How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves can be an excellent option to conserve energy and also heat rooms. However, they require an amount of care.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to ensure your stove doesn't emit harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a wood fire could be a welcome addition to any home. It is essential to know how to create an effective fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively and produces smoke or creosote. The following tips can help you start a safe fire that will heat up your home quickly and effectively.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet, it will smother your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might want to open the chimney to remove any ash that falls into the stove.
Begin by putting a few small dry newspaper pieces into your stove. This will help ignite the tinder and ignite the kindling. Once they start to burn, add a layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If your wood stove is equipped with an automatic combustion control it will automatically feed air to the flame as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to constantly open the stove's door to keep it in check.
It's important to avoid using too much tinder, since this could result in a fire that burns at an excessive rate and doesn't use the fuel as efficiently as it could. If you have a nice pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by laying two large logs of the base across the grill. Then, on top of these base logs put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This method of building the fire is called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't overtake the larger base logs.
Close the damper once your fire is established and kept it closed. The fire can be smothered if the user opens the damper before it is fully established. It will also reduce the efficiency of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and also save you money. They can be used together with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heating for large homes. Many of the new stoves that burn clean utilize a superior combustion method that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second is to supply fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and reduces odors.
The amount of heat you will get from a stove is contingent upon the species and moisture content of the wood used, and also the size of logs. The logs must be stored in a ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry out. If the logs are not dry enough, they will produce plenty of steam that is in essence wasted energy.
It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at once. The addition of too much wood at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating an air vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into flames. This could decrease the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid the use of any other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, as they are not wood and have different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and excessive emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles like wood briquettes as they have a very different chemical and physical composition to real firewood, and are not approved for burning in wood burning stoves.
If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it is essential to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician can examine your stove to make sure it is safe and functional. They will also check that your chimney is functioning properly. They offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top condition. They can look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney and fix any issues they discover. They will also make sure that all residents of the house understand and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
When you're not cooking on your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat lost through the chimney. In addition, it can also help you manage the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and it will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by playing around with different settings.
You should keep your damper open to allow air to be able to enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and also helps keep it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for 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 ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has good draft. Once this is done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for an extended period, close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from venting through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the best method to stop the fire from getting too hot, while also keeping it burning. The draft could be stopped if you close the damper to far, but a cold wind could be able to enter your home when the damper is left open.
You can determine how much the damper is open by placing your hand on the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you feel a small breeze pushing against your palm the damper is probably in the open position.
The damper settings can vary between stoves and even between different kinds of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get a sense of the best setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is essential to clean your stove and flue after a fire. wood burners will lower the risk of a chimney fire, which is the main reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up within the stovepipe, can be very dangerous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape the fire. This can also occur by fires that are not lit properly.
A regular cleaning routine helps keep the buildup of creosote at bay. The most effective method for doing this is by sweeping the chimney each year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly.
It is also recommended to clean the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is recommended to burn only seasoned wood, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These can release chemicals that are dangerous for the flue and atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
The glass in the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned frequently as well. A lot of modern wood stoves are designed with self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require much scrubbing. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're getting the glass as clean as you want on your wood stove.
Other tips to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it, and opening doors or windows to increase airflow. 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 a good idea not to stack logs, or let them sit on the fire for an extended duration. This can cause splitting and warping. Finally, it is a good idea to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain could melt and spill down the flue which could damage it.