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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a great method to reduce energy consumption and heat a room. However, they require an amount of care.
Many modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or beneath it to ensure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a wood fire can be a wonderful feature in any house. However, it is important to know the proper way to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively, and can produce creosote or smoke. The following tips can help you start an efficient fire that will warm your home quickly and efficiently.
Before you begin a fire, you should check the condition of your logs and coals. If they're too damp, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may want to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by putting a handful of small dry newspaper pieces in the stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. When the tinder and the kindling have started to ignite, you can add a layer of larger kindling pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove comes with an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically supply air to the fire as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn at a consistent pace without having to open the stove door to tend it.
Be careful not to use too much tinder, as it will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not use the fuel efficiently. If you have a nice pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grate. Then, on the top of these base woods lay a layer parallel to them. This method of creating the fire is known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that will not engulf the larger base logs.
Close the damper after the fire is established and kept it shut. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for proper airflow, which will lower the effectiveness of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be used by themselves or in conjunction with central heating or furnace system to provide the supplemental heat needed in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. The latest stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that differentiates the burning process of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization process, and the second is to supply fresh air that is pre-heated. This enhances the combustion process and helps to reduce odors.
The amount of heat you get from a stove depends on the type and amount of moisture of the wood used and also the dimensions of logs. The logs must be stored in a ventilated area for a period of time before you attempt to burn them to allow the wood to dry out. If the logs contain excessive moisture, they will create steam that is in essence wasted power.
During the burning of the fire, it is recommended to add more wood to the stack in intervals, not all at once. Addition of too much wood all at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing an air vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into the flames. This could reduce the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, such as paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should not burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes since they are different in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved to be used in wood burning stoves.
It is important to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety, and also ensure that your chimney is working correctly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to keep them in top shape. They can check the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leakage, and repair any problems discovered. They will also make sure that all house occupants are aware of and adhere to the evacuation procedures for fire in the event in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
When you're not using your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is too closed, the fire will not burn properly and smoke will erupt into your home. To get the most effective fire using your damper adjusted properly you must play around with different positions and observe how each affects the flames.
Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening can stop the fire from being deprived of air and stop it from blowing smoke.
To properly adjust your damper, you must first ensure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and that it has a strong draft. Once this is done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
After the fire has been burning for a while, you should close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will prevent the warm air from the room from going into the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the best way to ensure that your fire is lit and prevent it from getting too hot. The draft might be stopped if you shut the damper too far however a cold breeze could enter your home if the damper is left open.
You can test how much the damper is opened by placing your hand on the top of the inside 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 between stoves and even among different types of wood. You can experiment with various settings to get a sense of the ideal setting for your stove.
Clean up
After a fire, it is essential to clean the stove and flue. This will to reduce the chance of a chimney fire, which is the primary reason for wood stove fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky material that builds up on the inside of the stovepipe and can be extremely hazardous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that cannot escape the fire. It can also happen when fires are not lit properly.
Regular cleaning helps to stop the buildup of creosote. The best way to do this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and checked at least year.
Also, it's an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is best to only burn wood that has been seasoned since it will create less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for the respiratory tract and the air, and could be released into your home.
large wood burning stove is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, so they don't require as much cleaning. If you're unable to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you'd like, there are stove glass cleaners you can use on the window.
Other suggestions to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it, and cracking windows or doors to increase airflow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently since it won't need to exert as much effort to circulate air. It is a good idea not to stack logs, or let them sit on the fire for a long duration. This can cause splits and warping. In addition, it is recommended to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, as the paraffin they contain can melt and then flow down into the flue, which could cause damage.