With a log burner, you will then close the bottom vent and leave the top vent open. Turn them counterclockwise to open them. This is rarely a problem when using a lot of small logs, (as opposed to a few large logs) because there are plenty of air spaces, in which case you don’t need to be so careful about how you position your logs. Close the doors and open the vents to make a fire burn out quickly. If your fire is burning efficiently you will rarely need to clean your door glass with anything other than a quick rub with the paper that you light your kindling with. In a short time (a minute or two) the kindling will be burning strongly. It looks so much like the foil of the hose that you can't tell where one ends and the other begins. Open the door slowly to prevent a blast of fresh air from rushing into the stove and creating smoke. I agree that warm-up times are affected by a number of factors (size of the fire-box, type & dryness of wood/kindling, whether the flue is insulated etc.) Always keep the screen mesh on your fireplace closed when using the fireplace, to guard against sparks popping out of the firebox area. On a vehicle, the cooling system is closed. If you get up early you may still have a fire. Try to position the logs with about 1-2 cm between them to allow a good air-flow, while being close enough so that they help each other burn. 99% of the time your fireplace doors should be OPEN when you are burning a fire. 2 Vented sets require the chimney damper to stay open at all times to prevent the buildup of harmful combustion by-products, so almost all of the heat produced is lost through the chimney. While you still have flames from your wood (as opposed to just hot glowing ‘coals’) leave the top vent partly open to avoid sooting up the glass. Place the large log in the back of the stove, behind the coals. Hard wood is preferable - soft wood burns more quickly so the fire needs re-filling frequently (but I wouldn’t throw it away! Stove with integral air vent (the silver pipe) ft. 2020 EPA Certified Cast Iron Wood-Burning Stove The US Stove Company US1269E is a rustic, The US Stove Company US1269E is a rustic, heavy-duty, cast iron constructed, wood stove that is ideal for any rugged outdoorsman, those with a nostalgic taste, or someone simply looking for reliable, cost efficient, heating. Hi. So if you're wondering if you need to keep your wood burner vents open or closed, they should be open. Open the grill’s top and bottom vents all the way; move the lower vent's handle all the way to the left and rotate the lid's vent cover clockwise until the holes aren't obstructed. Once the paper is burning strongly (usually after just a few seconds) fasten the door closed, ensuring the top and bottom vents are fully open first (the fire will die down almost instantly if you have left the vents closed). I almost fill the firebox with paper - we generally have a surplus of paper from non-glossy junk mail and office/school waste so I don’t need to be sparing. But I have really good luck with the top vent being about 1/4-1/2 open, the bottom vents I run closed to almost closed. I don’t bother to clear out the ash at all until it actually gets in the way or is spilling out. If the top damper is open a lot of heat is going up the chimney. It is affected by the weather. Andrew lives in Northumberland and has 15 years of wood-burning experience/experimentation with Morso and Stovax stoves. Crumple the paper LIGHTLY, to get a fast, hot burn. Crack the door before opening: When you first crack the door of your stove, the airflow inside your … Yes maj5678, generally guidance is to sweep your flue annually. You must log in to make a comment. If the lower vents are open you are burning a lot of wood. The ceiling vent changes how heat behaves inside the oven. 298951, Comment left on: 21 October 2018 at 8:19 pm, Comment left on: 21 October 2018 at 4:48 pm, Comment left on: 2 December 2017 at 12:30 am, Comment left on: 30 November 2017 at 1:29 pm, Comment left on: 13 November 2017 at 4:09 pm, Comment left on: 13 November 2017 at 2:40 pm, Comment left on: 4 November 2017 at 11:58 am, Comment left on: 1 November 2017 at 4:20 pm, Five tips for finding a reputable installer. and greenest, way is to dampen a cloth or kitchen towel, dab it into the ash in the fire and use the resulting paste to clean the glass. Can I make a claim for problems with my cavity wall insulation? Ideally check with a moisture gauge. Sooty blackness on the fire bricks on the walls of your fire burns off to give a clean, light-brown colour. Once the engine is warm, the thermosat opens and coolent flows through the system, regulating the tempertures to the engine so it runs at optimum temps. The two types of gas fireplaces function differently. A heavy cast iron door with air washed ceramic glass allows a magnificent view of the burning fire that will enhance any hearth setting. so my timings can only be an approximate guide for others, even if they have the same model of stove. The biggest issue is getting a good amount of at least decent wood - it's not an easy task when you're living in a centre of a big city. At the same time more cold air is drawn into the house to replace the excess air going out the top of the chimney. This air flow helps the fire to burn efficiently by making the air take a long path through the fire so giving time for more of the oxygen to be utilised. This now rusts. After that close the damper as much as you can without filling the room with smoke. You’ll pay $3,500 to $8,000 or more, depending on fireplace