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How to Properly Operate a Woodburning Stove Wood stoves are a fantastic way to heat your home. They're also inexpensive. Smoke from wood stoves can be dangerous to your health. It is important to know how these appliances function and to use them correctly. Modern stoves employ catalytic or secondary combustion to reduce emissions. Older stoves and open flames emit high levels of particulates. The firebox The firebox is the heart of any fireplace system. It's where you create a fire to heat your home and provide ambiance. It's a simple concept, but there are many important details that must be accounted for to keep your wood burning stove safe and efficient. The most simple way to think of the firebox is that it's an open-air combustion chamber that has walls and a door. The majority of fireplaces come with an already-built metal or brick fireboxes. The type of firebox you choose depends on your personal preferences and the kind of fireplace you have. Most wood-burning stoves use the constant flow of air to create the fire and burn the fuel. Fresh air is drawn in through the adjustable dampers in the stove's doors. This allows the fuels to burn properly, and reduces toxic gasses that result from incomplete or unburnt burning. The exhaust gases are then drawn up through the chimney and safely out of your home. Modern stoves that have catalytic second combustion employ a special catalyst to reburn unburnt gases to produce additional warmth. This creates a cleaner and less polluting fume than traditional wood stoves that do not have secondary combustion. Modern non-catalytic wood stoves are available however they are generally less efficient than stoves with catalytic second combustion. Some fireplaces with wood burning have backboilers that can be used for space heating as well as water heating. These are referred to as “combination” or “hybrid” stoves and have been around since the beginning of the 20th century. Wood burning stoves can only be operated with seasoned wood. Freshly cut wood (green) has an excessive amount of water. This could lead to low flue temperatures, as well as an excessive accumulation of creosote in the chimney. This could lead to chimney fires that cause damage to the stove, and they can even be dangerous to your family's health. If you're looking for an expert who can examine your wood-burning stove, or make repairs to your firebox, be sure the chimney expert you hire is certified by the CSIA certification and provides reviews from customers on their website. Find out their rates and the kind of work they can perform. The pipe that allows for ventilation Wood stoves require ventilation to remove the smoke from the combustion process and keep the home warm and healthy. Venting carries away carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and excess moisture from the process of combustion. It also reduces the amount of air pollution and heat loss outside. Wood, gas and pellet stoves have different venting requirements. Properly maintaining the stove's venting system annually is critical for safety and efficiency. The ventilation system is made up of the firebox and the ventilation pipe. The chimney and ventilation pipe are used together to create a draft that draws smoke from the stove through the fireplace. The differences in temperature and densities between the hot wood smoke and the cold outside air creates draft. The higher the temperature, the more smoke can rise through the vent pipe and chimney. Most modern wood stoves have been rated as low-emission models by the EPA. They produce less pollution than older models, which contribute to global warming and other environmental issues. The majority of modern stoves include pollution controls that limit the amount they emit, while also ensuring that the emissions are burned efficiently. Older stoves with open flues create more carbon dioxide. It is a poisonous, toxic gas and it should not be released into your home. This can happen if your chimney is not clean or there is insufficient ventilation, which is why it is important to install carbon monoxide detectors within your home. Find the distance between the opening of the chimney in the ceiling or wall and the spot where the wood stove is located on the floor. Multiply this distance by two to find the minimum length of stovepipe you require. You can use either single-wall or a double-wall stovepipe, but you must ensure adequate clearance from combustibles. When the stove is first lit and the flame is first lit, adjust the vent until a good flame has been established and the combustion is stable. It is also a good idea to avoid using wood briquettes in the stove, because they are not logs and can contain volatile chemicals that could cause the air vent to fail and cause a hazardous situation. The chimney The chimney may not be something that homeowners pay a lot of attention to, but it's actually an intricate system that requires careful attention. From top to bottom, the chimney is comprised of several important components that are crucial to ensuring that your stove functions effectively and safely. The firebox, the ventilation pipe and chimney work together to release the gases from combustion produced by your woodburning fireplace to the outside. This process is critical in preventing harmful emissions and reducing carbon dioxide levels in your home. To achieve this the chimney and flue need to be sufficiently hot to remove the gases out of the fireplace, without cooling. This is achieved by using a woodburning stove with a high heat output and by regularly adding new logs to the fire. The majority of modern woodburning stoves are built to work with a chimney that is taller than older models to achieve a better draft effect. This could cause problems when the chimney's height is higher than the maximum height for your area. If this happens, the chimney may compete with the house stack for draft, which can cause the gases to cool prior to exiting. This could impede the gas flow and cause a buildup of creosote which could pose a fire risk. The most common error homeowners make is to open the fireplace door and close it too often. This can negatively affect combustion. It is crucial to keep the fireplace door as closed as possible, and only open it to add firewood or ash. The door shouldn't be opened for too long. This lets hot air from the stove to escape, making the logs cooler and more difficult to light. Other kinds of combustibles may create higher emissions, or even a chimney fire. Woodburning stoves were designed and optimized to burn wood for fire. portable wood burning stove are not suitable for other types of combustibles. The flu A woodburning stove requires an appropriately size flue to permit proper draft and air flow. Typically, the size of the flue must be at least 25 percent greater than the stove pipe (which connects the stove to the chimney) to ensure adequate room for smoke circulation. Additionally the stove must be set on an open hearth made of a non-combustible substance and is clear and unobstructed area that is in the front of the fireplace opening. Modern stoves come with the feature of catalytic combustor which can reduce the amount of harmful by-products which are released into the chimney. This feature can also assist to increase the efficiency of a wood stove by burning a flame that produces more heat and less polluting. However, using other types of combustibles, such as coal, could cause issues, such as lower efficiency and more emissions. It is crucial to use seasoned or dry wood when burning wood in your fireplace or stove. If your wood is not seasoned or dry, it will emit high levels of creosote and water vapor into the chimney. This can lead to low flue temperatures, and even a chimney fire. Another way to prevent a fire in your chimney is to have a professional examine and clean your flue system on a regular basis. This includes the stovepipe, the chimney and the chimney itself. A dirty stove and flue system can lead to a poor chimney draft which could release carbon monoxide into your home. This could be harmful to your family and you should not let it occur. It is a good idea to have your stove and chimney swept by a professional once a year. This will help keep your stove and chimney in good condition.