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.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or beneath it to make sure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The smell and the sound of a woodfire can be an excellent addition to any home. It's essential to understand how to build an effective fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in the fire not burning efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. The following tips can assist you in starting the fire that will warm your home with minimal effort and maximum safety.
Before you begin a fire, check the condition of your logs and coals. If they're too damp they will choke the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may want to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that's 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. Once they start to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there is air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove comes with an automatic combustion control it will automatically pump air into the flame as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to constantly open the stove's doors to keep it in check.
Do not use too much tinder as this will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not use the fuel effectively. After you've built a solid foundation in your stove that is made of tinder, kindling and embers begin the main flame by laying down two large base logs on the grill. Then, on the top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing a fire called a "top-down" fire can result in a successful and long-lasting fire that doesn't engulf the larger base logs.
Close the damper after the fire is established, and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon can cause the fire be smothered, and it will not allow for the proper air flow, which can lower the effectiveness of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and save you money. They can be used alone or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the extra heating required in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. Many of the new stoves that are clean-burning employ a superior combustion process that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage permits the burning of volatile compounds, while the second step provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces smells.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove is contingent upon the species and moisture content of the wood used and also the dimensions of logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated space for several months prior to when you try to burn them to give the wood a chance to dry out. If the logs are soaked with too much moisture, they will produce steam, which is basically wasted power.
It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at once. Too much wood added at once can cause the temperature of the firebox to increase and creates a vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame which could reduce your stove's efficiency.
Avoid the use of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, because they are not wood and possess different physical properties that cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. Also, you should not use compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes, as they have a very different chemical and physical composition to actual firewood and are not approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.
It is essential that you 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 stove and chimney in tip-top shape. They can check the areas accessible to your chimney to determine if there is leakage and repair any problems found. They will also ensure that all residents of the home understand and follow the fire evacuation procedure in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates how much heat is lost to the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. It can also be used to control the fire. If the flue is not open but the damper is not closed enough, the fire will not burn as efficiently and will release smoke into your living area. To get the most effective fire using your damper adjusted properly you have to experiment with different locations and observe how each affects the flames.
Typically, you should keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This will let the fire start and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will also keep the fire from being starved of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly, you must first ensure that the fireplace has been preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and also that it has an adequate draft. Once this is accomplished, the wood stove damper may be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned slightly, you need to shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its full position. you can try this out will stop warm air from the room from going through the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape from the wood stove.
This is the most effective way to ensure that your fire is lit and keep it from getting too hot. The draft could be stopped if one closes the damper to far, but a cold wind can enter your home if the damper is not closed.
You can test how much the damper is opened by holding your hand near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you can feel a small draft pushing on your hand it is probably in the open position.
The damper settings may differ from one stove to another and even among different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get an idea of the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean Up
After an incident, it is essential to clean the stove and flue. This will reduce the risk of a fire in the chimney, which is the primary cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance which can build up in the stovepipe, is very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape the fire. It can also be caused by poorly lit fires.
Regular cleaning helps prevent creosote buildup. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once a year. It is also recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a yearly.
Also, it's an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is best to burn only wood that is well-seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. They could release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
The glass on the wood stove has to be cleaned regularly too. Many newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require any cleaning. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're capable of getting the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove.
Other ways to keep your wood stove in good condition include turning down the vent when you're not using it, and slamming doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will keep the fire burning more hot and more efficiently since it will not need to work as hard to circulate air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or place them in the flame for long periods of time, as this could cause warping and splitting. It is advised to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove since the paraffin contained within the logs can melt and leak into the flue which could cause damage.