# Wood stove burning when not home?



## Exmasonite

Hey all, how's it going?  

So, this question got posted over in the Pellet Crib but got me thinking as I've got both a wood stove (That wonderful Kiwi Merlin 3) and pellet stove.  

What are people's feelings about leaving a stove burning when not home?  I am fine with the pellet stove but for some reason, am very wary about the wood burning stove.  Usually won't leave it on unless going < 10 min down the road for milk or beer.  The big issue is that my wife works day shift and I work some night shift so i'll leave house ~ 5 PM and she may not be home until 6:30-7pm (1.5-2hrs).  On 2 occasions recently, i've put 1 fresh log on the coal bed, let it blaze for about 5-10 minutes and then turn the vents down to almost nothing to let it smolder and putting out a little heat.  Plus, my wife is more prone to crank the fuel oil than mess with the fire (still banging my head against the wall on THAT one) too much so i'm trying to make it idiot proof.  

What does everybody else do?  Looking for advice, tips for the relative neophyte.  

Thanks.


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## thewoodlands

Exmasonite said:
			
		

> Hey all, how's it going?
> 
> So, this question got posted over in the Pellet Crib but got me thinking as I've got both a wood stove (That wonderful Kiwi Merlin 3) and pellet stove.
> 
> What are people's feelings about leaving a stove burning when not home?  I am fine with the pellet stove but for some reason, am very wary about the wood burning stove.  Usually won't leave it on unless going < 10 min down the road for milk or beer.  The big issue is that my wife works day shift and I work some night shift so i'll leave house ~ 5 PM and she may not be home until 6:30-7pm (1.5-2hrs).  On 2 occasions recently, i've put 1 fresh log on the coal bed, let it blaze for about 5-10 minutes and then turn the vents down to almost nothing to let it smolder and putting out a little heat.  Plus, my wife is more prone to crank the fuel oil than mess with the fire (still banging my head against the wall on THAT one) too much so i'm trying to make it idiot proof.
> 
> What does everybody else do?  Looking for advice, tips for the relative neophyte.
> 
> Thanks.



We have a pellet and wood stove and never burn when we are gone, the pellet stove gets shut down (not used much this year) and for the wood stove we make sure that most of the  coals are burned down before we leave.


zap


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## santacruzbluz

Funny you should post this, as I asked myself the same question today, and thought about posting it. I had a nice fire going in my stove, but not real hot, about 500 degrees on the stovetop. I wanted to go to town and knew I'd be gone at least an hour. I think conventional wisdom would say you should never leave a fire unattended. But I do it every night when I go to sleep. If I didn't trust that the stove was safe, I wouldn't be able to sleep. So if I believe it is safe, I should be able to go to town and let it burn, just as if I was asleep. So I cut the air down, went to town, and was gone for almost 3 hours, and came home to a nice, warm house. I just installed the stove and chimney myself, and know I did it right, using new materials. The stove is tight, so nothing is going to fall out of it, and there is nothing around it to catch on fire. I think the stove is safe, and so I'll act accordingly. 

Now I expect to hear how crazy I am.


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## davidmc

I burn 24/7 and have for the last 10 years. 

I figure if I can sleep with it burning...... and I don't want to have to rebuild a fire daily.

just my 2 cents


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## weatherguy

I would think most of us woodburners go to work everyday and leave the stove burning. I work from home but leave for 2-3 hours a day and always leave it burning.


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## santacruzbluz

I'm feeling better, but I wondered if it was something others do. Obviously a wood stove isn't like a campfire, which you wouldn't want to just walk off and leave burning.


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## rdust

Usually load up an hour or so before going to work in the morning, when going to bed or when going out on the weekends etc.  I will never leave it until it's settled in but once I feel that's done I have not problems leaving it.  I installed the stove correctly so it makes no difference if I'm home to watch it burn or if I leave while it's burning.


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## TROY COOK

We burn pellets and wood 24/7 also. We have for about 9 years.One thing I never do is leave home with a new fire,I make sure it's going good and under control,I always cut it back in the mid air range, and never leave rite after opening the stove doors just in case a spark or coal got out, Common sense will go a long way in safe wood burning..


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## Exmasonite

Thanks for the info guys and keep 'em coming!  

Given that we purchased this house in September (our first winter) and I worry that my wood is a little on the green side (ordered some "seasoned" wood but i have my doubts), i don't think i'll take the chance until i've got a season under my belt and am better prepared (cut/seasoned my own wood, proper wood shed built, etc).  I am checking the chimney pipes and chimney weekly for creosote build up.  Will likely have a professional sweep come give me a check up in 4-5 weeks just to be sure.  

I need to do a search but any opinions on those Creosote sweeping logs?  I am rather skeptical... 

Thanks again for all the help.


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## madrone

Often, but only after the stove is cruising. It took quite a while before I felt like I knew the stove well enough to know when it's safe to leave it alone.


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## ashpanannie

I have no worry when I leave home with my stove burning, except that I might not get back in time to salvage the coals on a reload!  In reality, most heating options have the potential to start a house fire.  It is the same using a wood stove as anything else....make sure heating units are well maintained, undamaged and up to spec.

When people are new to a wood stove or have just gotten a new one, I can see why it might take a season of caution before placing full trust, but I think many eventually do in the end.


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## SolarAndWood

I no longer think twice about it but like you was careful until I was confident in the setup and the fuel.


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## nojo

Stoves always going in the winter. I load it up even if I'll be gone for 6 hours. I hate coming home to a cold house. Just knw how your stove runs and you will be ok.


