How to Use a Wood Stove

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A wood stove is a cozy way to heat up a room or an entire house, but using one can be frustrating if you’ve never done it before. The important things to remember are that you want a hot and fast fire, which is most efficient, and that fire needs oxygen in order to burn. It’s also important that you never leave a fire unattended, and never let children play near the wood stove.

Starting a Fire in a Wood Stove

Add a few logs of wood that have dried for about 6 months.
Open all the control valves to allow oxygen flow.
Add some kindling, like newspaper.
Use a match or lighter to set the kindling on fire.
Close the door and adjust the valves to keep the fire going.
Add new logs as needed.

Part 1 of 3:

Starting a Fire

If you don’t have the manual for your stove, check the manufacturer’s website for a copy.

Creosote is a combination of chemicals made up of unburned fuel. This material can build up in your chimney and can lead to chimney fires.
In terms of type of wood, you can choose between hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods that come from deciduous trees are denser and produce a hotter and longer burn, so they're ideal for cold winters. Softwoods are less dense, so they produce a cooler fire that’s great for cool spring or fall nights. [2] X Research source
Fireplace wood can be found at many convenience stores, gas stations, hardware stores, grocery stores, garden centers, wood suppliers, and online.

The primary source of air in many wood stoves is an air intake under the grate that provides oxygen to the fire bed. Many wood stoves will have a lever under or beside the door that controls this valve.
Stoves may also have a secondary air valve above the firebox to provide oxygen to the flames, as well as a damper that opens and closes the flue.

Crumple up five or six pieces of newspaper. Make sure the paper is dry.
Place the newspaper balls into the center of the firebox.
Lay up to 15 pieces of kindling on top of the paper. Make sure the pieces of wood are dry and small. [4] X Research source

Leave the door to the wood stove open for about five minutes to ensure the fire gets enough fresh air. [5] X Research source
As the paper burns, it will ignite the kindling pieces on top, and this will get the fire going.

When you add wood to the fire, loosely stack the logs so that air can surround them as much as possible.
Close the door most of the way, but leave it unlatched for about 15 minutes to prevent the fire from being smothered as it establishes itself. [6] X Research source
Once the fire is fully established, after about 15 minutes, you can close and latch the door.

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Keeping a Fire Burning

Once your fire is burning, the only time you should open the door is when you're adding more wood. [7] X Research source
Open the door slowly to prevent a blast of fresh air from rushing into the stove and creating smoke.
Keeping the door closed will also prevent sparks and embers from shooting out, and this is important because these can cause burns or start fires.

When those logs have burned down and are mostly embers with some visible flame, then it’s time to add more logs. [8] X Research source
Don’t add more than five logs at a time. Adding too much wood at once will partially smother the fire and leave fuel unburned, and this leads to smoke and creosote buildup.

Close the air valve levers so that they're open about one-third of the way. This includes the primary air, secondary air, and the damper.
Never close the secondary air valve or damper completely. This can lead to tar, soot, and creosote buildup in the chimney. [10] X Research source

There are many stovetop fans you can buy that sit on top of the wood stove and blow the heat outward.

Keep children and pets away from the stove when there's a fire burning. The metal of the woodstove will be extremely hot, and can cause burns. The easiest way to keep kids and animals away from the stove is to install a fence or safety gate around it.
Keep all combustible materials at least 3 feet (90 cm) away from the wood stove. This includes fuel, kindling, papers and books, and furniture.
Have a fire extinguisher installed in the same room as the wood stove.
To have an overnight fire, open the air valves and add some large pieces of hardwood to the fire. Let the fire burn for about 25 minutes, and then close the valves to their regular spot. This will prevent smouldering, which leads to smoke and creosote buildup. [12] X Research source
Let the fire die out naturally rather than throwing water on it. Once the fire has died down and there are only embers left, you can leave the fire to die out on its own.

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Cleaning and Maintaining the Wood Stove

Wood that’s wet, green, painted, or pressure treated
Garbage
Plastic
Cardboard
Coal
Particle board or plywood
Wood pellets
Gas, lighter fluid, or any other fuel

Always leave a one-inch (2.5-cm) layer of ash in the bottom of the fireplace for insulation. [14] X Research source
Never clean out the ashes right after a fire. Wait at least 24 hours to give the ashes time to cool completely. [15] X Research source

When you’ve scrubbed the inside, vacuum out any ash and soot from around the base of the stove.

The best time to have your chimney swept is before summer, because heat and humidity can mix with carbon residue and create acids that eat away at your wood stove components.
You should also inspect your wood stove regularly for rust, cracks, and other signs of damage. [16] X Research source

Community Q&A

Is a wood burning stove safe on a park home site? Community Answer

Yes, they're safe everywhere, provided they're installed correctly and cleaned religiously. However, the park may not allow them. So, obtain permission and any specific guidelines first.

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I have a Timberline wood stove, and I need to take down the stove pipe to clean it. How do I get that down? It has two 90 degree angles in it.

Community Answer

If you've never done it before, then call a chimney cleaning company and have them clean it. There are many different types of piping and connecting methods. Pay close attention to what they do to handle yourself in the future. The entire pipe must be cleaned regularly, which is determined by your frequency of use. Ask for a suggested cleaning interval based on your use and types of wood or other fuel used.

To minimize the release of hot gases, do I have the damper fully open or partly closed? David Webb Community Answer

When you first light the fire, it is best to have the damper fully open. Once the fire is burning consistently, set the damper at about halfway. This allows enough oxygen for the fire to burn hot without flaring and burning too quickly. If you want the fire to burn overnight, you can put some larger wood on and get it burning properly, then close the damper to slow the burn right down. In the morning, you should be able to rake out the coals and add some kindling to get it going again.