I noticed, when we were in our "learning curve" last winter, with our wood stove, that often times, my wife had trouble keeping the fire from smoldering. Perhaps it was because as a busy wife, she can't babysit the fire as much as needed.
Since that time, we've BOTH grown a bit, in our understanding of what it takes to build and maintain a healthy/safe fire, and I decided that perhaps it might be a good reminder for she and I, if I put down some of the fundamentals for burning wood, on a couple of sheets of paper that could be stuck to the refrigerator, as a guide.
I don't suggest that all my statements are completely accurate, and I realize that there are differing schools of thought on some issues, but I have cut-n-pasted the text here, for your scrutinizing eye to review. If there are any obvious errors, please advise before I print it out and hang it up. If there are any modifications that need to be made, also let me know. I don't claim to "know it all" when it comes to this stuff.
By the way, I DID order the Flue Thermometer I asked about, and will be installing it next week.
_________________________________________________________________
USING THE WOOD STOVE MORE EFFICIENTLY:
A) USE PROPER FUEL:
USE ONLY DRY, (CHECK WITH MOISTURE
METER) SEASONED WOOD;
NEVER BURN GARBAGE
B) START YOUR FIRE RIGHT:
BEGIN BY WARMING THE FLUE SO YOU
DON’T GET SMOKE BLOWBACK. (YOU
NEED A GOOD DRAW IN THE CHIMNEY FIRST).
USE SEASONED DRY KINDLING AND
SMALL PIECES OF WOOD, AND NEWSPAPER.
GET A GOOD BURN GOING WITH THE DOOR
SLIGHTLY AJAR FOR THE FIVE MINUTES OR
SO, THEN SHUT THE DOOR. ONCE YOU GET
THE FIRE GOING, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP
IT GOING. THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED OF
RESTARTS, UNLESS A CLEANING IS NEEDED,
OR IF WE ARE AWAY.
C) GET YOUR STOVE HOT:
ADD ONE LARGER LOG AT A TIME. KEEP THE
DAMPER FULLY OPEN FOR NOW. GET A GOOD
FIRE GOING (A HOT FIRE BURN IS GOOD FOR
CLEANING THE CHIMNEY. LET IT STAY “HOT”
FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR OR SO, BEFORE
GOING INTO “MAINTAINING THE FIRE” MODE.
D) MAINTAIN THE FIRE:
1. GRADUALLY EASE OFF THE DAMPER
(CLOSING ONLY ENOUGH TO KEEP A
FLAME GOING AND TO KEEP THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE STOVE
WITHIN A 450º - 750ºF RANGE.
2. DON’T FILL YOUR FIRE WITH TOO MANY
LOGS AT A TIME. LEVEL OFF THE ASHES
AS NEEDED.
3. KEEP THE AIR INLET FREE OF ASH.
"BALANCE IS THE KEY HERE. A CONSTANT FLAME
AND EVEN TEMPS. NOT TOO LOW, NOT TOO HIGH.
E) KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED:
ONLY OPEN THE DOOR TO ADD MORE WOOD
OR WHEN CLEANING OUT ASHES WHEN THE
FIRE BURNS DOWN.
F) TEMP VARIANCES:
YOUR FLUE GAS TEMPS WILL TYPICALLY BE
HIGHER THAN YOUR STOVE TEMPS. YOU MAY
SEE TEMPS AS HIGH AS 1100ºF IN YOUR FLUE
WHEN THE TEMPS IN THE STOVE ARE IN THAT
450 - 750ºF RANGE.
G) OVERNIGHT BURNS:
LOAD UP THE STOVE WITH WOOD FOR A HOT BURN
AS ABOVE, ABOUT A HALF HOUR BEFORE GOING TO
BED. LET THE FIRE RELAX A BIT, AND CLOSE THE
DAMPER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT PUTTING
OUT THE FLAMES…………LET IT BURN.
____________________________________________________________
-Soupy1957
Since that time, we've BOTH grown a bit, in our understanding of what it takes to build and maintain a healthy/safe fire, and I decided that perhaps it might be a good reminder for she and I, if I put down some of the fundamentals for burning wood, on a couple of sheets of paper that could be stuck to the refrigerator, as a guide.
I don't suggest that all my statements are completely accurate, and I realize that there are differing schools of thought on some issues, but I have cut-n-pasted the text here, for your scrutinizing eye to review. If there are any obvious errors, please advise before I print it out and hang it up. If there are any modifications that need to be made, also let me know. I don't claim to "know it all" when it comes to this stuff.
By the way, I DID order the Flue Thermometer I asked about, and will be installing it next week.
_________________________________________________________________
USING THE WOOD STOVE MORE EFFICIENTLY:
A) USE PROPER FUEL:
USE ONLY DRY, (CHECK WITH MOISTURE
METER) SEASONED WOOD;
NEVER BURN GARBAGE
B) START YOUR FIRE RIGHT:
BEGIN BY WARMING THE FLUE SO YOU
DON’T GET SMOKE BLOWBACK. (YOU
NEED A GOOD DRAW IN THE CHIMNEY FIRST).
USE SEASONED DRY KINDLING AND
SMALL PIECES OF WOOD, AND NEWSPAPER.
GET A GOOD BURN GOING WITH THE DOOR
SLIGHTLY AJAR FOR THE FIVE MINUTES OR
SO, THEN SHUT THE DOOR. ONCE YOU GET
THE FIRE GOING, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP
IT GOING. THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED OF
RESTARTS, UNLESS A CLEANING IS NEEDED,
OR IF WE ARE AWAY.
C) GET YOUR STOVE HOT:
ADD ONE LARGER LOG AT A TIME. KEEP THE
DAMPER FULLY OPEN FOR NOW. GET A GOOD
FIRE GOING (A HOT FIRE BURN IS GOOD FOR
CLEANING THE CHIMNEY. LET IT STAY “HOT”
FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR OR SO, BEFORE
GOING INTO “MAINTAINING THE FIRE” MODE.
D) MAINTAIN THE FIRE:
1. GRADUALLY EASE OFF THE DAMPER
(CLOSING ONLY ENOUGH TO KEEP A
FLAME GOING AND TO KEEP THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE STOVE
WITHIN A 450º - 750ºF RANGE.
2. DON’T FILL YOUR FIRE WITH TOO MANY
LOGS AT A TIME. LEVEL OFF THE ASHES
AS NEEDED.
3. KEEP THE AIR INLET FREE OF ASH.
"BALANCE IS THE KEY HERE. A CONSTANT FLAME
AND EVEN TEMPS. NOT TOO LOW, NOT TOO HIGH.
E) KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED:
ONLY OPEN THE DOOR TO ADD MORE WOOD
OR WHEN CLEANING OUT ASHES WHEN THE
FIRE BURNS DOWN.
F) TEMP VARIANCES:
YOUR FLUE GAS TEMPS WILL TYPICALLY BE
HIGHER THAN YOUR STOVE TEMPS. YOU MAY
SEE TEMPS AS HIGH AS 1100ºF IN YOUR FLUE
WHEN THE TEMPS IN THE STOVE ARE IN THAT
450 - 750ºF RANGE.
G) OVERNIGHT BURNS:
LOAD UP THE STOVE WITH WOOD FOR A HOT BURN
AS ABOVE, ABOUT A HALF HOUR BEFORE GOING TO
BED. LET THE FIRE RELAX A BIT, AND CLOSE THE
DAMPER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT PUTTING
OUT THE FLAMES…………LET IT BURN.
____________________________________________________________
-Soupy1957