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Easy Ways To Build A Fire In A Wood Burning Stove


Building a fire in a wood burning stove can sometimes be a struggle. One of the keys in starting the first fire of the day is to ensure that you have a good coal bed. This will help your wood burning stove to perform at its best. Create a fire that gives you cherry-red coals in a layer of one to two inches. Spread them across the fire box surface. Just be patient and keep your focus on getting your kindling and wood assembled.

Take full advantage of your wood burning stove and build an effective fire by following these simple tips and advice.

1. Pre-season your wood outdoors at least 6 months before the day you plan to burn it. The best time of the year to do so is during the hot, dry summer season. You’d know that your wood is properly seasoned when it appears darker, emits a hollow sound when it is hit with another piece of wood, and shows cracks in the end grain.

2. Remember to store wood outdoors. Stack your wood neatly off the ground while keeping the top part covered.

3. When starting a fire, use dry kindling and a clean newspaper.

4. Aim at burning fires that are bright and hot. When the weather is milder, you can opt for smaller fires.

5. Allow the fire to burn down to coals. Next, create a mound by raking the coals and moving them toward the wood stove door and the air inlet. Avoid spreading the coals flat.

6. When reloading your wood stove, remember to add at least three pieces of wood with each reload. Add wood on and behind the pile of hot coals. Likewise, avoid adding just a single log at a time.

7. Remove ashes regularly from the wood burning stove into a metal container. Put a cover and store the wood burning stove outdoors.