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How to Properly Start a Wood Burning StoveWood stoves are an ideal method to reduce energy consumption and heat a room. They do require some maintenance.Many modern wood stoves meet EPA emissions guidelines. Look for an EPA sticker under or beside the grate, to ensure that your stove doesn't create lots of harmful pollutants.How to Start a Wood FireThe scent and sound of a woodfire is an enjoyable addition to any home. But it's important to learn how to properly create a fire on your stove. Improper techniques can result in an unburned fire that doesn't burn well, and may produce smoke or creosote. The following tips can help you start an efficient fire that will heat up your home quickly and efficiently.Check the condition of your coals and logs before you begin the fire. If they are wet they will choke 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 putting a handful of small dry pieces of newspaper in the stove. This will help spark the tinder and ignite your kindling. Once the tinder and kindling have started to ignite, you can add an additional layer of larger pieces on the top. This should be done using an arc pattern so that there is air between each piece.If your wood stove comes with an automatic combustion control it will automatically pump air into the fire as it expands. This will enable the fire to burn at a steady rate without having to open the stove's doors to tend it.It's important to avoid using too much tinder, as this can lead to the fire burning at an extremely high rate and fails to use the fuel as efficiently as it can. Once you've made a solid foundation in your stove that is made of tinder, kindling and embers begin the main flame by laying two large base logs on the grate. On the top of these base woods, place a layer perpendicularly to them. This method of constructing an ember called a "top-down" fire will result in an effective and long-lasting fire that does not completely consume the larger base logs.Once your fire is well established Close the damper and keep it closed. The fire could be smothered if the user opens the damper before it has fully established. This can also affect the efficiency of the fire.Adding WoodStoves are not just beautiful home decor pieces - they can help you save money by providing efficient wood heating. They can be used by themselves or together with central heating or a furnace system to provide the additional heat needed in large homes or homes with many rooms. A lot of the stoves that burn cleanly available today utilize an advanced combustion principle which is able to separate the burning volatile compounds from combustible gasses and tar. This is done by providing air at two different stages. The first stage permits the combustion of volatile compounds and the second stage provides fresh air that is pre-heated. This improves combustion and reduces odors.The amount of heat you get from a stove depends on the species and moisture content of the wood used and also the dimensions of logs. The logs must be stored in a well-ventilated space for several months before you attempt to burn them to allow the wood to dry out. If the logs are soaked with too much moisture, they will produce steam which is essentially wasted power.While you're burning the fire, add more wood to the stack in intervals, and not all at one time. Addition of too much wood all at once could cause the temperature to rise in the firebox, creating a vortex which pulls smoke and unburned volatile compounds back into the flames. This can reduce the effectiveness of your stove.Avoid the use of other combustibles, such as paper or cardboard in your stove, as they are not wood and have very different physical properties that can't be burned without creating dangerously high temperatures and exorbitant emissions. You should also not use compressed combustibles like wood briquettes, as they have a very different chemical and physical properties from real firewood, and are not approved for burning in wood-burning stoves.It is important to have 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 make sure that your chimney is operating properly. They provide maintenance services for your chimney and stove to ensure they remain in top condition. They can inspect the areas accessible to your chimney for leaks, and fix any issues discovered. They will also make sure that all house occupants understand and comply with the fire evacuation guidelines in the event of an emergency.Adjusting the DamperIf you're not making use of your stove, a damper regulates the amount of heat that is lost through the chimney. In addition, it can also help you control the fire. If the flue is not open but the damper is closed too much the fire won't burn properly and it will release smoke into your living space. To ensure that you get the best fire with your damper adjusted properly you should test different positions and observe how each affects the flames.You want to keep your damper open to let air flow into and out of the flue while a fire is burning. This will allow the fire to start and stay lit for several hours. The proper opening will keep the fire from being starved of air, and also prevent it from blowing smoke.To be able to adjust your damper you need to first ensure that the fireplace is heated and the wood stove is warm. This will ensure that the chimney is warm, and it also has a strong draft. After these steps are completed, the damper on the wood stove can be adjusted.Once the fire has burned a bit you should reduce the damper to around three-quarters of its full position. This will stop warm air in the room from venting up the chimney while still allowing smoke to escape from the wood stove.This is the best way to keep the fire from becoming too hot while keeping it lit. The draft could be stopped if you close the damper too far however a cold breeze could be able to enter your home if the damper is not closed.Holding your hand at the top of the flue pipe will tell you how much the damper has sunk. If you feel a slight breeze pushing against your hand, the damper is likely in the open position.The damper settings can vary from one stove to the next and even among different types of wood. Experimenting with the various settings will give you an idea of what you should look for, but you might have to keep adjusting it until you have found the perfect setting for your stove.Clean UpAfter an incident, it is important to clean the flue and stove. This reduces the chance of an ensuing fire in the chimney which is the most common reason for fires caused by wood stoves. Creosote, a sticky substance that builds up on the stovepipe's interior and is extremely dangerous. It is caused by moisture and unburned wood particles that are unable to escape from the fire. It could be caused by improperly lit fires.A regular cleaning schedule can help prevent the buildup of creosote. The most effective method for doing this is to sweep the chimney each year. It is recommended to have your fireplace and stove professionally inspected and cleaned at least once a year as well.Also, it's a good idea for you to clean the ash tray and grates regularly. It is recommended to burn only seasoned wood since it will create less creosote. modern wood burner is also an excellent idea to avoid burning paper, cardboard or plastic items. These items can release dangerous chemicals into the flue and air, that could end up in your home.It is also necessary to wash the glass of the wood stove on a regular basis. The majority of newer wood stoves have self-cleaning glass, which means they do not require much scrubs. If you are not able to clean the glass of your wood stove as clean as you would like There are stove glass cleaners 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 cracking windows or doors to improve airflow. This will help keep the fire burning hotter and more efficiently since it won't have to work as hard to circulate the air. It is recommended not to stack logs, or leave them on the fire for a long duration. This could cause splits and warping. It is also recommended to avoid using compressed combustible logs in your wood stove, because the paraffin in them can melt and flow down into the flue, which could cause damage to the stove.