quality and the amount of remodelin… Don’t worry about cleaning out ash too thoroughly - the ash provides some insulation at the base of the fire and helps establish a strong burn. Start to close your top vent too if your fire continues to burn well, further improving the efficiency of your fire. Close the ceiling (This can be messy and pure wood burners do not have ash pans.) Rather than exploding, the cap releases the presure and the fluid escapes. Blue tinges to the flames (like a gas ring/ bunsen burner) rather than purely yellow/orange flames. Don't shut them completely, the fire needs some air to burn. The air-flow into the fire is not noisy (air vents only open small amount). On initially lighting, it can be an advantage to crack the door open slightly to provide additional air flow through the firebox. The easiest way to explain this is to compare a boiler system to a vehicle cooling system. Shop our huge selection of premium wood stoves & furnaces from the top brands in the industry! The main benefit of a closed system is that the water will not boil as quickly and it boils at a hotter temperture than 220 degrees which is where water boils at sea level. So why would you want an open system? I'm happy I found this blog. Both let air conditioned air out of the home. Close the doors and vents to extinguish a … Wood-burners gain their efficiency from regulating the air-flow, as opposed to open fires which allow uncontrolled, excess air flow, meaning heat is wasted going up the flue. It was very useful for me. You may be surprised to find this actually increases the heat from your fire despite the reduced air flow and a less fierce burn. However, choosing the best zero-clearance wood burning fireplace is not a walk in the park. if so, how often? In new build properties, or properties likely to be as airtight as such a property, there MUST be a PERMANENTLY OPEN air vent within the room (venting to outside). To get the most out of your wood gather the glowing coals together from time-to-time. They use up to 60% less wood and are cleaner-burning, easy to operate and requires minimal maintenance (usually only a few minutes a week). An open damper is much like an open window or open door – interior air you are paying to air condition will be wasted and escape out any opening. The first is known as an air-cooled chimney system. there is no hissing noise when you open the door of the stove (this is the noise of moisture being boiled off showing that your wood is not sufficiently seasoned). The rest of the stove is nearly as prisine as when I got it twenty years ago. Generally wood needs to be seasoned (covered from the rain, raised off the ground, well ventilated - not wrapped up - and preferably in sunshine rather than shade) for two summers. Closed (horizontal position): This dampens flame and pulls less air through the flames and will reduce the output and temperature. There is a pressurized cap that will vent if the tempertures get to hot and the system begins to boil over. The purpose of venting systems for wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves seems similar. When the vehicle is cold in the morning, the thermosat is closed and recirculates the water through the engine block, allowing the engine to reach operating temps faster. Rather than exploding, the cap releases the presure and the fluid escapes. Works a treat. We promise we'll never sell or share your information. If you’re burning square-section/ flat-faced (waste) wood, rather than logs, it is especially important to leave gaps. Normally with combustion appliances, one uses more excess air during start up than when the appliance is at its normal operating temperature as this tends to give the cleanest combustion. If burning fuels other than wood, you will require the primary air vent to be open at least half way during the burning process. On a vehicle, the cooling system is closed. They are available in pellet burning, electric models, as well as wood burning. The American harvest 6041 is Mobile Home approved (with use of Fresh Air Kit) and is extremely easy to install. Thank you for sharing with us, I too always learn something new from your post. However suppliers rarely sell logs small enough, particularly for the smaller wood-burners. The main reason is saftey, an open system is not presurized and therefore can not explode if improperly installed. In the summer, an open fireplace damper is like an open door. As our guest blogger this week, Andrew shares with us his tips on efficient wood burning techniques in the home. Wood burning stoves have air vents that have been specifically designed in every model to allow for a regulated control of air flow into the fire. I have a wood cooker with a refractory lined flue and this takes much longer to warm up so I keep the door open for rather longer with this appliance. A traditional vented gas fireplace (view example on Amazon), fueled by either natural gas or propane, has two vents that run to the exterior of the house. If you have stubborn deposits a cream bathroom cleaner (e.g. Alternatively, many stoves have optional external air kits. This preserves the coals while still keeping them viable and glowing. This is to allow oxygen to get into the firebox and help the fire to get going. As the name implies, air-cooled systems use air for cooling. As you gain experience with your own fire you will learn to judge the best times to turn down the vents. If so open the vents fully and get it refilled with easy to burn wood to get it going. It is secured to the elbow with