How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove Wood stoves can be a great option to conserve energy and heat rooms. They require some care. A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker either under or on the grate to make sure your stove won't produce a lot of harmful pollutants. How to start a Wood Fire The scent and sound of a wood fire can be a welcome feature in any home. It's essential to know how to build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause smoke or creosote. The following tips can aid you in starting the fire that will warm your home with the least effort and maximum security. Examine the condition of your logs and coals before you begin an fire. If they're too damp, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning properly. It is also possible to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove. Begin by putting a few small newspaper pieces that are dry and clean in your stove. This will help ignite the tinder. When the tinder and the kindling are beginning to burn, you can add the larger kindling pieces on top. This should be done with a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece. If your wood stove is equipped with an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically pump air into the fire as it expands. This allows the fire to burn steadily without you having to open the stove door constantly to tend to it. It is essential to avoid using too much tinder, since this could result in an unburned fire that burns at a high rate and doesn't utilize the fuel as efficiently as it can. When you have a good pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grill. Next, place small logs parallel to these and on the top of the base logs. This top-down method of building a fireplace will result in a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't engulf larger logs from the base. Once your fire is well established Close the damper and ensure it stays closed. Doing this too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for the correct air flow, which will reduce its efficiency. Adding Wood Stoves are not just beautiful home décor pieces they can also help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be used by themselves or together with a furnace or central heating system to provide the supplemental heat needed in large homes or homes with many rooms. The latest stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization, while the second is to supply pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and reduces the odors. The amount of heat you can get from your stove depends on the kind of wood and the moisture content and the size of the logs. The logs must be stored in a ventilated area for a period of time before you try to burn them to give the wood time to dry out. If the logs have too much moisture, they will create steam which is essentially wasted power. While you're burning the fire, it is recommended to add more wood to the stack in intervals, and not all at once. Too much wood added at one time causes the temperature inside the firebox to rise and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which can decrease the efficiency of your stove. You should avoid the use of other combustibles like cardboard or paper in your stove, as they are not wood and have very different physical properties that can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes as they have a completely different chemical and physical properties from real firewood, and are not type-approved for burning in wood burning stoves. If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it is important to have it properly installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician can examine your stove to make sure it is safe and reliable. They can also make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your stove and chimney to keep them in top condition. They will inspect the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leaks, and repair any problems found. They will also ensure that all occupants of the home understand and follow the evacuation procedure in the event of an accident. Adjusting the Damper A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney when you aren't using your stove. In addition, it can also help you manage the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is not closed the fire won't burn properly and smoke will pour into your home. To ensure that you get the most efficient fire, with the damper properly adjusted, you should test 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 when a fire is burning. This lets the fire start a fire and helps it stay lit so you can enjoy it for a long time. The proper opening will prevent the fire from starving of air and prevent it from blowing smoke. In order to properly adjust your damper, you need to ensure that the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has an adequate draft. After this the damper for the wood stove may be adjusted. After the fire has burned for an extended period, shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will prevent warm air in the room from escaping into the chimney, while still permitting smoke to escape. This is the most effective way to stop the fire from becoming too hot, while also keeping it burning. If you close the damper too tightly, it may stop the draft from working, however should it be too wide, a cold breeze could blow into your home. You can check to see how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pressing against 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. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you will have to keep adjusting it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove. Clean Up After the fire, it's crucial to clean the stove and flue. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the most common reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky material that builds up on the stovepipe's interior and can be extremely hazardous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this chemical. This can also be caused by fires that are not properly lit. stove wood burning can help prevent creosote buildup. The best way to do this is by sweeping the chimney every year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a every year. It is also recommended to clean out the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. It is also a good idea to avoid burning cardboard, paper, plastic and other trash items. These items could release dangerous chemicals to the air and flue which could be released in your home. It is also important to wash the glass of the wood-burning stove on a regular basis. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much cleaning. If you're unable to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like, there are stove glass cleaners can be used on the window. Other helpful tips for maintaining your wood stove are to turn the vent off when you're not using it and slamming a window or door to allow more air flow. This will keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently since it will not need to exert as much effort to circulate the air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or leave them in the fire for prolonged periods of time, as this could lead to splitting and warping. It is also best to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove because the paraffin they contain could melt and spill into the flue which could cause damage to the stove.
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