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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning Stove Wood stoves are a warm way to heat a space and save energy. They require some care. A majority of modern wood stoves comply with EPA emissions guidelines. You can look for an EPA sticker on the grate or beneath it to ensure your stove doesn't emit harmful pollutants. How to Start a Wood Fire The smell and the sound of a woodfire can be a welcome addition in any home. It's important to know how to build an effective fire on your stove. Incorrect techniques may lead to an unburned fire that doesn't burn effectively, and can produce creosote or smoke. The tips below will aid you in starting an fire that can heat your home with the least effort and maximum safety. Check the condition of your coals and logs before you begin the fire. If they are too wet they could smother the fire and prevent it from burning properly. It is possible to open the chimney to remove any ash that's fallen into the stove. Begin by putting a few small dry pieces of newspaper in your stove. This will help to ignite the tinder. Once these begin to burn, add another layer of larger pieces of kindling to the top of the pile. This should be done using an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece. If your wood stove comes with an automatic control for combustion, it will automatically supply air to the flame as it grows. This will allow the fire to burn steadily without the need to open the door of your stove constantly to tend to it. Be careful not to use too much tinder as it will cause the fire to burn at an extremely fast rate and not use the fuel effectively. If you have a nice fire and a bed of tinder in your stove, start the main fire by placing two large base logs across the grill. Next, place a layer of smaller logs parallel to these and on top of the base logs. This method of creating a fire called 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 your fire is established and kept it shut. Doing this too soon could cause the fire to smother and will not allow for the proper air flow, which can lower the effectiveness of the fire. Add Wood Stoves can be used to efficiently heat your home and help you save money. They can be used in conjunction with central heating systems or furnace to provide supplemental heating in large homes. The latest stoves that are clean-burning utilize a superior combustion method that separates the burning of volatile compounds from combustible gases and tar by providing air in two different stages. The first stage is for the vaporization process, and the second stage is to provide 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 species and the moisture content of the wood you use, and also the size of the logs. The logs should be stored in a well-ventilated area for several months prior to when you try to burn them to give the wood time to dry. If the logs are wet they will create plenty of steam that is essentially wasted energy. It is best to add wood to the pile in intervals, not all at one time. Too much wood added at once causes the temperature inside the firebox to rise and produces a vortex that sucks smoke and volatile compounds that have not been burned back into the flame, which could reduce your stove's efficiency. Avoid using other combustibles in your stove, such as paper or cardboard, as they are not wood. They have different physical properties and are unable to be burned without producing dangerously high temperatures. Also, avoid using compressed combustibles such as wood briquettes, as they have a completely different chemical and physical composition to real firewood, and are not approved for burning in wood burning stoves. small wood burning stoves is essential to have a professional install and test your wood burning stove. A certified WETT technician will examine your stove to make sure it is safe and functional. They will also check that your chimney works correctly. These professionals can also offer maintenance services to keep your stove and chimney in tip-top shape. They can inspect the areas accessible to your chimney to determine if there is leakage and repair any problems discovered. They will also make sure that all house occupants know and follow the fire evacuation guidelines in the event of an emergency. Adjusting the Damper A damper controls the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney when you aren't cooking on your stove. Additionally, it can also help you manage the fire. If the flue is open but the damper is not closed the fire won't burn properly and smoke will pour into your home. To ensure you have the most efficient fire, with your damper adjusted properly you should test different positions and observe how each one affects the flames. You should keep your damper open to let air enter and exit the flue when a flame is burning. This allows the fire to get a good fire going and keeps it in good shape so that you can enjoy it for long periods of time. The proper opening will stop the fire from being deprived of air and prevent it from blowing smoke. To adjust your damper correctly, you must first ensure that the fireplace is preheated and that the wood stove is hot. This will ensure that the chimney is warm and has an adequate draft. Once this is done the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted. Once the fire has smolder slightly, you need to shut the damper down to about three-quarters of its full position. This will stop the warm room air from escaping into the chimney, while allowing smoke to escape out of the wood stove. This is the best method to stop the fire from becoming too hot while still keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if you close the damper too tightly, but a cold wind could enter your home when the damper is left open. You can test how much the damper is open by holding your hand near the top of the of the flue pipe. If you can feel a slight draft pressing against your hand, it is probably in the open position. The damper 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 to look for, but you may need to adjust it until you find the perfect setting for your stove. Clean up It is important to clean your chimney and stove after an incident. This reduces the chance of an explosion in the chimney, which is the primary cause of fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote is a sticky substance that can build up inside the stovepipe, is very dangerous. The moisture and the unburned parts of wood that cannot escape the flame are the reason for this chemical. It can also happen when fires are not properly lit. A regular cleaning routine can help prevent the buildup of creosote. The best way to do this is to sweep the chimney at least once a year. It is also recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally cleaned and examined at least yearly. Also, it's recommended to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is a good idea to use only seasoned wood to burn, since this will produce less creosote and ash. Avoid burning paper, cardboard and plastic. These can release harmful chemicals for respiratory illnesses and the air, which could be released into your home. It is also necessary to clean the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. A lot of modern wood stoves are designed with self-cleaning glass, which means that they do not require much cleaning. If you are not able to get the glass on your wood stove as clean as you'd like There are stove glass cleaners available that can be used on the window. Other tips to keep your wood stove in good condition include lowering the vent when you're not using it, and slamming doors or windows to increase airflow. This will keep the fire burning more hot and efficient. The wood stove won't have to be as active to circulate air. It is recommended to not stack logs or keep them in the fire for prolonged durations of time, since this could cause splitting and warping. It is also best to avoid using compressed combustible wood logs in your wood stove because the paraffin in them can melt and flow down into the flue, which could cause damage.