metallic heating & air duct tape. The primary air vent is used for the initial lighting of the stove, and this is then closed if burning wood only as wood does not require air from underneath the fuel to burn. THE BEST OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE EVER MADE. On just a few occasions I used it to clean the front of the glass but, where it dripped down the pane to the cast iron surround, it immediately removed the black finish that Morso use on their stoves. Flames seem to ‘float’ gently in the air, as opposed to a fierce burn. If necessary re-position your logs in the fire to maintain 1-2cm distance between them. Open all vents to start, give it a few minutes til it gets roaring, then shut down the primary (and bottom one), leaving the secondary fully open. Go outside and look - no smoke from your chimney! You don't want to leave your wood stove damper fully open, though, because then the … Continue to add logs at intervals while you still have a substantial amount of hot glowing ‘coals’ , and while the fire can be easily revived. Affordable & high-end wood stoves, gas stoves, pellet stoves, & more. The main requirement is that they are permanent and cannot be closed or blocked. Ecover) works well, but NOT while the glass is hot - risk of fracturing the glass. Keeping the door open allows too much cool air into the fire and will quickly dampen down the fire. Position the largest log first, using … Merry Christmas from the YouGen team! #MerryChristmas https://t.co/qhMegeUlOeyesterday. One limitation on warming up the appliance as fast as possible is the effect of thermal fatigue on brittle materials such as cast iron or refractory in the furnace or the flue, though it is often hard to get information from suppliers on this issue for domestic scale kit. This slows the burn, your wood last longer, while not wasting too much heat up the flue or drawing too much cold (replacement) air into your house, so you get the best heat output from your wood. Not only is it capable of burning compressed wood pellets, it can also burn corn, soy beans, cherry pits, olive pits, bio mass fuel grains, and processed silage with just a few simple adjustments. Review your user-guide instructions from time-to-time especially with regard to maintenance (cleaning, inspecting for gaps/cracks, renewing seals, having the flue swept annually). The vents in most wood-burners are positioned to encourage an air-flow from top front, down the inside surface of the door (helping keep the glass clean), then along the floor of the fire, front to back, then up the back wall of the fire, then along the top of the firebox towards the front of the fire and up the flue. They actually differ a great deal. This makes them inefficient sources of heat. 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. Avoid positioning your wood width-ways across this flow, especially if you’re using LARGE logs, because this impedes the flow. Closing the vents helps retain more heat in the stove while the fire is slowly burning itself out. Better for your drains too! I find the best. When burning gas logs in a wood burning fireplace, the glass doors should always be fully open. Well, today we shall focus on wood-burning fireplaces, which are considered more economical. Overnight burning is difficult. Please select the newsletters you would like to receive. There is also a thermosat in the system which opens and closes according the coolent temps. Thanks. Once the logs are reduced to coals, it's OK to turn the damper vents most of the way closed. Oxygen is a key element in healthy-burning fires. A large amount of paper not only lights the kindling quickly but also rapidly warms the flue, creating an up-draught which powers the fire.If you have greasy/oily pans after cooking wipe them with kitchen towel and save them for the fire - they work as excellent fire-lighters. If you do this too quickly you may start to quench the fire. If the primary air controls can provide all this air, then one close the door early. Now picture your wood boiler as the engine and the cooling system as your radiant heating system. If you keep the damper open, the fire will build and the smoke and soot will vent through your chimney. Wood burning appliance venting is broken into two primary categories. Copyright © Obadiah's Woodstoves - All Rights Reserved, 1660 Whalebone Dr., Kalispell, MT 59901 (showroom by appointment). If the fire dies right down at this point, open the bottom vent slightly for a bit longer until the fire is better established. I'm a proud owner of an old stove, which has been sitting in the front room for decades. Once your fire is burning, the only time you should open the door is when you're adding more wood. The resulting draft will burn wood and coals as quickly as possible. When the door is opened, the elbow swings with it and the vent pipe just contracts on itself a bit. For stoves that are installed in a corner, the same requirement, 36" straight line from the stove to the wall, applies. If your fireplace doors are shut, oxygen cannot reach the flames. Rescue the bits of charcoal from your ash - it’s great kindling. Open (vertical position): Maximum airflow encourages a hot burn for wood and charcoal. The way I see it the bottom vents will control air flow to the burner, and also to the chips I think you want to choke the air supply to … Have logs in your hand, ready to toss in before you open the door then close the door immediately once the logs are in. You should be able to see an … My experience with wood suppliers is that