A wood burning stove can be a lovely addition to any home, something that can be enjoyed year round. But with the colder months drawing in, there’s really nothing better than popping in a log or two, feeling the heat envelop you, and listening to the embers crackle. Of course, it takes a little bit more effort than that! Allow us to give you some simple guidelines on how to effectively and properly use a firewood burning stove:

Starting the Fire

The first step to starting your fire is to make sure that your stove and chimney are in working order. Make sure there is no damage to the stove itself and that the exhaust pipe or chimney are clear and clean.

It’s recommended that you review the manufacturer’s instructions on how to properly light a fire for your particular stove. However, lighting any fire takes on the same basic principles: you need the right fuel, and something to light the fire with.

Use newspaper and kindling to build a good base. This will increase the temperature in the stove and get the flames burning. The other thing your fire needs to burn is oxygen. Open the controls on your stove to allow air to flow in.

Next, use matches or a lighter to start the fire. Ignite the newspaper first, this will go on to ignite the smaller pieces of kindling resting above. Leave the door open for a few minutes and watch it carefully to make sure the fire is catching.

Finally, add you firewood! Make sure your logs are dry and you are burning the right type of wood for your stove. Wait for the flames to die down slightly before depositing them and ensure that you stack them loosely to allow as much air into the fire as possible.

Continue to keep the door slightly open for about fifteen minutes, watching closely. This should give the fire enough time to establish. You don’t want to risk smothering the flames by closing it too early!

Keeping the Fire Burning

Once the fire is established, close the door to your stove and keep it shut. The only time you should open it is to add more logs to the fire. Each time you open the door you are letting more air in. This will result in heat loss, making the fire less efficient.

When the flames have died down a bit and there are mainly embers remaining, add a couple of larger logs to the fire. To do this, open the door slowly to prevent a rush of air. You don’t want to add more than five logs at once as adding too many could smother the fire.

After about twenty minutes, close the air intakes partially. This will provide the fire with enough air to keep it burning at a reasonable pace. You don’t want it burning too quickly.

Cleaning Your Firewood Burning Stove

Make sure you regularly clean out the ashes under the grate or in the bottom of the firebox when they start to build up. Too much ash could restrict the airflow, which could result in your fire not getting the oxygen that it needs to burn.

You can clean ashes with a metal shovel or brush and put them into an approved metal bucket for immediate disposal. Leave a 2.5cm layer of ash at the bottom of the fireplace for insulation.

Firewood Home Delivery

We hope these steps will allow you to make the most of you firewood burning stove this winter! Remember, just as important as the stove itself, is the quality and the product in which you are burning. Van Beek’s offers a wide variety of high-quality firewood. Choose from our extensive range here!