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## Bobbin

We routinely head out the door for work or some extended errand with the stoves cranking along.  Here's how I see it, we have two high quality stoves and we paid attention to safe installation when they were installed.  We maintain the chimneys and stoves and we burn seasoned wood.  I don't worry any more about the stoves than I do about the any of major systems in our home malfunctioning while we're away.  Sure, it could happen, but the odds are very much against it.  

I do understand the nervousness of someone new to burning wood, though.  It can be easy to convince yourself that the contained fire inside your home is rapidly getting out of control in your absence... if you are given to bouts of the 'noids.  You only need to use the stove more to gain confidence in its capabilities and your own ability to operate and manage it properly.  

And include your wife in its operation.  It's really very, very simple and I'm always surprised at how many wives/girlfriends refuse to have anything to do with woodstoves.


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## jebatty

Now more than 20 years of wood stove heat for the house. Like others, I know my stove well and know where to set the air intake control to load the stove however I want and walk out the door and know the stove won't overheat. I also burn well seasoned wood, so creosote never is a problem, even if the fire is a little slower than optimum.


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## jetmech

Have left the Intrepid ii alone for hours with no worrys, mine is a older 1303 that i completly rebuilt. SantaCruzBluz just curious how you like your intrepid.. have been kicking around replacing mine.....


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## argus66

ya i too load up give it about a hour or so and leave it all the time. my pipe is clean and i burn 2 yr seasoned wood and maintain a good stove. so i sleep good and have no worries when im out.


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## joshlaugh

To be honest I have never considered not leaving the fire burning.  Wood is how I heat my house so if we didn't keep a fire burning while we both worked, our house would be really cold. And with the size and age of ours it would take a long time to get it heated back up.   I am sort of surprised at the number of people here that don't burn while they are out but we all do things differently.  I suggest doing whatever makes you feel comfortable.


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## ansehnlich1

I burn 24/7, day and night. Load it, run it up to 600 or so, set the air back, and head to work. I always check the doors and ashpan before leaving.

You'll get more comfortable the more you use the stove.

People heat with fire everywhere, gas, propane, fuel oil. There you have some pretty wild combustion going on, start ups and shutdowns off and on all day long, ignitors, retention heads, limit swithes, cad cells, electrodes, all designed to prevent explosions and runaway fires, and few have concerns about this equipment while away from home.


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## Cowboy Billy

I burn 24/7 too and I have no problem with it. But I will not leave my electric cloths dryer run if I am not at home! All that lint and heating elements scare me.

Billy


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## Shari

Good question (burning when not home).  Initially I was concerned but most of that concern happened *before* we had the stove installed.  Hanging out here at hearth.com I learned to have the confidence by having a pro install, insulated liner for safety, local code enforcement approval, etc.  I have no problem leaving the house with the stove burning.  I just make sure it's cruising before I leave.  I figure going to sleep with the stove burning is no different that leaving the house with the stove burning so if I trust the stove to heat the house through the night then leaving the house with stove burning is no different.  Yes, it was an odd feeling to begin with, but no worries here.

Shari


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## jharkin

My father has been heating 24/7 with an old pre-EPA resolute since I was maybe 5.  Especially when he moved to his current house for the first few years before they replaced the electric heat. Never and issue so long as you had the stove on low.

With my new stove I was nervous at first until I learned how it reacts. Just get a good fire going and crank it down as low as it will go (like for an overnight) and there is never an issue.  You will want to once or twice stay home with it all day and monitor a complete burn cycle from a full load, that way you know how low you can set the air for a safe unattended burn.


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## timlynne

I have no problem leaving it for an extended period.  I know that it is a safe stove and I have no combustibles around it.  I agree that I am more concerned with a clothes dryer than the wood stove.  Most wood stove related fires that I have heard of are chimney fires or were created by a bad chimney that needed a liner.  Just keep your eye on the creosote and you will be ok


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## jeff_t

Cowboy Billy said:
			
		

> I burn 24/7 too and I have no problem with it. But I will not leave my electric cloths dryer run if I am not at home! All that lint and heating elements scare me.
> 
> Billyr



That's funny. I won't go to bed with the dryer going. The fire is burning as much as possible, though. In fact, we are leaving for overnight, and I'm stuffing it full right now so it's still nice and warm when my sister comes this evening to take care of my dogs.


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## jeff_t

Cowboy Billy said:
			
		

> I burn 24/7 too and I have no problem with it. But I will not leave my electric cloths dryer run if I am not at home! All that lint and heating elements scare me.
> 
> Billyr



That's funny. I won't go to bed with the dryer going. The fire is burning as much as possible, though. In fact, we are leaving for overnight, and I'm stuffing it full right now so it's still nice and warm when my sister comes this evening to take care of my dogs.


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## daveswoodhauler

We'll leave the house with the stove burning, but I usually like to make sure that the temps have stabled or decreasing a bit before heading out the door.


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## Mrs. Krabappel

I load it up every morning about an hour before I leave for work.   I'm usually gone about 10 or 11 hours and I have a small stove, so I only wish I could get home for a re-load.    Should have bought that 30!


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## certified106

I have never been concerned with leaving my woodstove going while I'm away. I always make sure that it is settled down air adjusted before walking ou the door. If I don't have the time to mkake sure it's settled before leaving I will just let it go out and restart when I get back.


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## HotCoals

Cowboy Billy said:
			
		

> I burn 24/7 too and I have no problem with it. But I will not leave my electric cloths dryer run if I am not at home! All that lint and heating elements scare me.
> 
> Billy


My wife is the same way.
Won't leave the house with the dryer running..but she has no problem with the stove going 24/7.


