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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove Wood stoves are an excellent method to reduce energy consumption and heat rooms. They do require some maintenance. Many modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker either under or on the grate to make sure your stove won't produce many harmful pollutants. How to start a Wood Fire The scent and sound of a wood fire can be a pleasant addition to any home. It's important to understand how to build a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in a fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause creosote or smoke. The tips below will help you begin an efficient fire that will heat up your home quickly and efficiently. Before you begin a fire, check the condition of your logs and coals. If they're damp, it will smother your fire and prevent the proper burning. You might also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has been deposited into the stove. Begin by putting a few small, dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help ignite the fire. After the tinder and kindling have begun to burn, you can add the larger kindling pieces on top. This should be done using a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece. If your wood stove has an automatic combustion control, it will automatically feed air to the fire as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn steadily without the need to open the stove's door often 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 it could. If you have a nice bed of tinder and kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grate. Next, place a layer of smaller logs that are perpendicular to them and on the top of the base logs. This “top-down” method of creating a fireplace will produce an effective and long-lasting fire that doesn't completely engulf larger logs from the base. Once your fire is well established, close the damper and keep it closed. If you open the damper too early, it can cause the fire to be smothered, and it will not allow for the correct airflow, which will lower the effectiveness of the fire. Add Wood Stoves aren't only beautiful pieces of home decor They can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used alone or in conjunction with central heating or a furnace system to provide the extra heat needed in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. Many of the latest stoves that are clean burning available use advanced combustion principles that separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is done by providing air at two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization, while the second stage is to supply fresh air that has been pre-heated. click to read enhances the combustion process and helps reduce the smell. The amount of heat that you get from your stove will depend on the kind of wood and the amount of moisture in it, as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a ventilated area for several months prior to when you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry. If the logs are not dry enough they will release a lot of steam that is essentially wasted energy. It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals and not all at one time. Too much wood added at once 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 could reduce your stove's efficiency. You should avoid the use of other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, since they are not wood and possess different physical properties that can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. You should not burn compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes as they are different in physical and chemical composition from firewood. They are also not approved by the type to be used in wood-burning stoves. It is crucial that a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the stove for proper operation and safety, as well as ensure that your chimney is working properly. They also provide maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in good condition. They can look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney and repair any issues they discover. They will also ensure that all house occupants are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Adjusting the Damper When you're not cooking on your stove, a damper can control the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue is opened but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and will release smoke into your living space. You can adjust your damper to ensure the best flames by experimenting with different settings. You should keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening will prevent the fire from being starved of air and prevent it from blowing smoke. In order to properly adjust your damper, you need to first make sure the fireplace is preheated and the stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney stays warm and has good draft. Once this is done the damper for the wood stove can be adjusted. After the fire has burned for an extended period, close the damper about three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air from the room from getting into the chimney, but still permitting smoke to escape. This is the best way to keep the fire from becoming too hot, while also keeping it burning. The draft could be stopped if you shut the damper too tightly however a cold breeze could enter your home if the damper is not closed. You can check to see how much the damper is opened by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you can feel a small draft pushing against your hand, it is probably in the open position. The damper settings can differ a little from one stove to another and even between different types of wood. You can experiment with various settings to get an idea of the best setting for your stove. Clean Up After a fire, it is essential to clean the flue and stove. This can to reduce the chance of a chimney fire which is the primary reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky substance that can build up inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. It could be caused by improperly lit fires. A regular cleaning routine can help prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is to sweep the chimney at least once a year. It is recommended that you have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year as well. It is also recommended to clean the ash tray and grate regularly. It is a good idea to only use seasoned wood for burning, as this will produce less creosote and ash. It is also a good idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. They can release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the air, which could be released into your home. The glass in the wood burning stove needs to be regularly cleaned as well. The majority of newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require any cleaning. You can use stove glass cleaners on the glass if you aren't capable of getting the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove. Other suggestions to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you aren't using it, and opening doors or windows to improve airflow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently since it won't have to work as hard to circulate the air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or place them in the flame for long periods of time, as this can lead to warping and splitting. It is recommended to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove because the paraffin that is contained in them can melt and flow into the flue and cause damage.