How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an excellent method to reduce energy consumption and heat rooms. However, they need a certain amount of maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to make sure your stove doesn't generate many harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and the sound of a woodfire is a welcome addition in any home. However, it is important to know the proper way to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques can lead to a fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. These tips will aid you in starting the fire that will warm your home with the least effort and maximum security.
Check the condition of your logs and coals before you start an fire. If modern wood burning stoves will dampen your fire and hinder proper burning. You may want to open the chimney to remove any ash that's fallen into the stove.
Begin by putting several small newspaper pieces that are dry and clean in your stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. After the tinder and kindling have started to burn, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove with an automatic control for combustion it will automatically supply an air stream controlled to the fire as it builds. This allows the fire to burn steadily without you having to open the door of your stove frequently to check on it.
Be careful not to use excessive tinder since it can cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not use the fuel efficiently. If you have a solid pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grate. On the top of these base woods put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This method of creating a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that does not overtake the larger base logs.
When your fire is established, close the damper and keep it closed. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire get smothered and not allow for the proper air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.
Adding Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used by themselves or together with central heating or furnace system to provide the supplemental heat needed in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. Many of the new clean burning stoves that are available today utilize advanced combustion technology that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization and the second step is to provide pre-heated fresh air. This improves the combustion process and helps to reduce the odors.
The amount of heat that you get from your stove will depend on both the species of wood used as well as the amount of moisture as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a well-ventilated space for a period of time before you attempt to burn them, to give the wood a chance to dry out. If the logs are wet they will create lots of steam, which is in essence wasted energy.
It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at all at. Addition of too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing an air vortex that pulls smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid using other combustibles in your stove, like paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. It is not recommended to burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes as 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 that you have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician can test your stove to ensure that it is safe and efficient. They will also check that your chimney works correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in good condition. They can check for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney and fix any issues they discover. They will also make sure that the occupants of your home are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in the event in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not using your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue is opened but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and it will release smoke into your living space. To ensure you have the most effective fire using your damper adjusted properly you must play around with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
You want to keep your damper open to allow air to be able to enter and exit the flue while a fire is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and helps it stay in good shape so that you can enjoy it for a long time. A proper opening will prevent the fire from starving of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.
To properly adjust your damper, you must first ensure that the fireplace has been heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has good draft. After these steps are completed, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for a while, you should shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will stop warm air in the room from escaping into the chimney, while still allowing smoke to escape.
This is the best method to keep your fire lit and keep it from getting too hot. The draft might be stopped if one closes the damper too far but a cold wind could enter your home when the damper is left open.
You can determine how much the damper is opened by placing your hands near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you feel a small draft pushing against your hand, it's probably in the open position.
The damper settings can vary from one stove to the next and even between different kinds of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you may need to adjust it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is crucial to clean your stove and flue after the start of a fire. This can reduce the chance of a fire in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance that builds up on the stovepipe's interior and can be very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. This can also occur by fires that are not properly lit.
A regular cleaning routine helps prevent the buildup of creosote. This can be done by sweeping your chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended that you have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least year.
It is also a good idea to clean out the ash tray and grate regularly. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These can release harmful chemicals for the respiratory tract and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
It is also essential to wash the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much scrubs. If you're not able to make the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like, there are stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window.
Other suggestions to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it and slamming doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently, as it won't have to exert as much effort to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs, or leave them on the fire for an extended time. This could cause splits and warping. Finally, it is best to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, because the paraffin they contain can melt and flow down into the flue, which could cause damage.