I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow


Am I doing this right?

"Phil Crow" wrote in message
m...
I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered.

Close the door, slightly open the top vent, and open the bottom, forcing air
through the fire.

I opened the door, smoke got all over the garage, I closed it.
I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow


Am I doing this right?

For the most part you don't want a roaring flame as much as you want a
smoldering cinder fire. Slowly burning hot embers=efficient burn=heat.
The screw caps on the front are to control the air flow to two separate
areas, one above the fire, and one below, or at least they were on my stove.
They are like a jet on a carburetor controlling the mix of air through the
stove. The more air through the fire will cause a faster burn. I use to have
a thermometer on the stack to keep an eye on the temperature of the exhaust.
One other thing is if you're worried about creosote, don't burn pine, stick
to harder wood, oak, maple whatever.

Dave

A few tips:

* The fire must be hot enough to create a draft in the chimney. It's
the hot fumes rising in the chimney that pull fresh air into the
fire. After a while, the chimney itself is warm enough to keep the
draft going.

* It takes a while to get the heat into the chimney at first. I
usually let the fire run hot for the first 5-10 minutes.

* You don't want the chimney too hot or you risk chimney fires
(although don't be too scared of this - if the fire is that hot, you
probably won't be able to get near the stove comfortably anyway).
The stove shop probably has chimney thermostats. But, if the fire
isn't hot enough you risk creosote buildup. If your firebrick stays
clean, the fire is hot enough. If it blackens, it's too cool.
This, of course, is long term, ignore the black during startup.

* In my case, I have no chimney damper. If you have one, open it up
and leave it open. Use the front vents to control the fire. Leave
them wide open until the fire is well established.

When I start a fire, I do approximately this:

* one layer of crumpled newspaper. Don't skimp.

* about 4" of kindling, alternating front-back and side-side. You
want lots of airflow space here! This is where you use up all the
end cuts from those woodworking projects ;-) Rip them about 3/4 to
1" wide on the bandsaw.

* two or three small pieces of firewood.

* block intake on back of stove (else smoke escapes there; it's a
two-stage stove).

* light paper on fire. (Door remains open)

* relax and watch fire grow.

* when fire is past the smoky stage and well into the inferno stage, I
close the door and unblock the back vent. This gets the second
stage running.

* I keep the front vent wide open for 5-10 minutes to let everything
warm up, then I close it halfway and keep it there.

* When the initial firewood load has burned mostly down to coals, I
add more. You want to keep a good bed of coals going at all times;
this is actually the heart of the fire.

On 26 Dec 2003 18:32:11 -0800, (Phil Crow)
wrote:

SNIP


Am I doing this right?

Hi Phil,

I will add only one thing to the good suggestions you have already
received:

You should never allow a hot fire to burn on an "empty" stove....

By that I mean that many stoves will warp (or worse) if the bottom is
not insulated from the fire. Once you have things running, you will
have a bed of ash that will provide the insulation. Before that time,
you should have some (an inch or more) sand, or some such in the
bottom before you do any serious burning...

When you clean out the stove, always leave some ash in the bottom.

(I will also add as an aside, that we heated exclusively with wood for
about 20 years here in New Hampshire. Then we moved to a new home that
is heated geothermally. It seems that we have gone from the 19th to
the 21st centuries in a flash.)

Good luck with your stove,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

From the Great White North:

The wood stove at my cottage has two vents:

- The first, (usually at the base of the stove), controls the air supply
into the stove. It should be fully open when the stove is lit, and you
adjust this vent later to cool down the stove (by cutting off the air
supply) if it gets too hot. The stove will also last much longer at night if
you decrease the air entry to a trickle.
- The second vent, (usually above the door of the stove), recirculates the
hot air before it escapes up the stovepipe. This keeps the stove hotter than
it would be otherwise. But this vent should be closed when the stove is
first lit, because the recirculating hot smoke interferes with the starting
of your fire and will pour out into the room if the door is open. Once the
fire is established and the stove is getting hot, then you can open this
vent.

