but the damper is too closed the fire won't be able to burn as it should and smoke will billow into your home. To get the most effective fire using your damper set correctly, you have to test different locations and observe how each one affects the flames.

Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will also prevent the fire from starving of air, and also prevent it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace is preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm, and it also has a good draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood outdoor woodburner stove can be adjusted.

After the fire has burned for a while, you should close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm room air from escaping through the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove.

This is the most effective way to prevent the fire from becoming too hot while still keeping it lit. If you close the damper too far it may stop the draft from working, however should it be too open, a cold wind could enter your home.

You can check to see how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.

The damper settings may differ from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood burner stoves uk. You can play around with different settings to get a sense of the most suitable setting for your stove.

Clean up

After a fire, it is important to clean the flue and stove. This can reduce the chance of a fire in the chimney which is the main cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance that can build up within the stovepipe, can be extremely dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape from the fire. This can also be caused when fires are not lit properly.

A regular cleaning routine can help keep the buildup of creosote at bay. The best method to do this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year.

Also, it is an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is best 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 waste items. These materials can release harmful chemicals into the air and flue, which could be released in your home.

It is also important to wash the glass of the wood stove regularly. Many modern wood burners uk (http://isaevclub.ru/user/draketruck7) wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows so they don't require as much scrubbing. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not capable of getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.

Some other helpful tips to maintain your wood stove include turning the vent off when you are not using it and slamming windows or doors to increase air flow. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently, since it won't need to be as active to circulate air. It is also a good idea not stack logs or place them in the flame for long periods of time, as this could 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 they contain could melt and spill down the flue which could cause damage.