The 10 Most Scariest Things About Stove Wood Burning

How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a comfortable way to heat a space and conserve energy. They require some care.

Many modern wood burning stoves wood stoves are compliant with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker under or beside the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't create lots of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The sound and smell of a wood fire can be a pleasant feature in any home. It's important to know how to build an effective fire on your stove. Unintentional methods can lead to the fire not to burn efficiently, and produces creosote or smoke. The following tips can aid you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimal effort and with the highest safety.

Examine the condition of your logs and coals before you start an fire. If they are wet they will choke your fire and hinder proper burning. You might also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has fallen into the stove.

Begin by putting a handful of small, dry pieces of newspaper into your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and kindling. Once these begin to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces of tinder to the top of the pile. This should be done with a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece.

If your wood stove comes with an automatic combustion control, it will automatically pump air into the fire as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady rate without the need to open the stove's doors to keep it in check.

It is important to not use excessive tinder as this could result in an unburned fire that burns at an excessive rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as possible. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grill. Next, place small logs perpendicular to these and on the top of the base logs. This method of constructing an ember known as a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't completely consume the larger base logs.

Close the damper after your fire is established and kept it shut. The fire could be smothered by opening the damper before it has fully established. It will also reduce the effectiveness of the fire.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be used in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large houses. Many of the latest stoves that burn cleanly available use advanced combustion principles that separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is done by providing air at two distinct stages. The first stage permits the burning of volatile compounds and the second stage supplies fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves the combustion process and helps to reduce the smell.

The amount of heat that you get from your stove will depend on the type of wood used as well as the amount of moisture and the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated area for a period of time before you try to burn them, to give the wood a chance to dry. If the logs are not dry enough they will release plenty of steam that is essentially wasted energy.

It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at all at. The addition of too much wood at once can cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, creating a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flames. This can reduce 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 are unable to be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should not burn compressed combustibles like wood briquettes since they are different in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used in wood burning stoves.

It is important to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test your stove to ensure that it is safe and efficient. They will also ensure whether your chimney is working properly. These experts can also provide maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in tip-top shape. They can look for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney and repair any problems they find. They will also make sure that all occupants of the house are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an accident.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper regulates how much heat escapes to the chimney when you aren't using your stove. It can also be used to control the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is closed too much the fire won't burn properly and it will release smoke into your living area. To ensure you have the most efficient fire, with your damper adjusted properly you should play around with different locations and observe how each affects the flames.

Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and also helps keep it lit so you can enjoy it for hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from becoming starved of air and will keep it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper properly first, make sure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and it also has an adequate draft. Once these are done the wood stove damper can be adjusted.

Once the fire has smolder a bit you should reduce the damper to around three-quarters of its full position. This will stop warm air from the room from going into the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove wood burning.

This is the best way to keep your fire burning and keep it from getting too hot. If you close the damper too far it could stop the draft from working, but when it's too wide, a cold breeze could enter your home.

By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a breeze pushing against your palm, the damper is likely in an open position.

The damper settings can differ a little from one stove to the next, and stove wood Burning even between different types of wood. You can experiment with various settings to get an idea of the ideal setting for your stove.

Clean Up

It is essential to clean your chimney and stove after the start of a fire. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the most common reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material that can accumulate inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the flame are the reason for this chemical. It could also be caused by poorly lit fires.

A regular cleaning routine helps to prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is also recommended that you get 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 grate frequently. It is a good idea to only use seasoned wood to burn, since it will create less creosote as well as ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the air, and could be released into your home.

It is also important to clean the glass of the wood burning stove on a regular basis. The majority of newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, meaning that they do not require much cleaning. You can use stove glass cleaners on the glass if you aren't able get the glass as clean as you would like on your wood stove.

Other suggestions to maintain your wood stove include lowering the vent when you're not using it and opening doors or windows to improve airflow. This will keep the fire burning hotter, and more efficiently. The wood stove will not need to perform as hard to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs, or leave them on the fire for an extended period of time. This can lead to warping and splits. Finally, it is best to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow down the flue which could damage it.