I suspect the "recirculating" vent was bringing smoke back into your stove
when you were trying to light it.

Never, never, keep the door open when the fire is on. You will be nice and
pink when they find you, but it will be from carbon monoxide poisoning, not
warmth!

Do you really have this stove in your garage? I don't think that is code in
any country. Be very careful of other inflammable materials.

George
(Canada)

"Phil Crow" wrote in message
m...
I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.


There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow


Am I doing this right?

Hi Phil ..

"Phil Crow" wrote in message
m...
I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

Creosote buildup can be mitigated by using properly seasoned wood. Use
whatever means of introducing air into the firebox it takes to get the fire
burning, but consider using outside combustion air. Watch your smoke for
hints on how to burn efficiently, you want good clean smoke. We heat
exclusively with wood / solar (and have for 27 years); on most heating days
or nights we burn a hot, fast fire then let it die down and the heated mass
take over.

Oh yeah, and buy a hydralic log splitter, it doubles nicely as a clamp

Scott

"Phil Crow" wrote in message

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

Just a few additions to the already good advice.

Get a pair of wool lined leather gloves as used in foundry work. You can
lift a burning log if you have to in an emergency. They are even thicker
than welding gloves. At some point in your wood burning career, you will be
thankful for having them.

Pay attention to what happens and repeat the good stuff, not the bad as it
will become apparent that it will not work.

Never try to burn one log even if you only want a small fire. You need at
least two to keep a fire going. Be generous with the kindling. Trying to
scrimp only makes for more aggravation in the long run. Lay some crumpled
paper, then some small kindling, then some larger, then two or three logs
about 2" to 4" dia. If you feel a cold draft coming down the chimney, light
a sheet of paper and hold it near the flue opening. This will help it heat
and reverse the direction of the airflow. Otherwise just light the paper.

Keep the door open for a while until it is burning well. Guard for sparks
though.

Now that things are starting to burn, watch the two larger pieces of wood.
Notice how the flame goes back and forth between them? As the log heats, it
gives off gasses and it ignited by the other log. They feed on each other.

Now you add two more pieces, but still not huge logs. Get them going, then
add the larger pieces. Keep the vents wide open until the fire is going
good and the logs are heated. Then you can fill the stove and close the air
to maintain the temperature you desire.

To prevent the stove pipe and chimney from getting coated with creosote,
burn the fire hot twice a day. I like to load up the stove and run it about
wide open for a short time. When the cast iron top is 800 degrees, I'll
damper it down to the usual 400 that it runs at.

OK, you been doing this for a few days and think you are pretty good about
it. The stove is loaded up for the night, air is adjusted just right. Oh,
you want to peek inside? NO ! ! ! Don't open the door. You have 50 pounds
of hot wood in there, ready to burn, but right now the oxygen is limited.
Open the door and WHOOOOSSHHHHHH, you have one hell of a roaring fire.

Over time you will learn how much wood you can put in and how long it will
burn. You get feel for it from experience. After a couple of weeks,
remove the flue pipe and see if you have any buildup. Check the thimble and
feel into the chimney for creosote. That will give you an idea of how long
before you need to sweep.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

"George" wrote in message


Never, never, keep the door open when the fire is on. You will be nice and
pink when they find you, but it will be from carbon monoxide poisoning,
not
warmth!


Depends on the stove. Mine is designed to be burned with the doors open, if
desired, just like a fireplace. Read the manual.
Ed

Our stove has a layer of firebrick in the bottom, so that problem is
pretty much avoided completely for us :-)

Phil Crow wrote:

I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow

Am I doing this right?

