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Don't Be Enticed By These "Trends" Concerning Stove Wood Burning
How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a great method to reduce energy consumption and warm rooms. However, they need an amount of care.

Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to make sure your stove won't produce a lot of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire

The smell and sound of a woodfire is an excellent addition to any house. It's important to know how to create a fire in your stove. Improper techniques can result in the fire not burning efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. These tips will aid you in starting an fire that can heat your home with the least effort and maximum safety.

Before you begin an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they're wet, 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 placing some small newspaper pieces that are dry in the stove. This will help ignite the fire. When they begin to burn, add a layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there will be air between each piece of wood.

If you own a wood stove with an automatic combustion control it will automatically supply a controlled stream of air to the fire as it grows. This will help the fire to burn at a steady pace without the need to open the stove's door to tend it.

It's important to avoid using too much tinder, as this could result in the fire burning at an excessive rate and doesn't utilize the fuel as efficiently as it could. When you have a good bed of tinder and kindling in your stove, you can start the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grill. On top of these base logs, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing the fire is known as a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that does not overtake the larger base logs.

Once your fire is well established shut off the damper and keep it shut. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to get smothered and not allow for the proper air flow, which will reduce its efficiency.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. They can be used by themselves or together with a furnace or central heating system to provide the extra heating required in large homes or houses with a lot of rooms. Many of the new stoves that are clean burning available on the market use an advanced combustion principle which separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is accomplished by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage is to aid in the vaporization process, and the second stage is to supply pre-heated fresh air. This improves combustion and reduces smells.

The amount of heat you get from a stove will depend on the species and the moisture content of the wood you use, and also the size of logs. The logs must be stored in a well-ventilated area for a period of time before you attempt to burn them, to give the wood time to dry. If the logs are not dry enough, they will produce plenty of steam that is essentially wasted energy.

During the burning of the fire, add more wood to the stack at intervals, and not all at all at. The addition of too much wood at once could cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, causing a vortex which draws smoke and unburned volatile compounds back into the flames. This can reduce the effectiveness of your stove.

You should avoid the use of other combustibles, like cardboard or paper in your stove, because they are not wood and have different physical properties that cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and a lot of emissions. It is not recommended to burn combustibles that are compressed, such as wood briquettes since 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.

If you're planning to install wood-burning stoves in your home, it's crucial to have it installed and tested by a professional. A certified WETT technician will test the installation for safe operation and safety, and also ensure that your chimney is operating correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in tip-top shape. They can look for leaks in the areas connected to your chimney, and fix any issues they spot. They will also ensure that the residents of the house are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency.

Adjusting the Damper

When you're not cooking on your stove, a damper can control how much heat is lost through the chimney. In addition to this it can also help control the fire. If the flue is not open but the damper is closed too much the fire won't be able to burn properly and will release smoke into your living area. You can adjust the damper to ensure the best flames by experimenting with different settings.

You want to keep your damper open to let air enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This will allow the fire to begin and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening can stop the fire from being starved of air and keep it from blowing smoke.

To properly adjust your damper you need to first ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and that it has a strong draft. After these steps are completed, the damper for wood stoves can be adjusted.

After the fire has burned for an extended period, close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will stop the warm air in the room from escaping into the chimney, but still permitting smoke to escape.

This is the most effective way to keep your fire lit and to prevent it from becoming too hot. If you close the damper too tightly, it could block the draft from working, however if it is too open a cold breeze could enter your home.

By placing your hands on the top of the flue pipe will inform you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a breeze rubbing against your hand, the damper is likely in the open position.

The damper's setting can vary slightly from one stove to the next and even between different types of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you may have to keep adjusting it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove.

Clean up

It is crucial to clean your chimney and stove after the start of a fire. This will reduce the risk of a fire in the chimney which is the most common cause of fires that are caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance which can build up in the stovepipe, is very dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that cannot escape the fire. It can also happen by fires that are not properly lit.

Regular cleaning helps 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 cleaned and inspected at least once per year, too.

modern wood burning stove is also recommended to clean out the ash tray and grate regularly. It is recommended to only use seasoned wood to burn, since this will produce less creosote and ash. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These items could release dangerous chemicals into the air and flue, that could end up in your home.

The glass that is used on the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned frequently as well. Most newer wood stoves have self-cleaning windows so they do not require as much scrubbing. You can use stove glass cleaners on the window if you're not able get the glass as clean as you'd like on your wood stove.

Other helpful tips to maintain your wood stove are to turn the vent down when you are not using it and slamming windows or doors to allow more air flow. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove won't have to be as active to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or leave them in the fire for long periods of time as this could lead to splitting and warping. It is also a good idea to not use compressed combustible logs in your wood stove as the paraffin they contain can melt and flow down the flue which could cause damage.

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