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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove Wood stoves can be an ideal method to reduce energy consumption and also heat the room. They require some care. A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emission guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker under or beside the grate to make sure your stove doesn't generate lots of harmful pollutants. How to Start a Wood Fire The smell and sound of a wood fire could be a pleasant feature in any house. 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 smoke or creosote. The following tips can help you start an fire that can heat your home with minimal effort and maximum security. Make sure to check the condition of your coals and logs before you begin a fire. If they are wet they will choke your fire and prevent the proper burning. You may also want to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove. Begin by placing some small newspaper pieces that are dry into your stove. This will help ignite the tinder and kindling. Once the tinder and kindling have begun to ignite, you can add the larger kindling pieces on top. This should be done using an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece. If your wood stove is equipped with an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically pump air into the flame as it grows. This allows the fire to burn for a long time without the need to open the stove door constantly to tend to it. It is important to not use excessive tinder as this can lead to a fire that burns at an excessive rate and doesn't make use of the fuel as efficiently as it could. After you've built 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 two large logs of the base on the grate. Then, add a layer of smaller logs perpendicular to these and on top of the base logs. This method of creating the fire is called a “top-down” fire will result in a powerful and long-lasting fire that will not engulf the larger base logs. Once the fire is established, close the damper and keep it closed. Opening the damper too soon could cause the fire to smother and will not allow for proper air flow, which will decrease the efficiency of the fire. Adding Wood Stoves are not only beautiful pieces of home decor – they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heat. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with a furnace or central heating system to provide the additional heat required in large houses or homes with many rooms. The latest stoves that burn clean employ a superior combustion process that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage allows the combustion of volatile compounds and the second provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and decreases the odors. The amount of heat that you will get from your stove will depend on the type of wood used and the moisture content as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a ventilated area for a period of time before you attempt to burn them to allow the wood to dry. If the logs have too much moisture, they'll produce steam, which is basically wasted power. When you are burning the fire, you should add more wood to the stack in intervals, and not all at all at. Adding too much wood at once causes the temperature inside the firebox to rise, and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and unburnt volatile compounds back into the flame which can reduce your stove's efficiency. Avoid using other combustibles in your stove, like paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and can't be burned without producing dangerously high temperatures. You should also not use compressed combustibles, such as wood briquettes as they have a very different chemical and physical properties from real firewood and aren't type-approved for burning in wood burning stoves. If you're installing a wood burning stove in your home, it is 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 ensure that your chimney works correctly. They provide maintenance services for your chimney and stove to keep them in top condition. They can check for leaks in the areas accessible to your chimney and fix any issues they spot. They will also make sure that all occupants of the house are aware of and follow the evacuation procedure in case of an accident. Adjusting the Damper A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost to the chimney when you're not using your stove. It can also be used to control the fire. If the flue is opened but the damper is closed too much the fire won't burn properly and it will release smoke into your living area. wood burning fire can adjust your damper to achieve the most effective flames by experimenting with different positions. It is important to keep your damper open to let air be able to enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to get going and keeps it burning so that you can enjoy it for a long time. A proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air and will keep it from blowing smoke. To properly adjust your damper first, make sure that the fireplace is preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm, and it also has a strong draft. After this the damper on the wood stove may be adjusted. Once the fire has burned for a while, you can close the damper to about three-quarters of its original position. This will stop the warm air from the room from going through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove. This is the best way to ensure that your fire is lit and prevent it from getting too hot. If you shut the damper too tightly, it could block the draft from working, however when it's too wide, a cold breeze could blow through your home. You can test how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a slight breeze pushing against your palm, the damper is likely in the open position. The damper setting can vary slightly from one stove to the next, and even between different types of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you might need to adjust it until you find the perfect setting for your stove. Clean Up It is crucial to clean your chimney and stove after the start of a fire. This can to reduce the chance of a chimney fire, which is the most common cause of wood stove related fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky material that can accumulate within the stovepipe, can be very dangerous. Moisture and unburned particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. This can also occur when fires aren't properly lit. Regular cleaning helps to prevent creosote buildup. The best way to do this is to sweep the chimney every year. It is also recommended that you get your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and examined at least every year. It is also recommended to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is a good idea to use only seasoned wood to burn, since it will create less creosote as well as ash. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for the flue and air, which could be released into your home. It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood stove regularly. The majority of modern wood stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much scrubs. If you're not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like There are stove glass cleaners can be used on the window. Other helpful tips for maintaining your wood stove include turning the vent off when you're not using it and cracking windows or doors to increase the flow of air. This keeps the fire burning longer and more efficiently. The wood stove will not have to perform as hard to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or leave them in the flame for long periods of time, as this could cause splitting and warping. It is best to avoid using compressed combustible wood in your wood stove as the paraffin in the logs can melt and leak into the flue which could cause damage.