You've got a lot of good advice, some misinformation.
It sounds like you have a standard air-tight stove. Steel
or cast iron? most are steel. First get one of those cheap
oven thermometer intended to stand up. Set it on the top of
the stove next to the pipe. Another thing, look at your
single wall stove pipe and see where stuff would run if it
dripped down the pipe. If at each joint the upper pipe goes
in the bottom pipe, that is correct. If it is the other
way, get it changed because some time, stuff will drip down
and it will run out on the pipe.
The air supply (the screw caps) do different things on
different stoves. Sometimes when you have two screw caps
side by side they both do the same, just gives more air to
open both. Your stove could be different, but the bottom
screw cap is always the air.

When you start a fire crumple up several newspaper sheets
and put them in first, then add kindling, small sticks and
then bigger sticks on top of the newspaper like you would
build a log cabin. The bottom vent should be at least 1/2
open. Crumple another sheet of newspaper lay to the side or
on top of the pile, and light both. Shut the door. If
you get smoke into the room then you need to start the fire
with more newspaper to get the stove to draw immediately.

After the stove is going, go outside and look at the
chimney. Lots of smoke means that you need to open the air
control more; when burning correctly you should see very
little smoke. However, it may smoke for a bit every time
you add wood. Use any kind of wood you like, just be sure
it is dry (seasoned well).

You thermometer should run about 350 to 400. 500 is very
hot for a steel stove, so turn the air down. Depending on
the wood, stove placement, amount of wood burned, length of
stove pipe, etc., creosote build up may or may not be a
problem. Buy a brush and poles and clean the stove pipe to
avoid fires. I cleaned mine every two months when burning
our stove every day (often let it go out at night) during
six months. Some people need to clean theirs only once a
year. If you do get a chimney fire, you will hear it,
immediately close the air valves tight to cut oxygen to the
fire.

As one person pointed out, you need to keep a layer of ash
(about 1 inch thick) covering the bottom to protect the
bricks and improve the fire burn.

My father has a pot belly stove in his garrage. He wouldn't have put it in
if it wasn't up to code.

"George" wrote in message
...
From the Great White North:

Do you really have this stove in your garage? I don't think that is code
in
any country. Be very careful of other inflammable materials.

George
(Canada)

Uh, CO is the product of _incomplete_ combustion. A good draft fosters
complete combustion, creating Carbon _dioxide_ versus the combustible
monoxide.

Keep the door closed, after the chimney begins to draw, because you don't
want flying sparks to mess up your floor.

"George" wrote in message
...
From the Great White North:

The wood stove at my cottage has two vents:

Never, never, keep the door open when the fire is on. You will be nice and
pink when they find you, but it will be from carbon monoxide poisoning,
not
warmth!

"CW" wrote in message

My father has a pot belly stove in his garrage. He wouldn't have put it in
if it wasn't up to code.


Detached garage may be OK. National fire code forbids the use of solid
fueled heaters in attached garages. Our local shoppers paper used to print
the code in the ad section for wood/coal stoves. I've posted the particular
section here in the past but do not recall the regulations.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

Various posters have made very good suggestions...

If you feel a cold draft coming down the chimney, light
a sheet of paper and hold it near the flue opening. This will help it heat
and reverse the direction of the airflow. Otherwise just light the paper.

Just a point in this one when starting from a cold stove.

Check for the direction of the draft *before* you start filling the firebox
with paper/kindling/split stuff. In case you do have to use the method
described above to get the draft going up the chimney, it might take a
try or two to get things flowing in the correct direction.

If the draft is coming down the chimney:
Roll up a regular sized newspaper sheet (the kind when spread out is about
24" x 26"-30") diagonally. With the damper fully open, if there is one,
light the rolled up newsprint on one end, and put it up the chimney. Keep
a hold on the other end of the roll. As the rolled paper is burnt up, push it
up a bit more to keep the flame as high as you can get inside the chimney
flue.

Have second rolled up "tube" at the ready in case the first one is
consumed before the draft changes direction.

Depending on the force of the downward draft, and it appears to be a
function of the difference of the air temp inside and outside, it might
get a little smokey until the draft is going upwards.