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## PapaDave

When we first moved here, it took some time to learn the stove (still learning), and I worried about the stove exploding or melting, or some other such nonsense. I also kept thinking I'd left the house without turning down the air, or closing the door completely. OOHHH, maybe I put in too much wood, and it'll overfire, and my house will catch fire and the dogs will all die a terrible death. 
Yeah, not so much. Never happened. Well, not yet. 
I got the house nice and warmed up a couple mornings ago, and reloaded the stove, before going on a job. Came home about 8.5 hours later, the house was down to about 63, and my wife was happily talking on the phone to our eldest daughter. She was still there, dogs too. Stove still had enough embers to get the fire restarted.
This will only be my 5th year doing this, but I have very few qualms about it, although I STILL think I left that damn door just a little ajar. I actually turned around and went back home once because I could not remember closing the door. I worry more about ME than I do the stove.
Gain some experience with your stove, burn dry wood, be happy.


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## wood-fan-atic

Wow. You guys are freakin me out. I NEVER worried about leaving my stove burning......that what it DOES....it BURNS. It is the source of heat for my home. If I cant leave my house with my 'heat' on, I had better find another source of heat. I run my stove the same all the time- whether Im home or not - full load,burning well,lower air control twice until fully closed, burn down to coals (6-9 hours, depending on conditions). This is how it runs, and SHOULD run. There are too many things in this world that scare the bejesis out of me.....I cant let my trusted stove be one of them.


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## shawneyboy

I never leave with a fresh load, but leave after its set and burning. As was said prior, if I can sleep with the stove burning, I certainly can leave the house with it burning. 

It is funny how people think that leaving a stove burning is a bad idea, when you have control of it, but think nothing of leaving the home that burns NG or LP, with the furnace turned on, which if something were to go wrong could have a much larger negative impact. 

Now I have a stove. I have friends who still have an open fireplace, they were leaving it unattended, which I told them and we all know is NOT A GOOD IDEA !

With a stove or an insert with the "control" of the fire and the inability of embers coming out (as long as all doors are properly closed and locked) leaving the stove burning and leaving the house is a normal thing.


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## watchamakalit

I am a 24/7 burner and don't hesitate to leave with the stove burning.  I think RAMSAY hit it on the nose with the common sense thing.  Ever think about a gas furnace being a fire hazard?  How many thousands of gas furnaces are left unmaintained and unattended for months or even years at a time, with no concern for dust build up or any other combustibles that may make their way into the burn chambers.  I really think that any heating source is hazardous but in some cases you just have to use your head and not be a complete numbskull about how you treat it.


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## NH_Wood

I always make sure the stove is going well BEFORE leaving for the day! It's my heat source for the house! But, seriously, I agree with other - safe install, good burning practices, should be able to leave the stove running. I do make sure that the stove is cruising and not likely to run away - I wouldn't feel good leaving the stove under one hour from loading. I need some time to make sure the stove is going to level off. Cheers!


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## savageactor7

We've burned our unattended wood stoves since the bi-continental no problems, thank God.

Started with a Franklin stove then the 2 Shenandoah's R65 an R77 now this QF4300. After you do it a doz times or so you'll feel better about it. Hey an unseen mouse in the ceiling biting through an electrical wire can just as easily start a catastrophic event. 

If all your ducks are lined up correctly...fear God and dread naught.


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## FyreBug

Do you feel comfortable with a gas / oil furnace functionning while u are away? They also have a naked flame inside a combustion chamber. Same difference with a wood stove. They are safety tested & certified by UL & other bodies. As long as your installation is to code, your chimney is clean & you are familiar with the behavior of your appliance 
it should pose no concern.


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## gizmos

All the time.
 People leave their gas furnace on ? So why not a wood stove? I trust it every night when we go to sleep. I trust it in the morning,when I load it and leave for work while the family is still sleeping for a couple more hours. 
Actually, if we are going to leave for a long time, we give it a big load, so the house stays warm and we have coals when we return. 
I installed this stove, it's safe, no worries.


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## Backwoods Savage

I find this thread simply amazing! I also have to ask a question:  What do you suppose people did 70-80 or more years ago? Most people then burned wood or coal or a combination. As for me, my chores with the stove began back in the 1940's. First it was taking care of ashes and then as I grew the chores did too. It went to bringing wood in (we stored some in our enclosed back porch) and then to stacking wood and then to both splitting and stacking. Somewhere along in that time I also began to load the stoves. So I learned much in my youth.....but still have not stopped learning.

What do you suppose we do? After all, our wood stove is our only source of heat! Therefore, we burn 24/7 during the cold months. Of course that means a fire is going when we are sleeping or outdoors working or even like yesterday when we had to be in they city for most of the day. We got along just fine and when we returned home and opened the door, that wood heat felt terrific! No, we do not hesitate to keep the stove going while we are gone. 

Here's one other example:  One time we decided to visit our eldest son and his family during Christmas. We simply hired a neighbor boy to tend the stove while we were gone. All worked out well too but we were very happy to return home when we did because that night the temperature dropped to -22. 

In our opinion, there is no good reason to not have the stove heating even when you are not there. Stoves get hot; that is what they are for. As someone else stated, a furnace also gets hot and has a big fire contained in a firepot just like a wood heating stove. As for me, I am more nervous with gas and oil than I am with wood.

In the end it is the same as in the beginning. It is the duty of the people burning wood to insure they have the proper wood to burn and that means good dry wood. Sadly wood burning and suppliers are lacking a lot when it comes to knowledge of what good fuel really is and the proper handling of this wood. If you are buying wood you can count on that wood seller to tell you the wood is seasoned. However, what is seasoned wood? It is sort of like that same wood seller telling you it is mixed hardwood. Well, we need good hardwood for the fires so that must be the right stuff! Well, maybe.

