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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove Wood stoves are a cozy way to heat a room and conserve energy. However, they need a certain amount of maintenance. Many modern wood stoves conform to EPA emissions guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or under it to ensure your stove isn't releasing harmful pollutants. How to Start a Wood Fire The smell and sound of a wood fire could be a wonderful addition to any house. However, it is important to know how to properly create a fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to a fire which does not burn well, and may produce creosote or smoke. The following tips can help you start a fire that will heat your home with minimum effort and with the highest security. Check the condition of your logs and coals before you start a fire. If they're damp they will choke your fire and prevent the proper burning. It is also possible to open the flue to let out any ash that has fallen into the stove. Begin by putting a few small dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help ignite the tinder. When they begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done with a crosshatch design so that there is air between each piece. If your wood stove has an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically supply air to the fire as it grows. This allows the fire to burn for a long time without having to open the stove door constantly to tend to it. 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 make use of the fuel as efficiently as possible. If you have a solid fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, begin the main fire by placing two large logs of the base across the grill. Then, on the top of these base logs put a layer of wood perpendicular to them. This method of creating the fire is known as a “top-down” fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that will not completely consume the larger base logs. Close the damper when the fire is established and kept it shut. Opening the damper too soon can cause the fire to smother and will not allow for the proper airflow, which will reduce its efficiency. Add Wood Stoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces they can also help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used in conjunction with a central heating system or furnace to provide additional heat in large houses. Many of the new stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that differentiates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage permits the combustion of volatile compounds and the second stage offers fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves the combustion process and reduces the odors. The amount of heat that you can get from a stove will depend on the type and amount of moisture of the wood used as well as the size of the logs. The logs should be stacked in a well-ventilated area for a period of time before you try to burn them, to allow the wood to dry out. If the logs contain too much moisture, they will create steam, which is basically wasted energy. During the burning of the fire, it is recommended to add more wood to the pile at intervals, not all at one time. The addition of too much wood all at once can cause the temperature to rise within the firebox, creating the formation of a vortex that pulls smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flames. This could reduce the efficiency of your stove. Avoid burning other combustibles in your stove, like cardboard or paper, because they are not wood. They have different physical properties and cannot be burned without causing dangerously high temperatures. You should also not use compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes because they have a completely different chemical and physical properties from actual firewood and are not suitable for use in wood burning stoves. It is important that a professional install and test your wood stove. A certified WETT technician will test the installation to ensure proper operation and safety as well as ensure that your chimney is functioning correctly. They also provide maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in good condition. They can look for leaks in the areas that are accessible to your chimney and repair any issues they discover. They will also make sure that the occupants of your home know and follow the evacuation procedures for fire in case of an emergency. Adjusting the Damper A damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost to the chimney when you're not cooking on your stove. It can also be used to regulate the flame. If the flue is opened but the damper is not closed enough, the fire won't be able to burn properly and it will release smoke into your living area. To get the most effective fire using the damper properly adjusted, you have to test different locations and observe how each affects the flames. You should keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue when a fire is burning. This lets the fire get a good fire going and helps it stay lit so you can enjoy it for a long time. The right opening will prevent the fire from being starved of air and stop it from blowing smoke. In order to properly adjust your damper, you have to ensure that the fireplace is preheated and the stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has good draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted. After the fire has been burning for a while, you should shut the damper around three quarters of the way. This will stop warm air from the room from going through the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove. This is the most effective way to keep the fire from getting too hot while keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if you shut the damper to far but a cold wind could enter your home when the damper is left open. You can determine how much the damper is open by placing your hands near the top of the inside of the flue pipe. If you feel a small breeze pushing against your palm the damper is probably to be open. The damper settings can vary from one stove to the next and even among different types of wood. The process of experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what to look for, but you will need to adjust it until you find the perfect setting for your stove. Clean up After the fire, it's essential to clean the flue and stove. This can reduce the chance of a fire in the chimney which is the most common reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance that can build up within the stovepipe, can be extremely dangerous. Unburned and moist particles of wood that are unable to escape the fire are responsible for this chemical. It could also be caused by improperly lit fires. A regular cleaning routine helps to prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is to sweep the chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a yearly. It is also recommended to clean out the Ash tray and grate frequently. It is recommended to only use seasoned wood for burning, as this will result in less creosote and ash. It is also an excellent idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard, plastic and other trash items. They can release chemicals that can be dangerous for respiratory illnesses and the air, and could be released into your home. It is also important to wash the glass of the wood stove regularly. small wood burning stoves have self-cleaning windows, which means they do not require as much scrubbing. If you're unable to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you'd like you can use stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window. Other suggestions to maintain your wood stove include turning down the vent when you're not using it, and opening doors or windows to allow more airflow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently, since it will not need to exert as much effort to circulate air. It is advisable not to stack logs or leave them on the fire for an extended duration. This can lead to splitting and warping. It is best to avoid using combustible compressed wood in your wood stove since the paraffin in the logs can melt and leak into the flue, which could cause damage.