QA

How Do Wood Stoves Work

How does a wood burning stove heat a house?

Rising heat causes the fan blades to turn, and as they do, the fan pushes that heat outward into the room. In some homes heated by a wood stove, there are multiple fans running at once in different rooms, each strategically positioned to maximize heat flow.

Is a wood burning stove a good idea?

A wood burning stove can be worth it alone for the increased heat output from your fires compared to using open wood burning fireplaces, and you’ll save on firewood costs in the long run because you can control the fire more effectively in a wood stove to burn more slowly and efficiently.

Can you run a wood stove all day?

In an extended fire, you load large pieces of wood into your wood burning stove, tightly packed, so the fire slowly spreads from log to log, extending your burn for 6 to 8 hours or more. You won’t need to reload any time soon. This sort of burn maintains a low, steady heat that can stay burning all night.

Should I leave door open on wood burning stove?

Wood burning stoves are not designed to be used with the door open. You can use a wood burning stove with the door open but doing so will lose the control of the air flow into the stove, making it operate less efficiently and sending more heat up the chimney rather than out into the room.

Can a wood stove heat a room?

With the right information and approach, a wood burning stove can be used to heat not just the room it sits within, but an entire home. Each fine detail, from the way you stack the logs to the placement of your stove, can change the efficiency with which your fire burns.

What is the handle at the bottom of my wood stove?

The handle looks like coiled wire. This is a flue vent to control how much air passes over the fire and up the stove.

Can you leave a wood burner on overnight?

Finally, some people wonder whether it is safe to leave their wood burning stove on overnight. The safest option is to fully extinguish your stove fire when you go to bed at night. Leaving a burning fire unattended is rarely a good idea – we all know how quickly a few flames can get out of hand.

Does closing the damper on a wood stove?

By opening the wood stove damper, it allows air to get into the chimney so the fire can start. If you keep the damper open, the fire will build and the smoke and soot will vent through your chimney. By closing the damper, it will reduce the oxygen levels in the chimney, and you’ll have a longer fire.

How far does a wood stove need to be from a wall?

Wood frame walls covered with dry wall are considered combustible. If no wall protection is used, the common radiant-type stove or heater must be spaced out at least 36 inches from the wall. This distance may be reduced considerably if asbestos millboard and/or 28 gage sheet metal is used for wall protection.

Where should I place my wood stove?

A wood stove can go through a lot of wood! You’ll want to find a space where there’s room to keep a bit of firewood nearby, reducing trips outside. However, you may also want to put your woodstove near an entrance to your home, so you can easily get more wood from outside.

How long will a wood stove last?

The average life of a wood-burning stove is 10 to 20 years.

Can you burn pine in a wood stove?

Perhaps you’ve been told the same thing: don’t burn pine in your fireplace or wood stove. The common explanation is that pine creates a dangerous soot buildup in the chimney, called creosote. While true, it’s not entirely accurate. Pine does have a place in your wood stove or even your fireplace.

Can a wood stove cause carbon monoxide poisoning?

It’s also the most dangerous and deadly. The direct answer to the question above is: yes. Your gas, pellet or wood burning stove, insert or fireplace will produce carbon monoxide. All heating appliances should be vented to the outside.

Does burning wood give off carbon monoxide?

When wood is burned, the combustion reaction produces heat and emissions in the form of water, organic vapors, gases, and particulates. The emissions of most concern are carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Can you smell a wood burning stove?

If you have a certified wood stove that was installed by a professional, the smell of smoke is a sign that something is amiss. Smoke in the house can lead to respiratory problems for the occupants. It can also be a sign of graver danger. A certified wood stove should never smell like smoke [source: EPA].

Does wood burn better on a bed of ash?

Wood burns better on a layer of ash because the ash helps to insulate the warmth and also helps to reflect the heat back onto further pieces of wood. It can also take a while for firebox surrounds to heat up from cold, and so a bed of ash can help to get the fire going more quickly.

Does a wood stove burn hotter with the damper open or closed?

Optimal temperatures vary by house. As a rule, the “operating” mode for a damper is about one-fourth of the way open. This keeps smoke and air flowing through the firebox and out the chimney. The smaller the opening, the more smoldering and less fire you will have.