How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an ideal method to reduce energy consumption and also heat a 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 underneath it to ensure that your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The scent and sound of a fire can be an enjoyable addition to any house. However, wood burners is important to know the proper way to create a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to a fire which does not burn well, and may produce creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you begin an efficient fire that will warm your home quickly and efficiently.
Examine the condition of your logs and coals before you begin a fire. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might want to open the chimney to remove 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 to ignite the tinder. When the tinder and the kindling have begun to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern so there is air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove that has an automatic combustion control it will automatically supply an air stream that is controlled to the flame as it heats. This allows the fire to burn for a long time without the need to open the stove's door often to keep it in check.
Avoid using too much tinder as it can cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and not use the fuel effectively. Once you've made a solid foundation in your stove that is made of igniters, tinder, and embers to start the main flame, you can do this by laying down two large logs of the base on the grate. Then, add a layer of smaller logs perpendicular to these and on top of the base logs. This "top-down" method of creating a fireplace will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't completely engulf larger base logs.
Once your fire is well established, close the damper and ensure it stays closed. Doing this too soon can cause the fire smother and will not allow for proper air flow, which can decrease the efficiency of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces they can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be utilized in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heat in large homes. Many of the new stoves that are clean-burning use a superior combustion principle that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second step is to provide pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and decreases odors.
The amount of heat that you can get from your stove will depend on the type of wood used as well as the moisture content, as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a well-ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry out. If woodburning stove are too wet they will release a lot of steam that is essentially wasted energy.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack in intervals, and not all at all at. In addition, adding too much wood at one time can cause the temperature of the firebox to rise and creates a vortex, which draws smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which could reduce the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid using woodburning stoves in your stove, such as paper or cardboard, as they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should also not use compressed combustibles like wood briquettes, as they have a completely different physical and chemical composition from actual firewood and are not approved for burning in wood burning stoves.
If you're planning to install wood-burning stoves in your home, it's crucial to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety as well as ensure that your chimney is functioning correctly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top condition. They can check the accessible areas of your chimney to determine if there is leakage and fix any issues that are found. They will also make sure that the residents of the house understand and comply with the fire evacuation guidelines in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not cooking on your stove, a damper can control how much heat is lost through the chimney. It can also be used to manage the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is too closed, the fire will not burn as efficiently and it will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by playing around with different positions.
You want to keep your damper open to allow air to enter and exit the flue while a fire is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from being deprived of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To be able to adjust your damper, you need to first make sure the fireplace is preheated and the stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has a good draft. After that, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned slightly, you need to shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop the 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 burning and prevent it from getting too hot. The draft may be stopped if you close the damper to far, but a cold wind can enter your home in the event that the damper is not closed.
You can check to see how much the damper is opened by placing your hands near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pushing on your hand it's likely to be in the open position.
The damper settings can vary from one stove to the next and even between different kinds of wood. You can play around with different settings to get an idea of the best setting for your stove.
Clean up
After a fire, it is important to clean the stove and flue. This will lower the risk of a chimney fire, which is the primary reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky substance that can build up within the stovepipe, can be very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that cannot escape the fire. It can also be caused by poorly lit fires.
A regular cleaning routine helps prevent the buildup of creosote. The best method to do this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is also recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least every year.
It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grate regularly. It is recommended to use only wood that is seasoned for burning, as this will produce less creosote and ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These items can release dangerous chemicals into the air and flue, that could end up in your home.
It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they don't require as much scrubs. You can use stove glass cleaners on the glass if you aren't getting the glass as clean as you would like on your wood stove.
Other tips to maintain your wood stove include turning the vent off when you're not using it and cracking the door or window to increase the flow of air. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove will not have to be as active to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or place them in the fire for prolonged periods of time, as this can lead to splitting and warping. In addition, it is best to avoid using compressed combustible logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain can melt and then flow down into the flue, which could damage it.