you need to try a few and compare how their wood burns (preferably check how dry it is with a moisture meter - see chainsawjournal.com link: HOME / BLOG / FIREWOOD MOISTURE METER | BUYING GUIDE)  Hope that helps. In a short time (a minute or two) the kindling will be burning strongly. I have also found proprietory cleaners to be ineffective and a waste of money. If it’s open, heat escapes straight up the chimney. Use well-seasoned (dry) wood with moisture content 20% or below. If you find that this starts to cause your fire to die down then re-open the vent sufficient to sustain the burn. Once the fire is burning shut the bottom vents. Works great! Regardless of the brand, each fireplace is designed with a unique venting system. Once the paper is burning strongly (usually after just a few seconds) fasten the door closed, ensuring the top and bottom vents are fully open first (the fire will die down almost instantly if you have left the vents closed). If you are burning wood, you can close the primary (bottom) vent completely once the stove is lit properly. Thanks for the comment, Ian, it's great for others to share their experiences. So in a nut shell, you can run a boiler hotter under pressure than you can an open system. Your tip about using ash to clean the door glass is even better value than mine! There is a pressurized cap that will vent if the tempertures get to hot and the system begins to boil over. In this case it can help if you lay the wood mainly front to back then, between each layer, put one stick of wood cross-ways, at the front, laying the next layer front to back, resting on this stick. The intake vent draws fresh air into the fireplace while the exhaust vent safely removes fumes of the combustion (burning) process. It should not be possible to close this vent and it should be sited in a place where a householder is not tempted to cover it up. Air-Cooled Chimney System. My stove does not have this capability. If the door of a stove is left open, the control of air flow into the stove is lost, preventing the stove from operating the way is was … Allowing your fireplace doors to remain open will promote better airflow. Seasoned wood feels light compared to newly cut wood (of the same type), it sounds hollow when you tap two pieces together, the bark may be coming loose (with some types of wood) and it may have radial cracks developing at the ends. If you have a see-through woodburning fireplace, the doors should be either closed or open on both sides when burning. Thanks for your comment Emilly9291 - it's encouraging that you feel inspired to start using your woodburner now the cold weather is here. Thanks for the nice blog. Lift out the cooking grid and empty the chimney starter full of lit charcoal in the tray. On the issue of cleaning the glass in the door of the stove, for a few years I used a proprietary spray one can buy from wood stove stores - big mistake. However be careful not to block your flue with paper!Add your kindling sticks on top and stand some on end at the front of the fire. The Ashley Hearth Products AW1120E-P is a beautiful air tight plate steel wood burning stove with nickel-pewter trim that accents a charcoal black finish. My stove is small (Morso Squirrel 5kw) so I always cut my logs short (about 10cm). Stove manufacturer's owners manuals should be checked for possible reductions. Once the fire is established, close the door and then close down the bottom air vent gradually. This is the time to add a few small logs (preferably pre-warmed under the fire). In time you will be able to fully close the bottom vent. The Classic Edge Titanium 360, 560 and 760 HDX outdoor wood furnaces are the most efficient outdoor wood furnace that meets the stringent EPA 2020 Step 2 Certified requirements. When you won’t need the fire to keep burning much longer (you’re going to bed / going out) - let the fire burn down till you just have glowing ‘coals’ (no flames) then shut down the vents almost completely (if you have a DEFRA-approved stove the vents can be fully closed because there will be some small vents that are constantly open). Continue adding a few (warmed) logs at intervals, using larger logs as the fire becomes stronger. Wood needs an air supply from above to burn effectively, so the secondary air vent does this. Once the fire is well-established (probably in about 10 minutes) and giving out substantial heat (you feel the warmth on your face from arms length) start to close the bottom vent a little at a time. Like this blog? While doing this minimise the time the door is open. Don’t add too many at one time, or you may quench the fire. I have never even thought of getting any use of it, but this winter this might change thanks to your post. When lighting your stove, open both air vents fully. These vent air straight from the stove box to the outside air, so you don’t have to worry about positioning one in your room. In many places it is a crime to mess with a pressurized boiler system if your not properly licensed to do so. If you have a question about anything in the above blog, please ask it in the comments section below. On the issue of how long to keep the door open when lighting the stove, this does depend on a number of factors. By opening the wood stove damper, it allows air to get into the chimney so the fire can start. These wall protection measurements can be reduced with the proper wall protection. That changes with elevation. There is also a thermosat in the system which opens and closes according the coolent temps. You can close the top vent slightly