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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a great way to save energy and warm the room. However, they require a certain amount of maintenance.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. You can check for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to ensure your stove doesn't emit harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The sound and smell of a fire made from wood can be a pleasant addition to any house. It's crucial to learn the proper way to build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates creosote or smoke. The tips below will assist you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimal effort and with the highest security.
Make sure to check the condition of your logs and coals before you begin the fire. If they're too damp they could smother the fire and prevent it from burning efficiently. It is also possible to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing some small newspaper pieces that are dry in the stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and kindling. Once they start to ignite, add a layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done using the crosshatch pattern to ensure that there is air between each piece.
If you have a wood stove that has an automatic control of combustion, it will automatically feed an air stream controlled to your fire as it builds. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to constantly open the stove's doors to keep it in check.
It is important to not use too much tinder, since this can lead to an unburned fire that burns at a high rate and doesn't utilize the fuel as efficiently as possible. If you have a solid pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, begin the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grill. On the top of these base woods, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of building a fire called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that will not overtake the larger base logs.
Close the damper once your fire is established and kept it closed. Doing this too soon can cause the fire to smother and will not allow for the proper air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.
Add Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and help you save money. They can be used in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide additional heating for large houses. A lot of the clean burning stoves that are available today utilize advanced combustion principles that separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is done by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization process, and the second step is to provide fresh air that has been pre-heated. This enhances the combustion process and reduces the odors.
The amount of heat you get from your stove will depend on the type of wood and the amount of moisture as well as the size of the logs. To allow the wood to dry, the logs should be stored in a ventilated location for a few months before burning. If the logs are not dry enough they will release plenty of steam that is in essence wasted energy.
It is best to add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at once. Addition of too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating an air vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that are not burned back into flames. This can reduce the effectiveness of your stove.
It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard 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. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes as they are different in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved to be used in wood-burning stoves.
If you're installing wood-burning stoves into your home, it's crucial to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for proper operation and safety, and also ensure that your chimney is operating properly. These professionals offer maintenance services for your stove and chimney to ensure they are in good shape. They can check the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leaks, and fix any issues that are discovered. They will also ensure that all occupants of the house are aware of and follow the evacuation procedure in case of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper regulates how much heat escapes through the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. Additionally, it can also help you control the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is too closed, the fire won't burn properly and will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust the damper to get the best flames by playing around with different settings.
Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire get a good fire going and keeps it lit so you can enjoy it for a long time. The right opening will also keep the fire from being starved of air and prevent it from blowing out smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace has been preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has a good draft. Once these are done the damper for wood stoves can be adjusted.
After the fire has smolder for a while, you can close the damper to about three-quarters of its maximum. This will stop the warm air in the room from getting into the chimney, but still allowing smoke to escape.
This is the most effective way to ensure that your fire is lit and to prevent it from becoming too hot. The draft may be stopped if you close the damper too far but a cold wind could be able to enter your home in the event that the damper is left open.
By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a breeze pushing against your palm, the damper is likely to be open.
The damper settings can differ slightly from one stove to the next, and even between different types of wood. used wood burning stoves for sale 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 perfect setting for your stove.
Clean up
After the fire, it's crucial to clean the stove and flue. This can reduce the chance of a fire in the chimney, which is the primary cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky material that can accumulate in the stovepipe, is extremely hazardous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that cannot escape the fire. This can also occur when fires are not lit properly.
A regular cleaning schedule can help prevent the buildup of creosote. This can be done by sweeping your chimney once a year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least year.
Also, it's an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. It is also recommended to avoid burning paper, cardboard plastic, and other waste items. They could release chemicals that are dangerous for the respiratory tract and the air, and could be released into your home.
It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. Many modern wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows, so they don't require as much cleaning. If you're not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you'd like, there are stove glass cleaners that can be used on the window.
Some other helpful suggestions for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent down when you are not using it and cracking the door or window to allow more air flow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, as it won't 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 period of time. This can cause splits and warping. best wood burning stove is also best to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow into the flue which could cause damage.