By not having the firebox already filled with fuel, you get more
maneuvering ability during the reversal of the draft exercise, plus
removing the risk of the fuel starting in the firebox prematurely (ie,
the draft is still going in the wrong direction)

--
Think thrice, measure twice and cut once.

Sanding is like paying taxes ... everyone has to do it, but it is
important to take steps to minimize it.

There is only one period and no underscores in the real email address.



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Ever put up a carbon monoxide detector in the vicinity of a woodstove? It
goes off all the time.

I don't think you get complete combustion when the fire is starting or when
it is dying down.

George

"George" wrote in message
...
Uh, CO is the product of _incomplete_ combustion. A good draft fosters
complete combustion, creating Carbon _dioxide_ versus the combustible
monoxide.

Keep the door closed, after the chimney begins to draw, because you don't
want flying sparks to mess up your floor.

"George" wrote in message
...
From the Great White North:

The wood stove at my cottage has two vents:

Never, never, keep the door open when the fire is on. You will be nice
and
pink when they find you, but it will be from carbon monoxide poisoning,
not
warmth!

Ever put up a carbon monoxide detector in the vicinity of a woodstove? It
goes off all the time.

I don't think you get complete combustion when the fire is starting or when
it is dying down.

George

"George" wrote in message
...
Uh, CO is the product of _incomplete_ combustion. A good draft fosters
complete combustion, creating Carbon _dioxide_ versus the combustible
monoxide.

Keep the door closed, after the chimney begins to draw, because you don't
want flying sparks to mess up your floor.

"George" wrote in message
...
From the Great White North:

The wood stove at my cottage has two vents:

Never, never, keep the door open when the fire is on. You will be nice
and
pink when they find you, but it will be from carbon monoxide poisoning,
not
warmth!

"Phil Crow" wrote in message
m...
I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow


Am I doing this right?

Hmmm. This post and the answers got me to thinking. Something that is
always dangerous. Grew up with a wood stove and am still using wood. Thing
is I'm so use to doing it, that it require effort to actually expalin it.
Noticed you got a lot of good advice. One thing though. Make sure to get
the chminey cleaned yearly.

D. Mo

"Phil Crow" wrote in message
m...
I bought a wood stove for myself for Christmas (18Wx24Hx30D, with
firebrick lining) and now it's all installed per local fire codes.

There are two screw-cap type vents on the front of it, and I burned a
small fire in it on Tuesday as a kind of test drive. Armed with that
knowledge, I decided to burn a "real" fire in it tonight. I
understand the principles of operation of the wood burning stove.
However, I'm not sure I understand the 'nuts and bolts' of wood stove
use.

Do I light the fire and leave the door cracked until the wood (not
kindling) is burning well? I had my vents open all the way and the
door closed; the fire just smoldered. I opened the door, smoke got
all over the garage, I closed it. I opened it a crack and noticed
that the draft was drafting pretty hard, so I left the door open a
crack. About 2 minutes later, with a mild, uh, whoosh, flames
appeared. I let that burn for a while, then closed the door with the
vents wide open. By the way, she was a little warm at this point.

After that, I closed one vent completely and the other about half.
When things started to cool down, I started opening things up again,
until even leaving the door cracked open wouldn't revive the flames.
At this point, I choked it down all the way, and I've been checking on
it periodically to see what's happening with the fire. I suspect that
the fire will just go out completely (or very close to it) due to lack
of oxygen.

Did I do this right? I'm a little worried about creosote, but I'm
also worried that the stove is going to, I dunno, explode or something
if I burn it *too* hot. If any of you have some insight, I'd
appreciate it.

Thanks,

-Phil Crow


Am I doing this right?