First, wood is not seasoned at all nor starts to season until it is cut to length and split. Then it needs to be stacked out in the open air where wind will hit the sides of the wood pile. Then it needs time. How much time? That depends upon what type of wood you have. Some wood needs only a year. Some needs 2 years and some needs 3. If people would follow these guidelines with their wood they will have some happy times. If not, they have fires that don't want to burn (and blame the stove or chimney) and then also have creosote problems. 

On to the hardwoods. Technically any tree that drops its leaves is a hardwood. Therefore, poplar, cottonwood and willow are all hardwoods as is soft maple. But so is oak and hickory and locust. But the difference in these types of wood is like the difference between a Cadillac and a second-hand Ford. The burning characteristics are also a world apart.


I guess I've rambled long enough here. I do not wish to scare anyone away from burning wood because it can be rather satisfying to do so. There are safe ways to do it but there are some bad things you can do too. You need to learn the difference. There is much knowledge here on hearth.com and I urge all new wood burners to come on with their questions. Ask a question and when that has been answered, ask more. Keep asking and we'll keep trying to help.

Good luck to all.


Merry Christmas to all.


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## northwinds

We burn 24/7.  We think nothing of leaving the house once the stove has been stabilized.  I won't start
a new fire if I don't have an hour to dedicate to stabilization.  My daughter learned that the hard way this
week.  We got home from school yesterday, and I started up a mostly full firebox.  Five minutes later, she
informed me that she forgot her musical instrument at school and needed it. There's no good way to put
a fire on "hold" or turn it off once it's been started.

She waited for an hour until the stove was ready to leave.  We got into the school but needed to find a 
custodian to get us into the locker area.  She whined a little about how you don't have to wait an hour 
with a gas furnace.  I reminded her that the money we save on wood heat pays for her musical instrument
rental.


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## agartner

Wow, Ex - looks like ya struck a chord here.  There are lots of folks here with lots of time and experience burning and many who rely on their stoves as their only  source of heat.

You mentioned in your original post that you loaded the fire, let it catch for 5 or 10 minutes, then choked it down to a smoulder.  This is a bad thing.  It will build creosote (our sworn enemy) in your chimney, plug your cap, expel tons of smoke, and could lead to a dangerous situation.

Burn your stove efficiently while you are home.  Learn it and understand it to the point where you ~know~ what your stove will do 1 hour, 4 hours, and 8 hours from the time you load and start it.  Once you know it, you'll be confident in it and the question of "leaving it burning while not at home" won't even be of the slightest concern to you.


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## Bobbin

Not so much with the group that enjoys and participates on this site, but I wanted to mention to Dennis that there are a lot of basic skills that have been lost or (at the very least) passed over in the past 50-60 yrs..  A few spring instantly to mind:

Knowledge about heating with wood in general.  Firewood, proper lighting technique (see Tragic Fire)
Sewing/knitting
Canning/drying/freezing
Raising/slaughtering poulty
How to properly maintain an oil lamp; trimming wicks/installing new ones

It's only natural that one would be uncertain or cautious when heading into what beginners/newbies view as uncharted waters.  And I think that's what's such fun about this site; questions are answered and anecdotes shared all with the hope that the shared knowledge will bolster confidence in the uncertain.

(When I headed out to Orange the Classic was happily combusting at just over 400 °F  (stove top) and I didn't give it a second thought until I returned home and this thread caught my eye again.)


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## raybonz

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> I find this thread simply amazing! I also have to ask a question:  What do you suppose people did 70-80 or more years ago? Most people then burned wood or coal or a combination. As for me, my chores with the stove began back in the 1940's. First it was taking care of ashes and then as I grew the chores did too. It went to bringing wood in (we stored some in our enclosed back porch) and then to stacking wood and then to both splitting and stacking. Somewhere along in that time I also began to load the stoves. So I learned much in my youth.....but still have not stopped learning.
> 
> What do you suppose we do? After all, our wood stove is our only source of heat! Therefore, we burn 24/7 during the cold months. Of course that means a fire is going when we are sleeping or outdoors working or even like yesterday when we had to be in they city for most of the day. We got along just fine and when we returned home and opened the door, that wood heat felt terrific! No, we do not hesitate to keep the stove going while we are gone.
> 
> Here's one other example:  One time we decided to visit our eldest son and his family during Christmas. We simply hired a neighbor boy to tend the stove while we were gone. All worked out well too but we were very happy to return home when we did because that night the temperature dropped to -22.
> 
> In our opinion, there is no good reason to not have the stove heating even when you are not there. Stoves get hot; that is what they are for. As someone else stated, a furnace also gets hot and has a big fire contained in a firepot just like a wood heating stove. As for me, I am more nervous with gas and oil than I am with wood.
> 
> In the end it is the same as in the beginning. It is the duty of the people burning wood to insure they have the proper wood to burn and that means good dry wood. Sadly wood burning and suppliers are lacking a lot when it comes to knowledge of what good fuel really is and the proper handling of this wood. If you are buying wood you can count on that wood seller to tell you the wood is seasoned. However, what is seasoned wood? It is sort of like that same wood seller telling you it is mixed hardwood. Well, we need good hardwood for the fires so that must be the right stuff! Well, maybe.
> 
> First, wood is not seasoned at all nor starts to season until it is cut to length and split. Then it needs to be stacked out in the open air where wind will hit the sides of the wood pile. Then it needs time. How much time? That depends upon what type of wood you have. Some wood needs only a year. Some needs 2 years and some needs 3. If people would follow these guidelines with their wood they will have some happy times. If not, they have fires that don't want to burn (and blame the stove or chimney) and then also have creosote problems.
> 
> On to the hardwoods. Technically any tree that drops its leaves is a hardwood. Therefore, poplar, cottonwood and willow are all hardwoods as is soft maple. But so is oak and hickory and locust. But the difference in these types of wood is like the difference between a Cadillac and a second-hand Ford. The burning characteristics are also a world apart.
> 
> 
> I guess I've rambled long enough here. I do not wish to scare anyone away from burning wood because it can be rather satisfying to do so. There are safe ways to do it but there are some bad things you can do too. You need to learn the difference. There is much knowledge here on hearth.com and I urge all new wood burners to come on with their questions. Ask a question and when that has been answered, ask more. Keep asking and we'll keep trying to help.
> 
> Good luck to all.
> 
> 
> Merry Christmas to all.



