Wood stoves are now the greatest alternative for heating your home this winter and saving money on heating because of the increase in the cost of electricity and gas (as well as the shortage of pellets). In Europe, the price of wood stoves has climbed by 165% in the past month. Due to their aesthetic appeal and environmental friendliness, fireplaces and wood stoves are very popular choices. It is possible, though, that we do not know how to make the most of them or that we have lost the ability to burn wood. Therefore, spending a few minutes reading the manufacturer’s instructions for the wood stove you purchase will be quite beneficial.
WHAT WOOD IS SUITABLE FOR WOOD STOVES
The type of wood used for firewood is important because it needs to be dried before burning in order to prevent the energy from being utilized to burn water instead of producing heat. The wood should ideally be dried for at least a year, and the optimal method is kiln drying because it has a low moisture level of under 20%. Choose hardwoods over softwoods because they burn more slowly. Hardwoods come from deciduous trees like ash and oak.
A WOOD STOVE LIGHTING TECHNIQUE
In general, you should abide by the manufacturer’s recommendations, however, the following are some important pointers for using a wood stove correctly:
- You won’t have enough smoke if you don’t use moist wood or overload the stove with logs.
- Open the primary air control all the way.
- To ignite the firewood, place a firelight tablet or piece of paper nearby.
- To avoid condensation development, keep the door slightly ajar until the fire stabilizes and the glass warms up.
- Build the fire with larger pieces of wood, being cautious not to suffocate it with too many logs.
- When the fire is out, shut the door completely.
- Close the primary air control and control the temperature with the stove’s controllers.
- Open the major air controls all the way when you need to add extra firewood.
- Create an ember bed by brushing embers onto the grate.
- To make it easier for oxygen to reach every area of the fire, space the new logs slightly apart.
- Prior to shutting the primary air control and modifying the burn rate, burn fresh logs at high output for 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t close the air controls until the fire is burning well.
- The best performance from your stove will be obtained if you regularly replenish small amounts of wood; you will be able to tell if it is burning well when the combustion chamber seems bright and tidy.