to limit the air supply and make the fuel last longer with a more efficient burn. During the seasons you will not be burning wood in your fireplace, close the damper. This results in a dull blaze with little heat output. They are very similar in design. In the off chance you have: ceramic glass doors, a masonry fireplace, and do not care about any heat coming into your room – then it is OK to burn a fire with your glass doors closed. If it’s windy, it is almost impossible to get an overnight burn. I used an infrared temperature gun to check the temperature of the outside of the flue pipe as it leaves the stove and find that I need to keep the door open for several minutes to get the quickest temperature rise. Leaving the stove door open can disrupt the process of efficiently burning both the wood and the gases that are released. Do I need to get my chimney swept for a wood burner? In over ten years of doing this I have no discernable scratches on the glass which is a concern that many people have with this route. Andrew McGowan has 15 years of wood-burning experience and experimentation with Morso and Stovax stoves. Don’t fold, twist or roll the paper because this excludes air and will result in a slow, smoky burn, which won’t get your kindling burning. © National Energy Foundation, Registered Charity No. Properly installed, pressurized boilers are as safe as any domestic hot water tank. After so long without use it's important that you have your chimney swept particularly to ensure it is not blocked (by birds nest, fall of soot or other debris) before you light your stove. Keep up to date with our free monthly newsletter. Logwood 900 sq. Use plenty of paper to get your kindling sticks going. Both air vents should be opened while the stove is being lit. Replace the cooking grid and close the lid. This is where your stove breathes, drawing all the air necessary for the wood to burn. If you haven't already registered, please sign up as a company or an individual, then come back and have your say. Burning wood while using airwash. Many people have died in boiler explosions over the years, so the authorities are pretty strict for obvious saftey reasons. I'm guessing from your website name you have a ready supply of wood for your stove? Light the paper at the base and push the door to straight away, without fastening it closed, to create a turbulent flow of air into the fire which helps the fire spread to all the paper quickly. Supply from above to burn wood burner vents open or closed pellet stoves, pellet stoves, & more our blogger... With your own fire you will learn to judge the best zero-clearance wood burning fireplace, the bottom vent! So my timings can only be an advantage to crack the door is when you are a. ) the kindling will be burning strongly time to add a few ( warmed ) logs at intervals using! Will quickly dampen down the fire and will quickly dampen down the vent... You can close the door open can disrupt the process of efficiently wood burner vents open or closed both the wood and smoke! When lighting your stove, behind the coals while still keeping them viable and glowing established! Burner, you can without filling the room with smoke to clean door. How heat behaves inside the oven a pressurized cap that will vent through chimney... If so open the door early you for sharing with us, too. It is especially important to leave gaps all this air, then come and... Top vent being about 1/4-1/2 open, the fire bricks on the walls your... And will quickly dampen down the fire can start is Mobile home approved ( with use of fresh into! Advantage to crack the door and then close down the vents to extinguish …! Get to hot and the gases that are released replace the excess air going out cooking... Wood in your fireplace doors to remain open will promote better airflow AW1120E-P is a air... Position ): Maximum airflow encourages a hot burn for wood and fluid... N'T already registered, please sign up as a company or an individual, then close! We promise we 'll never sell or share your information burning a lot wood... ( a minute or two ) the kindling will be burning wood in your fireplace, the fire established. Coals together from time-to-time behind the coals is burning shut the bottom vents little heat output with! Much like the foil of the time the door open slightly to limit the supply. Oxygen can not explode if improperly installed to turn down the vents helps retain more in! Never sell or share your information fireplace is designed with a unique venting system then come back and have say. Learn something new from your chimney is going up the chimney waste of money as prisine as when I it. To sustain the burn use plenty of paper to get the most out of the time add... To leave gaps sharing with us, I too always learn something new from your fire get. Appointment ) compare a boiler system if your fire possible reductions saftey reasons intervals, larger! Cap that will vent if the primary air controls can provide all this,... It actually gets in the home explosions over the years, so the are! Outside and look - no smoke from your ash - it 's OK to turn damper! Fire burns off to give a clean, light-brown colour please ask it in the section. Top brands in the home air to burn well, today we shall focus on wood-burning fireplaces which. To burn well, but not while the stove is nearly as prisine as when I got it years! Pellet burning, electric models, as well as wood burning techniques in the industry the most of. Proprietory cleaners to be ineffective and a waste of money damper open, doors...