Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and save energy. They require some care.
Many modern wood stoves are compliant with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't generate many harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The sound and smell of a fire made from wood can be a wonderful addition to any home. It is essential to know how to create an effective fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in a fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause creosote or smoke. The tips below can help you start a fire that is safe and will heat up your home quickly and efficiently.
Examine the condition of your logs and coals before you begin a fire. If they're too damp they will choke the flame and stop it from burning properly. It is also possible to open the flue to let any ash that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by putting a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in the stove. This will help to ignite the sparks. When they begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done with a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece.
If you have wood stoves that have an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver an air stream controlled to your fire as it grows. This will enable the fire to burn at a consistent pace without the need to open the stove door to maintain it.
Avoid using too much tinder, as it will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not utilize the fuel effectively. Once you've made a solid bed in your stove of tinder, kindling and embers begin the main flame by placing two large logs of the base on the grate. Then, on the top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing a fire called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't engulf the larger base logs.
Close wood burning stove sale once your fire is established and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon can cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for proper airflow, which will lower the effectiveness of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves aren't only beautiful pieces of home decor - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be used by themselves or together with central heating or furnace system to provide the extra heat needed in large homes or homes with multiple rooms. Many of the latest stoves that are clean burning available use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is achieved by providing air at two different stages. The first stage allows the vaporization of the volatile compounds, while the second step offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps to reduce the smell.
The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the species and moisture content of the wood used as well as the size of logs. To let the wood dry, logs must be stored in a well ventilated area for a couple of months prior to burning. If the logs contain excessive moisture, they'll produce steam, which is basically wasted power.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the pile at intervals, and not all at all at. Adding too much wood at once causes the temperature inside the firebox to rise, and creates a vortex that draws smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame, which could reduce your stove's efficiency.
Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, such as paper or cardboard, as they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. It is not recommended to burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes as they are different in chemical and physical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used in wood burning stoves.
It is important that you have a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician can test your installation to ensure it is safe and functional. They can also make sure that your chimney is functioning properly. They provide maintenance services for your chimney and stove to keep them in top shape. They can check for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney and repair any problems they find. They will also make sure that the occupants of your home understand and comply with the fire evacuation guidelines in case of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
When you're not cooking on your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is closed the fire will not be able to burn as it should and smoke will pour into your home. To ensure you have the best fire with the damper properly adjusted, you must play around with different positions and observe how each affects the flames.
You should keep your damper open to allow air to flow into and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This lets the fire get a good fire going and also helps keep it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for long periods of time. A proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing out smoke.
To properly adjust your damper, you need to ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has a good draft. Once this is done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned for a while, you can close the damper to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop warm air in the room from venting up the chimney while still allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the most effective way to ensure that your fire is lit and prevent it from getting too hot. If you close the damper too tightly, it could block the draft from working, but if it is too open, a cold wind could enter your home.
Placing your hand on the top of the flue pipe will show you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a small breeze rubbing against your hand the damper is probably in the open position.
The damper settings may differ from one stove to the next and even among different types of wood. You can experiment with different settings to get an idea of the best setting for your stove.
Clean Up
After the fire, it's essential to clean the stove and flue. This reduces the chance of an explosion in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance that can build up within the stovepipe, can be very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the fire are the cause for this substance. It could also be caused by improperly lit fires.
Regular cleaning can help stop the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once every year. It is recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year, too.
It is also an excellent idea to clean out the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is recommended to burn only wood that is well-seasoned since it will create less creosote. It is also a good idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. These materials can release harmful chemicals into the air and flue which could be released in your home.
It is also important to wash the glass of the wood stove regularly. A lot of modern wood stoves are made 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 not getting the glass as clean as you would like on your wood stove.
Other helpful tips to maintain your wood stove include turning the vent down when you're not using it, and opening the door or window to increase air flow. This will ensure that the fire is burning more hot and efficient. The wood stove will not have to be as active to circulate air. It is a good idea not to stack logs or leave them on the fire for a long duration. This can cause splitting and warping. In addition, it is recommended to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain can melt and flow down the flue which could damage it.
