Stove Wood Burning Its Not As Expensive As You Think

How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove
Wood stoves are an excellent way to save energy and warm rooms. They require some care.
A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker on the underside or next to the grate to make sure your stove won't produce many harmful pollutants.
How to start a Wood Fire
The smell and sound of a wood fire can be a welcome feature in any house. It's important to know how to build an effective fire on your stove. Incorrect methods can result in the fire not burning efficiently and creates smoke or creosote. These tips will assist you in starting an fire that can heat your home with the least effort and with the highest safety.
Before you start an fire, make sure you check the condition of your coals and logs. If they are wet they could smother the fire and prevent it from burning properly. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash out that has fallen into the stove.
Begin by placing several small newspaper pieces that are dry and clean in your stove. This will help ignite the sparks. After the tinder and kindling have started to ignite, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on top. This should be done in a crosshatch fashion so that there is air between each piece of wood.
If you own a wood stove that has an automatic combustion control, it will automatically feed an air stream controlled to the fire as it builds. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady rate without the need to open the stove door to keep it in check.
Be careful not to use too much tinder, as it can cause the fire to burn at a fast rate and will not be able to use the fuel efficiently. When you have a good pile of tinder and some kindling in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grate. Then, add contemporary wood burning stoves to these and on top of the base logs. This method of creating the fire is called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that does not engulf the larger base logs.
Close the damper once the fire is established and keep it closed. The fire could be smothered if the user opens the damper before it is fully established. This can also affect the efficiency of the fire.
Adding Wood
Stoves can be used to heat your home efficiently and help you save money. They can be used in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heating in large homes. Many of the latest stoves that burn cleanly available use an advanced combustion principle which separates the burning volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar. This is done by providing air at two different stages. The first stage permits the burning of volatile compounds and the second provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the process of combustion and helps to reduce odors.
The amount of heat you will get from a stove is contingent upon the type and amount of moisture of the wood you use, and also the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a well-ventilated area for several months before you try to burn them to allow the wood to dry. If the logs contain too much moisture, they will create steam, which is basically wasted power.
During the burning of the fire, add more wood to the stack in intervals, not all at one time. Too much wood added at once causes the temperature in the firebox to increase and creates a vortex that draws smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame, which can decrease the efficiency of your stove.
It is recommended to stay clear of other combustibles such as paper or cardboard in your stove, as they are not wood and possess different physical properties that can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. Also, you should not use compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes, as they have a very different physical and chemical composition from real firewood, and are not suitable for burning in wood-burning stoves.
It is important that you have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician can examine your stove to make sure it is safe and reliable. They can also make sure that your chimney works correctly. They also provide maintenance services to keep your chimney and stove in top condition. They can inspect the areas that are accessible to your chimney for leakage, and repair any problems found. 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
A damper controls how much heat escapes through the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. It can also be used to manage the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is closed the fire won't ignite properly and smoke will pour into your home. You can adjust the damper to ensure the best flames by playing around with different locations.
Typically, you want to keep the damper open enough to let air enter and out of the flue while the fire is burning. This lets the fire get going and keeps it burning so that you can enjoy it for hours. The proper opening will stop the fire from being deprived of air and keep it from blowing smoke.
To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace is preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm, and also that it has an adequate draft. After these steps are completed, the wood stove damper can be adjusted.
Once the fire has burned for a while, you can shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop warm air from the room from going up the chimney while still allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove.
This is the most effective way to stop the fire from getting too hot while still keeping it lit. If you shut the damper too tightly, it could stop the draft from working, but when it's too open a cold breeze could blow through your home.
Placing wood burning fire on the top of the flue pipe will show you how much the damper has opened. If you feel a slight breeze pushing on your hand it is probably in the open position.
The damper's setting can vary slightly from one stove to another and even between different kinds of wood. Playing around with different settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you might have to keep adjusting until you get the perfect setting for your stove.
Clean Up
It is essential to clean your chimney and stove after a fire. This can lower the risk of a chimney fire which is the primary reason for wood stove-related fires in homes. Creosote is a sticky material that forms on the stovepipe's interior and can be very dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that cannot escape the flame are the reason for this chemical. It can also happen when fires are not properly lit.
Regular cleaning helps to keep away the buildup of creosote. This can be done by sweeping your chimney at least once a year. It is recommended to have your stove and fireplace professionally inspected and cleaned at least once per year, too.
Also, it's a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is a good idea to use only wood that is seasoned for burning, as this will result in less creosote and ash. It is also recommended to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. These can release chemicals that are dangerous for the respiratory tract and the air, which could be released into your home.
It is also essential to clean the glass of the wood burning stove regularly. Many modern wood stoves come with self-cleaning windows so they don't require as much cleaning. If you're not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like you can use stove glass cleaners you can use on the window.
Other suggestions to keep your wood stove in good condition include turning down the vent when you're not using it, and cracking windows or doors to improve airflow. This will help keep the fire burning longer and more efficiently since it will not need to work as hard to circulate the air. It is a good idea not to stack logs, or let them sit on the fire for a long duration. This can lead to splits and warping. Finally, it is a good idea to avoid using compressed combustible logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them could melt and spill down into the flue, which could cause damage.