And to all a good night?!    

Ray


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## Green Energy

It sounds like just about everyone is comfortable with letting a stove that is in cruising mode go unattended, whether out of the house or overnight while sleeping.  Same here, only problem is when I do a reload with too much coals, then I just need to make sure that the stove settles down.  I not too comfortable when the stove top temp is hitting 650 and continuing to rise.  But most of the time, I plan my reload to provide an hour before bedtime or leaving for work.

This is where having a quality installation makes all the difference in peace of mind.


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## raybonz

We burn 24/7 here when it's cold like now and don't think twice about it.. We leave the house and check the locks and turn the lights on and don't worry about the stove..Maybe when the stove was brand new and so were we that I thought about it.. With 23 years or so we pretty much know what to expect.. Heck Dennis (Sav) used to rub 2 sticks together (he predates dinosaurs) to get his stove going and now he has moved onto fire sticks aka matches.. As Dennis pointed out people have heated with wood since the dawn of time, light years longer than oil, gas or coal..Bottom line is wood fire = $, oil fire = $$$$$... 

 :lol: 

Ray


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## Backwoods Savage

Bobbin said:
			
		

> Not so much with the group that enjoys and participates on this site, but I wanted to mention to Dennis that there are a lot of basic skills that have been lost or (at the very least) passed over in the past 50-60 yrs..  A few spring instantly to mind:
> 
> Knowledge about heating with wood in general.  Firewood, proper lighting technique (see Tragic Fire)
> Sewing/knitting
> Canning/drying/freezing
> Raising/slaughtering poulty
> How to properly maintain an oil lamp; trimming wicks/installing new ones
> 
> It's only natural that one would be uncertain or cautious when heading into what beginners/newbies view as uncharted waters.  And I think that's what's such fun about this site; questions are answered and anecdotes shared all with the hope that the shared knowledge will bolster confidence in the uncertain.
> 
> (When I headed out to Orange the Classic was happily combusting at just over 400 °F  (stove top) and I didn't give it a second thought until I returned home and this thread caught my eye again.)



You are right Bobbin and it is a shame some of those skills have been lost. As stated, wood burning is only one. How many sew or knit today? There are still many who can and freeze but not so many who dry their food. We don't put up as many vegetables as we once did but we still can all of our venison, We take care of the meat ourselves and my wife has even taken to doing the skinning of the animal!

Raising ans slaughtering of not only poultry but other types too is something very few do any more and that is sad, but a sign of the times, I guess. Oil lamps, well there are a few but not many. Still, all these skills can be learned if one wants to do the learning. 

It is good the one is a bit cautious when starting a new thing like wood burning but I am surprised by just how cautious and afraid some are. But with the help of many on this forum, they will soon relax and start to really enjoy wood heat.


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## Backwoods Savage

raybonz said:
			
		

> We burn 24/7 here when it's cold like now and don't think twice about it.. We leave the house and check the locks and turn the lights on and don't worry about the stove..Maybe when the stove was brand new and so were we that I thought about it.. With 23 years or so we pretty much know what to expect.. Heck Dennis (Sav) used to rub 2 sticks together (he predates dinosaurs) to get his stove going and now he has moved onto fire sticks aka matches.. As Dennis pointed out people have heated with wood since the dawn of time, light years longer than oil, gas or coal..Bottom line is wood fire = $, oil fire = $$$$$...
> 
> :lol:
> 
> Ray



Hey Ray, take it easy. lol  I suppose you think I used to have a dinosaur for a pet rather than a dog?!  :lol: 

On one happy side, I have always wondered just how many dollars we've saved over the years by burning wood. I'm betting it is a bunch!


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## Flatbedford

Our Fireview burns 24/7. I just about always pack it to the gills when we leave the house. I want it warm when I get back. As long as there is a good bed of coals, the stove is ready to be left alone in 10 or 15 minutes after reload.


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## raybonz

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> raybonz said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We burn 24/7 here when it's cold like now and don't think twice about it.. We leave the house and check the locks and turn the lights on and don't worry about the stove..Maybe when the stove was brand new and so were we that I thought about it.. With 23 years or so we pretty much know what to expect.. Heck Dennis (Sav) used to rub 2 sticks together (he predates dinosaurs) to get his stove going and now he has moved onto fire sticks aka matches.. As Dennis pointed out people have heated with wood since the dawn of time, light years longer than oil, gas or coal..Bottom line is wood fire = $, oil fire = $$$$$...
> 
> :lol:
> 
> Ray
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Ray, take it easy. lol  I suppose you think I used to have a dinosaur for a pet rather than a dog?!  :lol:
> 
> On one happy side, I have always wondered just how many dollars we've saved over the years by burning wood. I'm betting it is a bunch!
Click to expand...


