How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be a great option to conserve energy and heat a room. However, they require some level of maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emissions guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to make sure your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a fire made from wood can be a wonderful addition to any house. It's crucial to learn the correct method to create a fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn well, and may produce creosote or smoke. These tips will assist you in starting the fire that will warm your home with minimum effort and maximum safety.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and prevent the 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 few small dry newspaper pieces into your stove. This will help ignite the tinder and kindling. Once these begin to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove with an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver a controlled stream of air to your flame as it heats. This will allow the fire to burn continuously without having to open the stove's door often to keep it in check.
Be careful not to use excessive tinder since it will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not use the fuel efficiently. Once you've made a solid base in your stove with igniters, tinder, and embers, start the main flame by placing two large base logs on the grill. On the top of these base woods lay a layer parallel to them. This method of constructing an ember known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that does not completely consume the larger base logs.
Close the damper when your fire is established and kept it closed. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for the proper air flow, which can reduce its efficiency.
Adding Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces they can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used alone or together with central heating or furnace system to provide the supplemental heat required in large houses or homes with many rooms. A lot of the stoves that are clean-burning use a superior combustion principle that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage allows for the vaporization of the volatile compounds and the second offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps reduce the odors.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove depends on the species and the moisture content of the wood used and also the dimensions of 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. If the logs are not dry enough, they will produce a lot of steam that is basically wasted energy.
You should add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at one time. In addition, adding too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing an air vortex that pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid the use of other combustibles like cardboard or paper in your stove, because they are not wood and have different physical properties and cannot be burned safely without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes because they differ in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used in wood burning stoves.
If you are installing wood-burning stoves into your home, it's crucial to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will examine your stove to make sure it is safe and reliable. They will also check whether your chimney is working properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in tip-top shape. They will inspect 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 all house occupants are aware of and adhere to the evacuation procedures for fire in case in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not making use of your stove, a damper controls the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. In addition to this it can help you to control the flame. If the flue opens but the damper is not closed the fire will not burn properly and smoke will billow into your home. You can adjust the damper to get the best flames by testing different locations.
You should keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and helps it stay lit so you can enjoy it for long periods of time. A proper opening will stop the fire from becoming starved of air, and also prevent it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper properly it is important to first make sure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and that it has a good draft. Once these are done the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has been burning for some time, you need to close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will stop warm air in the room from venting into the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove.
This is the best way to stop the fire from becoming too hot, while also keeping it burning. The draft might be stopped if you shut the damper too tightly, but a cold wind can enter your home if the damper is left open.
You can determine how much the damper is opened by holding your hand near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a slight draft pushing on your hand it's likely to be in the open position.
The damper settings can differ from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you may need to tweak it until you find the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is important to clean your chimney and stove after the start of a fire. This can reduce the risk of a chimney fire, which is the primary reason for wood stove fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky substance that can accumulate within the stovepipe, can be very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that cannot escape the fire. This can also occur by fires that are not properly lit.
Regular cleaning can help keep away the buildup of creosote. The best method to do this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
It is also recommended to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned since it will create less creosote. It is also a good idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper, plastic and other trash items. wood burning stove outdoor could release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
The glass in the wood burning stove needs to be regularly cleaned as well. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows so they do not require as much scrubs. You can make use of stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not able get the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove.
Other tips to maintain your wood stove include lowering the vent when you're not using it and cracking windows or doors to allow more airflow. This keeps the fire burning hotter, and more efficiently. The wood stove won't have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs, or let them sit on the fire for an extended time. This can cause splitting and warping. It is recommended to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove as the paraffin that is contained in the wood can melt and then flow into the flue and cause damage.