How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove

Wood stoves are a comfortable method to heat a room and also save energy. They will require some maintenance.

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 doesn't create a lot of harmful pollutants.

How to start a Wood Fire


The smell and sound of a fire made from wood can be a pleasant addition to any home. It is essential to understand how to build an effective fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in a fire that doesn't burn effectively and can cause creosote or smoke. The tips below will assist you in starting a fire that will heat your home with minimum effort and with the highest safety.

Check the condition of your coals and logs before you begin a fire. If they're wet it will dampen your fire and hinder proper burning. You might also want to open the flue to let any ash that has been deposited into the stove.

Begin by placing several small, dry newspaper pieces in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder and ignite the kindling. When they begin to burn, add a layer of larger pieces of tinder to the top of the pile. This should be done in a crosshatch pattern so there is air between each piece of wood.

If you own a wood stove with an automatic combustion control, it will automatically feed a controlled stream of air to your flame as it heats. This will help the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to constantly open the stove's door to keep it in check.

Be careful not to use too much tinder, as it can cause the fire to burn at an extremely 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, begin the main fire by laying two large base logs on the grill. Next, place small logs perpendicular to these and on the top of the base logs. This "top-down" method of building a fireplace will produce a long-lasting and effective fire that doesn't completely engulf larger base logs.

Close the damper after the fire is established and keep it shut. The fire may be smothered if the user opens the damper before it has fully established. This can also affect the effectiveness of the fire.

Add Wood

Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and save you money. They can be utilized together with a central heating system or furnace to provide supplemental heating for large homes. A lot of the stoves that burn cleanly available use advanced combustion principles that is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. wood burning stoves small Links to an external site. is accomplished by supplying air in two different stages. The first stage allows the vaporization of the volatile compounds and the second provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces the odors.

The amount of heat you will get from a stove depends on the species and the moisture content of the wood used as well as the size of the logs. To allow the wood to dry, logs must be stored in a ventilated space for a few months before burning. If the logs contain excessive moisture, they will produce steam which is essentially wasted power.

You should add wood to the pile at intervals and not all at once. Too much wood added at one time causes the temperature inside 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 reduce the efficiency of your stove.

Avoid using other combustibles inside your stove, like paper or cardboard because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles like wood briquettes because they have a distinct chemical and physical composition to real firewood, and are not suitable for burning in wood-burning stoves.

It is essential that a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician can test your installation to ensure that it is safe and efficient. They will also check that your chimney works correctly. They also provide maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in top condition. They can check the areas accessible to your chimney to determine if there is leakage and fix any issues that are discovered. They will also ensure that the occupants of the house are aware of and adhere to the fire evacuation procedures in case of an accident.

Adjusting the Damper

A damper regulates how much heat is lost through the chimney when you're not using your stove. In addition, it can also help to control the flame. If the flue is open but the damper is not closed the fire won't be able to burn as it should and smoke will billow into your home. To ensure you have the best fire with your damper adjusted properly you must play around with different locations and observe how each affects the flames.

Typically, you should keep the damper open enough to let air flow in and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This will let the fire start and remain lit for a number of hours. The right opening can stop the fire from becoming depleted of air and prevent it from blowing smoke.

To adjust your damper correctly first, make sure that the fireplace is heated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure the chimney is warm and also that it has a good draft. Once this is accomplished the damper for the wood stove may be adjusted.

After the fire has burned for an extended period, close the damper approximately three quarters of the way. This will prevent the warm room air from escaping up the chimney while still allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove.

This is the best method to prevent the fire from becoming too hot while keeping it lit. If you close the damper too tightly, it may stop the draft from working, but when it's too open, a cold wind could blow through your home.

You can determine how much the damper is open by placing your hand on the top of the of the flue pipe. If you feel a slight breeze pushing against your hand, the damper is likely in an open position.

The damper settings can differ 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 you should look for, but you may need to adjust it until you have found the ideal setting for your stove.

Clean Up

After the fire, it's crucial to clean the stove and flue. This will lower the risk of a chimney fire which is the main cause of wood stove related fires in homes. Creosote, a sticky substance that builds up on the inside of the stovepipe and can be extremely hazardous. The moisture and the unburned parts of wood that are unable to escape the fire are responsible for this substance. It can be caused by improperly lit fires.

Regular cleaning can help prevent creosote buildup. The most effective method for doing this is by sweeping the chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended that you have your stove and fireplace professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a yearly.

It is also an excellent idea to clean the ash tray and the grates regularly. It is recommended to use only seasoned wood for burning, as this will result in less creosote and ash. Avoid burning cardboard, paper and plastic. These can release chemicals that can be dangerous for the flue and air, which could be released into your home.

The glass that is used on the wood burning stove needs to be cleaned regularly too. Many newer wood stoves are made with self-cleaning glass, meaning that they do not require any scrubbing. If you are not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you would like, there are stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window.

Other tips to maintain your wood stove are to turn the vent off when you are not using it, and opening windows or doors to increase the flow of air. This will keep the fire burning longer and more efficient. The wood stove will not need to perform as hard to circulate air. It is also a good idea to not stack logs or leave them in the fire 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 that is contained in the wood can melt and then flow into the flue, which could cause damage.