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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a comfortable way to heat a room and save energy. They do require some maintenance.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to ensure your stove doesn't create lots of harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a fire made from wood can be a wonderful addition to any house. It's essential to know how to create an effective fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in the fire not burning efficiently and creates creosote or smoke. The following tips can help you start a safe fire that will warm your home quickly and effectively.
Before you start a fire, check the condition of your logs and coals. If they are wet, they will smother the flame and stop it from burning properly. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has fallen 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 an additional layer of larger pieces on top. This should be done using an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece.
If your wood stove is equipped with an automatic combustion control, it will automatically supply air to the flame as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady rate 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 rapid rate and will not be able to use the fuel efficiently. When you have a good fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, begin the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grill. Next, place a layer of smaller logs that are perpendicular to them and on top of the base logs. This method of constructing a fire known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that will not overtake the larger base logs.
Close the damper when the fire is established and keep it shut. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for proper air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't just beautiful home decor pieces They can also help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be utilized together with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heat in large homes. The latest stoves that are clean-burning employ a superior combustion process that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization process, and the second is to supply fresh air that has been pre-heated. This enhances the combustion process and helps to reduce the smell.
The amount of heat you get from your stove will depend on both the species of wood used as well as the moisture content as well as the size of the 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 time to dry out. If the logs have too much moisture, they will produce steam which is essentially wasted power.
It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at all at. Addition of too much wood all at once could cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, causing a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into the flames. This could decrease the effectiveness of your stove.
Avoid using Modern wood burning stoves www.fireplacesandstove.com inside your stove, like paper or cardboard, as they are not wood. They have different physical properties and are unable to be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. It is not recommended to 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 burned in wood-burning stoves.
If you are 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 will examine your stove to make sure that it is safe and efficient. They will also ensure that your chimney works correctly. They offer maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top shape. They can look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney, and fix any issues they discover. They will also ensure that the occupants of the home understand and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
If you're not making use of your stove, a damper can control how much heat is lost through the chimney. In addition, it can also help control the fire. If the flue opens but the damper is not closed the fire will not burn properly and smoke will pour into your home. To ensure that you get the most effective fire using your damper adjusted properly you have to test different positions and observe how each affects the flames.
You should keep your damper open to let air enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and stay lit for several hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from being starved of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.
To be able to adjust your damper you need to ensure that the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure the chimney is warm, and that it has a good draft. After this, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has been burning for a while, you should shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm room air from escaping through the chimney, while allowing the smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the best method to keep your fire lit and to prevent it from becoming too hot. The draft might be stopped if one closes the damper to far, but a cold wind could enter your home if the damper is not closed.
Placing your hand on the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it is probably in the open position.
The damper settings can differ from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. You can play around with different settings to get a sense of the best setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is essential to clean your flue and stove after an incident. This can reduce the risk of a chimney fire, which is the main reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky substance which can build up inside the stovepipe, is extremely hazardous. The moisture and the unburned parts of wood that cannot escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. It can also happen when fires aren't properly lit.
A regular cleaning schedule can help to prevent the buildup of creosote. The best way to do this is by sweeping the chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least every year.
Also, it is recommended to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is a good idea to use only wood that is seasoned for burning, as it will create less creosote and less ash. It is also recommended to avoid burning paper, cardboard or plastic items. They can release harmful chemicals for the respiratory tract and the air, which could be released into your home.
The glass on the wood stove has to be cleaned regularly too. Many newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, meaning that they do not require much cleaning. If you're not able to make the glass on your wood stove as clean as you'd like you can use stove glass cleaners can be used on the window.
Other ways to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you're not using it, and cracking windows or doors to allow more airflow. This keeps the fire burning hotter, and more efficient. The wood stove will not need to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or leave them in the fire for prolonged durations of time, since this can lead to splitting and warping. It is advised to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove because the paraffin that is contained in them can melt and flow into the flue, which could cause damage.