Yes indeed my friend but it's much more than that as you know.. It's about the independence of providing for your family (you more so than me as I rely on most of my firewood from others but I do some amount of my own wood),it's about how warm and cozy it is when I walk in the door, it's about the terrific people I have met in here (so far only here but hopefully someday in person), also as you've been saying just getting back to basics.. I have read Mother Earth News for quite a long time as it based on this premise.. The person I admire most in modern times is Dick Proeneke (One Man's Wilderness). Even though I do not live the simple life as much as I'd like to I live it in spirit and appreciate those have figured it out.. It's ironic that I do very high tech work yet I love the most simple things in life best.. 

Take Care,
Ray


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## bimmerFAITH

With my old Buck 27000 I wouldn't hardly leave the room, much less the house.  Sparks flying out were the norm.  I have full reasonable confidence in my Lopi Freedom and will stoke up the fire really hot then choke it down right before leaving.  The burns are so predictable I don't worry at all about being out of the house with a hot fire in the box.

I, too, installed mine myself and know it was done right with quality materials.  

I say it depends on your stove/setup.  If everything isn't tight you might have reasonable caution about leaving it unattended.


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## Snag

We burn 24/7. We keep the stove maintained, clean the chimney, use seasoned wood and a big dose of common sense. I don't push the envelope in regard to overloading the stove even if I'm staying in the house and 8-hour overnight burns aren't a priority ever since hubby developed insomnia. That said, we live out in the country and my house pets don't have the means to escape by themselves. Still, I trust the wood stove (Isle Royale) to contain any fire I put in it regardless if I'm home or not... I figure if you can't trust it while you're not at home, why are you trusting it when you are?

Carolyn


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## james72

I keep the fire burning.  Otherwise the house will be cold when we get home.  Then you waste wood trying to get the temps back up.


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## Exmasonite

agartner said:
			
		

> Wow, Ex - looks like ya struck a chord here.  There are lots of folks here with lots of time and experience burning and many who rely on their stoves as their only  source of heat.
> 
> You mentioned in your original post that you loaded the fire, let it catch for 5 or 10 minutes, then choked it down to a smoulder.  This is a bad thing.  It will build creosote (our sworn enemy) in your chimney, plug your cap, expel tons of smoke, and could lead to a dangerous situation.
> 
> Burn your stove efficiently while you are home.  Learn it and understand it to the point where you ~know~ what your stove will do 1 hour, 4 hours, and 8 hours from the time you load and start it.  Once you know it, you'll be confident in it and the question of "leaving it burning while not at home" won't even be of the slightest concern to you.




Hehe, looks like i did. 

Thanks for all the info and advice.  Couple of points....

Agart-  Thanks for the critique on my practices.  But what's tthe best way to get the longest burn- either for an overnight or if i'm going to leave the stove unattended.  I just figured the longer i let it burn down, the sooner it'll need replenishing.  

Far as code/practices-  It's a new house to me ( a log home to boot... nothing but a tinder box in my paranoid mind), i'm the 3rd owner.  Stove has been in since inception and used consistently but i didn't do the install and don't know the legalities.  I know the liner was replaced in '07 from receipts.  So, i guess my confidence in the whole situation is questionable.  I know they depended more on the oil burner than the woodstove.  Need to get comfortable with this more. 

Other issue is going to be my confidence/experience... just need some time.  I already know from research at this site that my wood supply isn't ideal so i'm keeping close eye on creosote... Hopefully got a chainsaw and good maul coming for the holiday and plan on renting a splitter for a few days next year so i'll get with the program sooner rather than later.  

I really appreciate all the input and advice... thanks to all and Hearth.com!


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## DBoon

I don't hesitate to leave the house once I have a load "settled in" and stabilized.  So I'll plan a re-load 45 minutes to an hour ahead of time to be able to see it through til that. 

It is all about confidence.  I bought a very good quality stove (in my opinion) that cost me more than some other stoves that I looked at.  I asked my chimney cleaner and mason (who has a great reputation) for his opinion on the installer (the stove dealer), and the mason gave him a thumbs up (he knows who installs what, and who does a crappy job with installations since he cleans the chimneys and pipes).  I did my research on the stove pipe installation and materials, and then asked the installer what he planned to do (it checked out), then asked if he would do less if I couldn't afford what he wanted to do (his answer was "no, I won't do the installation that way", so I knew I found the right installer).  

If it sounds anal, it is, for sure.  But I don't worry about the installation or leaving the stove unattended one bit.


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## BrowningBAR

I have 2 stove running with a third being installed in eight days. They all burn whether I am here or not, awake or not.


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## agartner

Hey there Ex - The length of burn is really dependent on how much wood you use, what kind of wood (hardwood), and what size splits/rounds you use.  Because your wood is not completely seasoned, it's important that you keep a very close eye on your chimney, and with that, its all that more important to "burn hot".  There are a lot of posts on this forum on extending your burn (spend some time searching and reading...), but essentially, if you have them, a few 4 to 5" rounds of hardwood mixed in with some smaller splits tends to work well.  Just like a normal cycle, you get your fire well established and then tune your primary air down so that your stove maintains its' cruising temperature (normally 400-600 stovetop) for as long as possible.

Code & Practices:  Hire a chimney sweep.  They do more than clean your chimney.  A good one should also inspect your install and chimney and advise you of any maintenance issues that should be performed and let you know if there are egregious safety issues that need to be addressed. 