I've been heating with wood for 15 years with several stoves and a found a
few things common to achieve success.
Dry wood is essential - green or unseasoned wood will burn but the stove
settings and efficiency will be far different. Dry wood will allow you to
close the vents a bit more. I burn only northern hardwood species.
The stove needs a source of combustion air. In a small or tight structure
the fire will starve for air. Competing air exhausting devices (fireplace,
bath and kitchen fans) will kill the draft. My answer for this on the
current stove is a duct that carries outside air right to the stove intake.
Both of the last two stoves worked best with a layer of ash on the bottom.
IMO, this plugged some hard to find airleaks and made the burn rate
variable, not just hot and hotter!
The current stove (2 story inwall masonry chimney) likes a flue temp at the
stove outlet of ~400 degrees F. If you can see through the steel pipe, the
fire's too hot!
Running a fire hot daily (with dry wood) for 15 minutes or more reduces the
chance for creosoting and chimney fires. It will also heat up the flue
enough to provide the needed draft. Extended open burning will warp the
iron if not lined with brick.
Efficiency-wise, you're better off with wood that is split smaller and
short, hot fires. Personally, I favor extended burn times and thus use
larger pieces. Over the course of the winter, I may have to restart the
fire 3 or 4 times total.

The settings that you use will depend on the stove design, and how the air
is supposed to circulate within. If you have a damper within the stove for
downdraft, opening it initially will allow a free burn.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...tove+operation

Your moniker reminds me - make big doobies out of newsprint and lathe/
planer shavings for a good light.

"Mo' Sawdust" wrote in message
...
Various posters have made very good suggestions...

If you feel a cold draft coming down the chimney, light
a sheet of paper and hold it near the flue opening. This will help it
heat
and reverse the direction of the airflow. Otherwise just light the
paper.

Just a point in this one when starting from a cold stove.

Check for the direction of the draft *before* you start filling the
firebox
with paper/kindling/split stuff. In case you do have to use the method
described above to get the draft going up the chimney, it might take a
try or two to get things flowing in the correct direction.

Didn't say it wasn't there, just iterated the undeniable, that it was the
product of incomplete combustion. To minimize, use procedures which favor
complete combustion, like proper drafting. When lighting, that means
maximum Oxygen.

As to detectors near an open door, I don't protect my stove from CO, I
protect my family. In a community where the majority still heat with wood,
I've been on two CO poisonings, both intentional, in the last twenty years.
Wanna know how many chimney fires from poorly-managed damping?

Gotta be over a hundred.

"George" wrote in message
...
Ever put up a carbon monoxide detector in the vicinity of a woodstove? It
goes off all the time.

I don't think you get complete combustion when the fire is starting or
when
it is dying down.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"CW" wrote in message

My father has a pot belly stove in his garrage. He wouldn't have put it in
if it wasn't up to code.

Detached garage may be OK. National fire code forbids the use of solid
fueled heaters in attached garages. Our local shoppers paper used to print
the code in the ad section for wood/coal stoves. I've posted the particular
section here in the past but do not recall the regulations.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

I don't know about national codes, but I do know that my
father had the builder install a chimney on the outside wall
of his attached garage of his new house (at least 10 years
ago) and installed a stove according to county code. Don't
really know why it would be more dangerous than having a gas
furnace or water heater in the garage, which is standard
here, or having the wood stove in the house.

"George E. Cawthon"

I don't know about national codes, but I do know that my
father had the builder install a chimney on the outside wall
of his attached garage of his new house (at least 10 years
ago) and installed a stove according to county code. Don't
really know why it would be more dangerous than having a gas
furnace or water heater in the garage, which is standard
here, or having the wood stove in the house.

Biggest problem with a solid fueled heater is that an ember can be hot and
ignite fumes even a couple of days after the stove has cooled to the touch.

Could be the stove is installed according to NFPA 211, but in the wrong
place.
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/Bioreng/pdf/152.pdf

I don't have the cite for the actual NFPA code at present.

Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

Biggest problem with a solid fueled heater is that an ember can be hot and
ignite fumes even a couple of days after the stove has cooled to the
touch.

