Be On The Lookout For: How Stove Wood Burning Is Gaining Ground, And What To Do About It
How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and conserve energy. They require some care.
Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emission guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or underneath it to ensure that your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and the sound of a fire can be an excellent addition to any home. It is essential to understand how to build a fire in your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to the fire not to burn well, and may produce creosote or smoke. The tips below can help you create a safe fire that will warm your home quickly and effectively.
Make sure to check the condition of your coals and logs before you start the fire. If they're damp they will choke your fire and hinder proper burning. You might also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has been deposited into the stove.
Begin by placing a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in the stove. stoves wood burners will help to ignite the tinder. When the tinder and the kindling have begun to burn, you can put an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern, so that there will be air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove with an automatic control of combustion that will automatically deliver an air stream that is controlled to your fire as it grows. This allows the fire to burn steadily without you having to open the door of your stove frequently to check on it.
It is essential to avoid using too much tinder, since it can cause a fire that burns at an extremely high rate and fails to make use of the fuel as efficiently as possible. Once you've made a solid foundation in your stove that is made of tinder, kindling and embers to start the main flame, you can do this by laying down two large base logs on the grill. On top of these base logs lay a layer parallel to them. This method of creating the fire is known as a "top-down" fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that will not completely consume the larger base logs.
Close the damper after the fire is established, and keep it shut. The fire may be smothered if you open the damper before it has fully established. This can also affect the efficiency of the fire.
Add Wood
Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. They can be used together with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large houses. The latest stoves that are clean-burning use a superior combustion principle that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from the combustion of combustible gases and tar by supplying air in two distinct stages. The first stage allows the burning of volatile compounds and the second stage offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces odors.
The amount of heat you will get from a stove depends on the species and moisture content of the wood as well as the size of the logs. To allow the wood to dry, the logs should be stored in a well ventilated space for a few months before burning. If the logs are wet they will release plenty of steam that is in essence wasted energy.
While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack at intervals, and not all at once. Addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, causing a vortex which pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into flames. This can reduce the efficiency of your stove.
Avoid using 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 producing dangerously high temperatures. Also, you should not use compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes, as they have a completely different chemical and physical properties from actual firewood and are not type-approved for burning in wood burning stoves.
If you are installing a wood burning stove in your home, it's crucial to have it installed and tested by a qualified. A certified WETT technician will test your stove to ensure it is safe and reliable. They will also check whether your chimney is working properly. They provide maintenance services for your stove and chimney to ensure they remain in top condition. 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 all house occupants know and follow the fire evacuation procedures in the event in the event of an emergency.
Adjusting the Damper
When you're not cooking on your stove, a damper controls the amount of heat lost through the chimney. Additionally, it can help you control the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is not closed enough, the fire won't be able to burn properly and will release smoke into your living area. You can adjust your damper to get the best flames by testing different positions.
Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and helps it stay in good shape so that you can enjoy it for a long time. The right opening will prevent the fire from being starved of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly it is important to first make sure that the fireplace has been preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and also that it has a good draft. After these steps are completed, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
After the fire has been burning for some time, you need to close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from venting through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove.
This is the best method to ensure that your fire is lit and to prevent it from becoming too hot. If you close the damper too tightly, it could stop the draft from working, but if it is too open a cold breeze could enter your home.
Placing your hand on the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a breeze pushing against your hand the damper is probably in an open position.
The damper settings can differ slightly from one stove to the next and even between different kinds of wood. You can play around with different settings to get an idea of the best setting for your stove.
Clean up
It is crucial to clean your flue and stove after an incident. This will help to reduce the chance 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 in the stovepipe, is extremely dangerous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are the cause for this chemical. It could also be caused by poorly lit fires.
A regular cleaning routine can help prevent the buildup of creosote. This can be accomplished by sweeping your chimney at least once every year. It is recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year, too.
Also, it is a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to only burn wood that has been seasoned because it produces less creosote. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. They could release harmful chemicals for the respiratory tract and the atmosphere, which may be released into your home.
The glass that is used on the wood stove has to be cleaned frequently as well. Many newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require any scrubbing. If you're unable to clean the glass of 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 include turning the vent off when you're not using it, and opening the door or window to increase the flow of air. This will keep the fire burning more hot and efficiently. The wood stove will not have to work as hard in order to circulate air. It is recommended not to stack logs or let them sit on the fire for a long period of time. This could cause splits and warping. Finally, it is a good idea 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.