Wood Supply:  Apart from a safe install, this is ~the most important~ thing.  There are things you can do to help you out this year.  Cut up pallets, which often can be found for free or nearly so can be cut up and mixed with your regular cordwood.  They will help to get your stovetop temps up to help compensate somewhat for the suspect wood.  BioBricks and other similar manufactured wood stove fuel products (Never Duraflame logs) also can do the same.  Often you can find these products at a local aubuchon/tru-value type hardware store or stove shop.  Resplitting your splits prior to burning can help too.

As to your holiday gifts (who ~doesnt~ want a chainsaw and maul from Santa, muahaha!), my splitting maul has never met a round it didn't like.  Never had a need for a hydraulic splitter.  It's my favorite wood destruction weapon.


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## grommal

Over 20 years ago when we started burning a wood stove, I felt a little funny at first burning it with nobody to watch it.  Overnight was the first emotional hurdle, and then it was on to loading it up in the morning and leaving for the day.  The key is to get your stove operation technique down to where you no longer have any uncertainty about what the stove will do once you walk away.  If you have a setup that is very well behaved (like my current one), it's easy to get to that point.  If you have a more cantankerous stove/chimney/whatever combo (like my old one), then it might take a little longer to get to that comfort level.

Getting to the point where you can do 24/7 burning is when you really start to reap the benefits.


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## westkywood

If I'm going out of town for the night, I stoke the fire to the max so the heat wont kick on for 8-10 hours. I have no problem leaving with the stove going. If I didnt burn the stove while I was gone, I could never use it.


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## santacruzbluz

I appreciate all the replies, too. As you've easily figured out, I'm new to this game, too. I've always been able to build a nice campfire, and thought I knew a little about fires. I've never lived anywhere with no other heat source before, so my experience with fires in the house have always been just building a fire to have some nice atmosphere, and letting it burn out. There is a lot for me to learn, I'm finding out, and I'm learning a lot of it right here. I'm 55, and have worked as a carpenter/millwright/general contractor for nearly 40 years, so I know about safe practices. So when I was getting ready to leave the house the same day this thread started, I naturally went through the whole thing in my mind, to determine if I was being safe. (I bet if you quizzed 100 people who have never had wood heat, every one of them would say you should not leave the house with a stove burning) I figured I was, left, and came home to find this thread. I'm really glad you all weighed in. I know now that what I did was very common, and that as long as I use my head, I can let the fire burn all the time, and go on about my life. I've learned a heap about this stove and how to use it, just from reading here and building fires in it. You guys (and gals) are providing a valuable service. Thanks again.

EDIT: Excellent point made about how we all leave the house with furnaces and other heating appliances burning all the time. I've always rented, so I just trusted that whatever was there was safe. Yikes!


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## akennyd

I'm a newbie to wood burning and must admit was a little hesitant to leave the stove burning the first few times.  I'm more confident now as I have gained some operational experience with the stove and I have left it burning on a few occasions now (expect to do so quite a few times this week as we are having a cool snap here in NC.)  As a matter of fact, I reloaded the stove this morning before leaving for work so the wife and kids would have a nice warm house to wake up to.  Like FBF said, it only takes 10-15min with the Fireview to get things going and settled back into a nice cat burn.  But I will say that I triple check the stove and my settings before leaving the house.

I will also say that a lot of my confidence has been gained from reading about other Fireview owner's experiences right here in these forums.  

I've only experienced one minor glitch with my stove and that was 100% and absolutely my fault and other than that I have had no other problems and have complete confidience in the Fireview and my installation.

I would really hate to know that I couldn't safely leave my woodstove or that I would have to put my fire out everytime I left the house.  Doesn't sound like a very good way to live...:^)


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## Backwoods Savage

I agree Kenny. For sure if I could not leave the wood stove burning when not in the house, I would probably not even burn wood. As it is, we sold our furnace well over 30 years ago and have had nothing but the wood stoves ever since. But of all the stoves we've had over the years, we have never had anything like this Fireview. It does the job and quite easy too. Set it and forget it until it starts feeling cool in the house. Or if we go away, stock it up and the house will still be nice and warm when we return. That is the one of the joys of wood heat.


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## Shari

BS - 

Do you have a basement?  If yes, is your plumbling down there?  If yes, do you do anything to assure against water pipe freeze ups?

Shari


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## santacruzbluz

jetmech said:
			
		

> Have left the Intrepid ii alone for hours with no worrys, mine is a older 1303 that i completly rebuilt. SantaCruzBluz just curious how you like your intrepid.. have been kicking around replacing mine.....



Just noticed your question, jetmech.

I don't have a lot of experience to compare this with, but I'm liking the little stove. I live in a cabin in the mountains, and I'm heating less than 600 sq. ft. I'm trading out rent for carpentry work on the cabin. My landlords bought this used stove, knowing nothing really about them, and I think they got lucky, although I have no idea what they paid for it. The stove definitely settles down and maintains a pretty constant stove top temperature once I get it hot enough to engage the cat and set the air intake just right. I really like being able to load from the top, and that is a feature I will probably look for in future stoves. But it makes me wonder. Since I load from the top, is it possible to let too much ash build up in the stove, blocking the air flow? I have a tendency to keep adding wood until the ash and coals are up a little too high to open the front doors, and I just wonder if I should be keeping it clearer. I also wonder if my air intake lever is working properly. If I push it all the way to the right or left, when I let go of it, it springs back a little bit, making me wonder if I have some buildup in there I need to clean out. The owners manual says when the little door is completely closed, there should be no more than a 1/8th inch gap. Mine is more like a half inch. I don't think any of this is affecting my fire, but just wondered if you'd encountered any of this. 