No, the *biggest* problem with a solid fueled heater is that you have to
burn up so many turning blanks.

Not to mention all the sawing, splitting, stacking, sawing, splitting,
stacking, sawing, splitting, stacking...

Boy, burning wood used to suck.

Good heat though.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

"Silvan"
Not to mention all the sawing, splitting, stacking, sawing, splitting,
stacking, sawing, splitting, stacking...

Boy, burning wood used to suck.


If you get "free" wood, not so bad, but if you must buy it, oil is not all
that much more, Used to burn 3 to 5 cords a year. My wife is no longer able
to help due to her health. I find it very easy to turn the knob on the
thermostat.
Ed

Working on the basic Mother Earth News estimate that a cord of average
hardwood is equal to 150 gallons of fuel oil, wood seems cheap at the
$60/cord delivered price. Folks on propane backup _really_ prefer to tend
their stove.

Wood really does warm you several times, but I'll forgo the first two -
felling and limbing - in favor of delivery.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
. com...


"Silvan"
Not to mention all the sawing, splitting, stacking, sawing, splitting,
stacking, sawing, splitting, stacking...

Boy, burning wood used to suck.


If you get "free" wood, not so bad, but if you must buy it, oil is not all
that much more, Used to burn 3 to 5 cords a year. My wife is no longer
able
to help due to her health. I find it very easy to turn the knob on the
thermostat.
Ed

"George" wrote in message
...
Working on the basic Mother Earth News estimate that a cord of average
hardwood is equal to 150 gallons of fuel oil, wood seems cheap at the
$60/cord delivered price. Folks on propane backup _really_ prefer to
tend
their stove.

Wood really does warm you several times, but I'll forgo the first two -
felling and limbing - in favor of delivery.

Our references differ (Formulas, methods, tips, and data for home and
workshop) as does the cost of local wood.
Oil is 136,000 Btu per gallon or 13,600,000 per hundred.
Wood is listed a 12,500,000 per cord. Of course that will vary with type
and even how well it is stacked.

Most wood stoves in the past were less efficient that oil burners. That may
have changed but both are probably far ahead of figures from 10 years ago.

In my area, I can buy 100 gallons of oil for $110 to $130. Wood, delivered,
is about $90 to $125. As you get closer to the cities, like Boston, wood is
$150 to $200. For me, at these prices, it is just too costly to burn wood
considering all the labor involved When I bought my stove, oil was $130,
wood was $50. I used to add some wood first thing in the morning. Now the
programmable thermostat turns the heat up 15 minutes before I get out of
bed.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

You thermometer should run about 350 to 400. 500 is very
hot for a steel stove, so turn the air down. Depending on
the wood, stove placement, amount of wood burned, length of
stove pipe, etc., creosote build up may or may not be a
problem. Buy a brush and poles and clean the stove pipe to
avoid fires. I cleaned mine every two months when burning
our stove every day (often let it go out at night) during
six months. Some people need to clean theirs only once a
year. If you do get a chimney fire, you will hear it,
immediately close the air valves tight to cut oxygen to the
fire.

I too have just started heating my house with an air-tight wood insert
and everything is going great, but I looked down the chimney and
noticed a thin layer of hard/glazed creosote. We've only been burning
it for about three weeks (24/7) and I can't say for sure if the stuff
was there before we started running the insert (I knew I should have
checked), but I do recall there being glaze on the smoke chamber
before they installed it. We had a chimney sweep inspect the chimney
at the beginning of the season (before the insert was installed) and
he said it did not need cleaning yet, but he rendered it unsafe
because of cracked fire brick...that's why I bought the insert.

We have a "positive connect" to our existing 8x13 masonry fule tile
chimney which is code (we have a permit) in our area. Is all this
cause for immediate concern? The research I did on the web says the
"glaze-type creosote" is the most dangerous...should I just breakdown
and pay for a direct connect installation ($2,000+)? Like most, I
don't have a plethora of money, but my family's safety comes first.

