15 Gifts For The Stove Wood Burning Lover In Your Life
How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a comfortable way to heat a space and save energy. They require some care.
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 make sure your stove doesn't release harmful pollutants.
How to Start a Wood Fire
The sound and smell of a wood fire could be a pleasant feature in any house. However, it is important to know the correct method to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect methods can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. These tips will help you start an fire that can heat your home with the least effort and maximum security.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet it will dampen your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might want to open the chimney to get rid of any ash that falls into the stove.
Begin by putting a few small newspaper pieces that are dry in the stove. This will help ignite the sparks. Once the tinder and kindling are beginning to burn, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done with the crosshatch pattern to ensure that there is air between each piece.
If you own wood stoves that have an automatic combustion control it will automatically supply an air stream controlled to your fire as it builds. This will allow the fire to burn for a long time without you having to open the door of your stove frequently to check on it.
Avoid using too much tinder, as this will cause the fire to burn at a rapid rate and will not be able to use the fuel effectively. If you have a solid pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs on the grate. On the top of these base logs lay a layer parallel to them. This method of creating a fire called a "top-down" fire can result in a successful and long-lasting fire that does not overtake the larger base logs.
Close the damper when your fire has been established and keep it closed. The fire can be smothered if you open the damper before it has fully established. It will also reduce the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces They can also help you save money by supplying efficient wood heat. They can be utilized in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large homes. Many of the new clean burning stoves that are available use advanced combustion technology that can separate the burning volatile substances from combustible gasses and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air at two different stages. The first stage allows for the vaporization of the volatile compounds and the second supplies fresh air that has been pre-heated. This enhances the combustion process and reduces odors.
The amount of heat that you get from your stove will depend on the type of wood used and the amount of moisture in it and the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a ventilated area for several months prior to when you try to burn them, to give the wood time to dry. If the logs are wet, they will produce a lot of steam that is in essence wasted energy.
During the burning of the fire, add more wood to the stack in intervals, but not all at once. Too much wood added at one time causes the temperature inside the firebox to rise and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame, which can decrease the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid the use of any other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, because they are not wood and have different physical properties and cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. You should also not use compressed combustibles like wood briquettes because they have a completely different chemical and physical composition to real firewood, and are not type-approved for use in wood burning stoves.
It is crucial that a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for safe operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is operating properly. These experts can also provide maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in tip-top shape. They will look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney and fix any issues they spot. They will also make sure that the occupants of the home understand and follow the evacuation procedure in the event of an accident.
Adjusting the Damper
When you're not making use of your stove, a damper regulates how much heat is lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue opens, but the damper is not closed, the fire will not be able to burn as it should and smoke will erupt into your home. To ensure you have the best fire with the damper properly adjusted, you must experiment with different positions and observe how each one affects the flames.
It is important to keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This will let the fire start and stay lit for several hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from being deprived of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper properly, you must first ensure that the fireplace has been preheated and the wood stove is hot. wood burning stoves for sale will ensure that the chimney is warm and that it has a good draft. Once this is done, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has burned for a while, you should close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will stop warm air in the room from venturing into the chimney, while still permitting smoke to escape.
This is the best way to keep the fire from becoming too hot while keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if one closes the damper to 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 show you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a slight breeze pushing against your palm The damper is most likely in an open position.
The damper settings can differ a little from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you might need to tweak it until you find the perfect setting for your stove.
Clean up
After the fire, it's crucial to clean the stove and flue. This can reduce the risk of a chimney fire which is the primary reason for wood stove fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky material which can build up in the stovepipe, is extremely hazardous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this chemical. It can also happen when fires aren't properly lit.
Regular cleaning can help keep away the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney once a year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a yearly.
It is also a good idea to clean the ash tray and grate it regularly. It is a good idea to use only wood that is seasoned to burn, since it will create less creosote and less ash. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard plastic, and other waste items. These items could release dangerous chemicals to the air and flue which can be released into your home.
The glass on the wood stove has to be cleaned frequently too. Many newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, which means they don't require a lot of scrubs. If you are not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like There are stove glass cleaners that you can use on the window.
Some other helpful tips to maintain your wood stove are to turn the vent off when you're not using it and slamming the door or window to allow more air flow. This will ensure that the fire is burning hotter, and more efficiently. The wood stove will not have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is a good idea not to stack logs or let them sit on the fire for an extended time. This could cause warping and splits. It is advised 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 which could cause damage.