This stove is 20 years old, and I have no idea about its history, but I like the way it burns. I like the top loading, the cat, and I like the way it looks. I would definitely recommend one to a friend. Mine does not have the warming trays, but I'm watching for some of those.


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## Stump_Branch

I think that most probably cannot grasp how we as humans did things. we drive in a climate controlled box, with a go and stop pedal, to the grocery store to buy processed meat, wrapped up like Christmas. We have become too far removed from the time when the day was spent providing for one’s self and family to merely live. Our work is resolved to working at desks with computers rather than the sweat of the brow, blisters on the hands. We get a paycheck, mostly not even a check or cash just a little slip of paper. There’s no work and reward feeling I find in the vast majority. Caught up in the fast pace we turn dials or press buttons to stay warm, removed from the function, slight, sound and smell of the driving force behind it, oil, gas, electricity. Out of sight out of mind, just like the food, money, fuel from above. Yes each and every one of the different appliances can be dangerous, so can a pen in a writers hand. If you don’t operate the stove, your house, yourself with some sort of organization and common sense, you set yourself up for the disastrous stories you hear about. 
I do not think three times (I do double check everything, door, dampener etc. hence the three times) before leaving with the stove, no I don’t stuff it to the gills before I head out, I plan ahead make any adjustments needed, in a timely fashion, dial down the air to the ‘safe’ levels and go.


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## nate379

I agree.

I was living with a friend for a while and had a good fire going in his fireplace.  I was the last to hit the hay and during the night a log rolled out of the firebox onto his carpet.  Somehow the carpet just melted and didn't catch fire!



			
				shawneyboy said:
			
		

> I have friends who still have an open fireplace, they were leaving it unattended, which I told them and we all know is NOT A GOOD IDEA !


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## Crabby

i leave mine everyday. although i did just post last week that mine sometimes scares me. it likes to take off and get really hot sometimes. i usually like to wait and watch it before i go but sometimes i run out of time. i get the stove pipe good and hot and the temp will start to rise and i just slide the damper in and turn the fan on and leave. i would rather do it the right way but sometimes i just have to get going. the glass is really not the dirty like i shut the air off to soon so, i must be ok doing it that way, you should be fine, like everyone said you will get the hang of it and feel a lot better.


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## Crabby

opps for some reason i posted twice, my bad


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## firefighterjake

I burn when I'm not home all the time . . . my woodstove was installed per code . . . I maintain the stove properly . . . no worries.


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## firefighterjake

I burn when I'm not home all the time . . . my woodstove was installed per code . . . I maintain the stove properly . . . no worries.


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## EllisB

I see it's been a while since anyone posted on this thread, but it seems the most relevant place for my question. If I run my stove while I'm at work, and my house burns down and the fire inspector determines it was caused by the wood stove, what are the chances that my home owners insurance will cover my loss?


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## Elle

I have no problem burning the stove when I'm not home. I work full time so it is a necessity for the animals...and me, lol.  Before I got the stove I thought I'd be so nervous I'd be sleeping down stairs and such. I thought it would be a real process to leave the stove burning, but alas that was not so. When I saw how air tight the stove was and where the heat was thrown I knew I would be fine no matter what. I took the precautions I needed to...nothing near the stove, wood a good ten feet away, no other combustibles close, I have an air gap behind the stove, etc. I feel quite good leaving it go while I'm gone.

I do make sure there is as little as possible chance of an overfire, so I load about half an hour before I leave then adjust the air, then go. I would rather choke the fire out than not do that and take a chance.

GEEZ just saw the date, lol


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## KaptJaq

As long as I have the time to load and get the burn into a stable state I have no problem leaving the stove burn on its own.  The woodstove goes about 8 hours unattended.  The coal stove can burn up to 48 hours without me touching it.  When we go for a short weekend away I load the coal stove, turn it down, get it stable, and go.  When we get back Sunday night the house is still warm.  Throw some coal in the stove, open the air, light off the wood stove and we are good to go...

Maintain your appliance, observe clearances to combustibles (push that chair back where it belongs, take the kindling box away from the stove), and follow safe operating procedures.  Once you are comfortable with your stove you should have no concern about leaving it...

KaptJaq


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## Elle

EllisB said:


> I see it's been a while since anyone posted on this thread, but it seems the most relevant place for my question. If I run my stove while I'm at work, and my house burns down and the fire inspector determines it was caused by the wood stove, what are the chances that my home owners insurance will cover my loss?



the only thing my insurance company said to me is it has to be installed to the manufacturer's specs. If that is the case, and you are using it how intended, then I don't see the problem. I went overboard and went over the specs for my hearth size and put an air gap behind the stove. If the stove was at 1100 degrees or something, then I would imagine you might be negligent but I would think they might cover it anyway....don't know why they wouldn't cover it. Would it cover if you had a grease fire on your regular stove? Insurance is for accidents is the way I look at it.


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## KaptJaq

EllisB said:


> I see it's been a while since anyone posted on this thread, but it seems the most relevant place for my question. If I run my stove while I'm at work, and my house burns down and the fire inspector determines it was caused by the wood stove, what are the chances that my home owners insurance will cover my loss?




Might want to start a new thread, you've resurected some ghosts with this one.

If your stove is properly installed, inspected, documented, and operated according to the manual the insurance company should pay.  If they were not informed about the stove, or you did a DIY install without AHJ inspections &/or paperwork you may be in trouble.

KaptJaq


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## SKIN052

24/7 here too. No worries, chimney is clean air turned down to an acceptable level. I have too many valuables at home to put them in harms way, wife, kids, dogs and a few nic knacks.


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## webbie

And this is why we want to close dead threads after 6 months!


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