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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a cozy method to heat a room and also save energy. However, they need a certain amount of maintenance.

Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't create lots of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The scent and sound of a wood fire could be a wonderful feature in any home. It's important to understand how to build a fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates creosote or smoke. The tips below will aid you in starting a fire that will heat your home with the least effort and maximum safety.

Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your logs and coals. If they are too wet they will choke the fire and prevent it from burning properly. It is possible 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 spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. Once the tinder and kindling are beginning to burn, you can put a layer of larger kindling pieces on the top. This should be done using the crosshatch pattern to ensure that there is air between each piece.

If you own a wood stove that has an automatic combustion control, it will automatically feed an air stream controlled to the fire as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a consistent pace without having to open the stove's doors to maintain it.

Avoid using too much tinder, as it can cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and will not be able to use the fuel efficiently. When you have a good pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grate. On top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing the fire is called a "top-down" fire can result in a successful and long-lasting fire that will not engulf the larger base logs.

Close the damper once your fire is established and keep it shut. The fire can be smothered if you open the damper prior to it being fully established. It can also decrease the efficiency of the fire.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be utilized in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide additional heat in large homes. Many of the new stoves that are clean-burning employ a superior combustion process that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage permits the vaporization of the volatile compounds and the second supplies fresh air that has been pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and reduces the odors.

The amount of heat that you get from your stove is contingent on the kind of wood used and the amount of moisture in it and the size of the logs. To let the wood dry, logs should be stored in a ventilated space for a couple of months prior to burning. If the logs are wet, they will produce lots of steam, which is essentially wasted energy.

You should add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at one time. The addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing the formation of a vortex that pulls smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into the flames. This could reduce the effectiveness of your stove.

Avoid the use of other combustibles like cardboard or paper in your stove, since they are not wood burning stoves on sale and possess different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes, as they have a distinct chemical and physical composition to real firewood and aren't approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.

It is essential to have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is working properly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in good condition. They can check the areas accessible to your chimney for leakage, and repair any problems found. 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

A damper controls how much heat is lost up the chimney when you aren't using your stove. It can also be used to regulate the fire. If the flue opens but the damper is too closed, the fire will not ignite properly and smoke will pour into your home. You can adjust the damper to ensure the best small wood burning stove flames by testing different settings.

Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will also prevent the fire from starving of air, and also prevent it from blowing out smoke.

To properly adjust your damper it is important to first make sure that the fireplace is preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and it also has an adequate draft. Once this is done, the wood stove damper 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 room air from escaping through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove.

This is the best way to keep your fire burning and keep it from getting too hot. The draft could be stopped if one closes the damper too far however a cold breeze could be able to enter your home if the damper is left open.

Holding your hand at the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has opened. If you can feel a slight breeze pressing against your hand, it's likely to be in the open position.

The damper settings may differ between stoves and even among different types of wood. Playing around with different settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you may need to tweak it until you find the perfect setting for your stove.

Clean Up

It is important to clean your flue and stove after a fire. This can to reduce the chance of a chimney fire, which is the most common cause of wood stove related fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky substance that can accumulate within the stovepipe, can be extremely hazardous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape from the fire. It can also happen when fires aren't properly lit.

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 to have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly.

Also, it is a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to only use seasoned wood to burn, since this will produce less creosote as well as ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These can release chemicals that are dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.

It is also essential to clean the glass of the wood-burning stove regularly. Many modern wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much scrubs. You can apply Stove Wood Burning glass cleaners to the window if you're not able get the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove.

Other suggestions 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 improve airflow. This will keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently since it will not need to work as hard to circulate the air. It is a good idea not to stack logs or place them on the fire for a long duration. This can cause warping and splits. It is best to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove since the paraffin in the logs can melt and leak into the flue and cause damage.