Wood stoves are a cozy way to heat a room and conserve energy. They do require some maintenance.
Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to ensure your stove doesn't create a lot of harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a wood fire can be a pleasant feature in any home. However, it is important to know how to properly make a fire on your stove. Unintentional methods can lead to a fire which does not burn effectively, and can produce smoke or creosote. The following tips can aid you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimal effort and with the highest security.
Before you start a fire, check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet, they will smother the fire and prevent it from burning properly. You may also want to open the flue to let out any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing a handful of small, dry pieces of newspaper into your stove. This will help to ignite the sparks. When the tinder and the kindling are beginning to ignite, you can add a layer of larger kindling pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove that has an automatic control for combustion it will automatically supply an air stream that is controlled to the fire as it builds. This will help the fire to burn at a steady pace without having to open the stove door to keep it in check.
It's important to avoid using too much tinder, since this can lead to the fire burning at an extremely high rate and fails to utilize the fuel as efficiently as it can. If you have a solid bed of tinder and kindling in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grill. On the top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing the fire is called a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that does not engulf the larger base logs.
Close the damper when your fire is established and keep it closed. Doing this too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for proper air flow, which can lower the effectiveness of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be used by themselves or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the additional heating required in large homes or homes with multiple rooms. Many of the new stoves that are clean burning available on the market use advanced combustion technology that can separate the burning volatile substances from combustible gasses and tar. This is achieved by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage permits the combustion of volatile compounds, while the second step provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces odors.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the species and the moisture content of the wood, and also the size of the logs. To let the wood dry, logs should be kept in a ventilated space for a couple of months prior to burning. If the logs are too wet they will release a lot of steam that is essentially wasted energy.
You should add wood to the pile at intervals, not all at all at. In addition, adding too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating a vortex which pulls smoke and unburned volatile compounds back into the flames. This could reduce the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid using other combustibles in your stove, such as cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should not burn combustibles that are compressed, 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.
It is essential that 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 functioning correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in good condition. They will look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney and repair any issues they spot. They will also make sure that all occupants of the house understand and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in the event of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
A damper controls the amount of heat that is lost to the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. In addition, it can also help to control the flame. If the flue opens but the damper is closed, the fire will not be able to burn as it should and smoke will erupt into your home. To get the best fire with your damper adjusted properly you have to play around with different positions and observe how each affects the flames.
Typically, you should keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when the fire is burning. This lets the fire get going and helps it stay burning so that you can enjoy it for hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from being starved of air and stop it from blowing smoke.
In order to properly adjust your damper, you need to ensure that the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has good draft. Once these are done the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for a while, you should close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop warm room air from escaping up the chimney while still allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove.
This is the most effective way to keep the fire from becoming too hot, while also keeping it burning. The draft might be stopped if you close the damper to far however a cold breeze could enter your home if the damper is not closed.
Holding your hand at the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a breeze pushing against your palm the damper is probably to be open.
The damper's setting can vary a little from one stove to another and even between different types of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you may need to adjust it until you find the perfect setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is essential to clean your flue and stove after an incident. This can reduce the chance of an explosion in the chimney, which is the primary cause of fires caused by wood stoves. wood burning stove small , a sticky material that can accumulate within the stovepipe, can be extremely hazardous. It is caused by the moisture and wood particles that are not burned that are unable to escape from the fire. This can also be caused by fires that are not lit properly.
A regular cleaning routine helps keep the buildup of creosote at bay. The best method to do this is by sweeping the chimney at least once a year. It is recommended that you have your fireplace and stove professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year as well.
Also, it's recommended to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is best to burn only wood that is well-seasoned, as it will produce less creosote. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. They could release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the air, and could be released into your home.
It is also important to wash the glass of the wood stove regularly. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much scrubbing. If you're not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you'd like There are stove glass cleaners available that you can use on the window.
Other tips for maintaining your wood stove are to turn the vent down when you are not using it and cracking the door or window to increase the flow of air. This will keep the fire burning more hot and efficient. The wood stove won't have to perform as hard to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs or let them sit on the fire for a long time. This can lead to warping and splits. It is best to avoid using combustible wood that has been compressed in your wood stove as the paraffin contained within the wood can melt and then flow into the flue and cause damage.