There's no problem with draft and I have been able to use the controls
to good effect. The firebrick looks like the original color and the
glass is clear. In the beginning it did get a little brown but it
cleaned itself after my fire-making improved. I've been burning white
oak that has seasoned for less than one year and sometimes smells
sweet when I re-split it into smaller pieces. On the other hand it
does not sizzle a great deal and I have been keeping a nice bed of hot
coals and there is very little smoke during operation.

How much creosote is too much? The rule of thumb I read was more than
1/8 inch and it's time to schedule a cleaning. At the top of the
chimney there's a paper-thin buildup of that glaze stuff...am I
stressing over nothing? I need to be sure, because I want to sleep
well at night. I've read the Chimney Sweep's horror stories and they
freaked me out!

Thanks,
Chris

Chris Snyder asks:

I too have just started heating my house with an air-tight wood insert
and everything is going great, but I looked down the chimney and
noticed a thin layer of hard/glazed creosote. We've only been burning
it for about three weeks (24/7) and I can't say for sure if the stuff
was there before we started running the insert (I knew I should have
checked), but I do recall there being glaze on the smoke chamber
before they installed it. We had a chimney sweep inspect the chimney
at the beginning of the season (before the insert was installed) and
he said it did not need cleaning yet, but he rendered it unsafe
because of cracked fire brick...that's why I bought the insert.

snip

How much creosote is too much? The rule of thumb I read was more than
1/8 inch and it's time to schedule a cleaning. At the top of the
chimney there's a paper-thin buildup of that glaze stuff...am I
stressing over nothing? I need to be sure, because I want to sleep
well at night. I've read the Chimney Sweep's horror stories and they
freaked me out!


Get it cleaned. Have the sweep inspect the chimney as he cleans (he should
anyway). He can let you know if the build-up is too bad. In normal use, I used
to clean my chimneys at the start of the season, and halfway through if there
appeared to be any build-up. The one time I ignored that, I was sitting in the
LR with my (now) wife and her daughter when the chimney lit off. Amazing
sight. The yard was a bright orange and flames shot out the top of the chimney.
The fire department was there in about an instant, it seemed. The reason I
hadn't cleaned that chimney was simple: old, stone, no liner and I knew damned
well it was going to fail with no other source of heat in the house. And I was
rentiing from a nice couple who weren't about to spend an extra dime on the
place.

One consolation: once the chimney fire was out, the chimney was clean.

Charlie Self
If God had wanted me to touch my toes he would have put them higher on my body.

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

Get it cleaned. Have the sweep inspect the chimney as he cleans (he should
anyway). He can let you know if the build-up is too bad. In normal use, I used
to clean my chimneys at the start of the season, and halfway through if there
appeared to be any build-up.

That's quite a story! The Sweep is on the way...I think I'm going to
get the positive connect (SS liner to the top) so I can sleep well,
get the best performance, etc. Does anyone know where I can get a
temperature sensor for this kind of setup? I can get a magnetic type
that sits on top of the stove, but it seems like "exahust temp" is
more appropriate. This is a non-catilytic stove.

Thanks,
Chris

Wood stove sellers, maybe other stores, have a magnetic type
that attaches to the stove pipe. About 2 feet up from the
inlet is a good spot. Otherwise set on the stove next to
the stove pipe.

Chris Snyder wrote:

Get it cleaned. Have the sweep inspect the chimney as he cleans (he should
anyway). He can let you know if the build-up is too bad. In normal use, I used
to clean my chimneys at the start of the season, and halfway through if there
appeared to be any build-up.

That's quite a story! The Sweep is on the way...I think I'm going to
get the positive connect (SS liner to the top) so I can sleep well,
get the best performance, etc. Does anyone know where I can get a
temperature sensor for this kind of setup? I can get a magnetic type
that sits on top of the stove, but it seems like "exahust temp" is
more appropriate. This is a non-catilytic stove.

Thanks,
Chris