How to start a wood Stove without it smoking? (My tips and Tricks)
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
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Watch as Trevor gives some tips on how to start a fire for your wood burning stove. Starting a fire for a wood stove can be challenging and you have the risk of smoking out your home. Watch as Trevor gives you some tips and we also gget some from our salesman, Randy! Be sure to leave a comment, like, and subscribe. Thanks for watching!
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....Bro, ..ignore the hate-filled trolls, you got this. You're vids are a blessing to us all, now I feel bad busting on those man-capris in a previous.., so now I'm encouraging you, thanks for all these vids for sure!
Thanks!
Excellent info! I like the way you build a fire. One thing though I would point out is that excess air (in the beginning with the door open) also cools the box. Therefore pinching off the air inlet with the door cracked reducing that excess air cooling effect and gets closer to "stoichiometric ratio" where you have just the right amount of O2 for combustion. That is where you get maximum heat. But also during that first phase of reducing air flow with the door pinched is where the chimney can also get very very hot and in some cases can lead to a chimney fire. I have seen it and it can be scary. That is when I learned my lesson of leaving the door cracked almost closed too long. You guys are great. Wish I had this info when I first started using my cast iron stove about 40 years ago.
Woah thats crazy how that happened! thanks for watching.
You have a really poor attitude , I was over looking it until the comment about guys in the hills ,
You seem to have a very childish preconceived idea that people who don't live in the city /town are ignorant .
I will be blocking your channel and hope to never see you again .
Bravo for mentioning stoichiometrics! It's good to have some understanding of scientific principles to underpin things - it's much more satisfying to be able to explain WHY something works rather than having to fall back - as most do - on folk-lore "I've done it a hundred times - it just works this way".
Something everyone is agreed on is that the aim for a newly-lit fire is to get it hot (for combustion efficiency and reduced pollution) as soon as reasonably possible, and to do this, getting the firebox and even moreso the flue warm is vital.
But few realise that the cooling effect of a huge rush of (relatively cold) room air through an open fire door will counterbalance the minimal heat rising from a tiny just-lit fire. So it is better in the first minute or two to match the supply to the small initial requirements, so that the first couple of pieces of kindling alight deliver their heat to other neighbouring kindling/small wood, rather than have it torn up into a cavernous chimney where it will have negligible useful effect.
As more small pieces of wood catch, so the air requirement increases, and the increased volume of wood alight sets in motion a second process that profoundly affects the air requirement: rising temperature of the fuel (not yet the firebox). As wood is heated, it gives off volatile chemicals - it is these burning which gives the flame for all of the early part of the burn of a fuel charge. And these volatiles come off in a huge rush from softwood shortly after it catches fire - giving an early, high and also short-lived peak in air requirement - which is the reason why inattentive or ignorant stove users who miss this get blackened glass and chimney deposition at this stage of a burn.
I suspect that in this is the reason why it appears empirically to be better (in an area burning all softwoods) to leave the stove door wide open - you don't miss the peak of air demand.
We often leave our woodstove door cracked to help a lagging fire and wondering if I understood your post correctly. Is leaving the door cracked dangerous? Or is it that you shouldn’t leave it cracked open for longer than a certain amount of time or after the fire has achieved a certain temperature? Thanks for your post and curious to know more.
I have a new Vermont Casting Dauntless and I always leave the doors cracked open when starting my fire. My old cast iron fireplace could be loaded from the front and side and was designed to operate fully closed or with the front doors fully open with a screen. My experience with the old one that got me into trouble was when I left the side door cracked too long and made the stove pipe get way to hot. Have not had the problem with the Dauntless yet. @@rbb2292
I've been burning wood for 45 years and I learned something from your video. Thank you.
Glad to help!
Great job, clear explanation. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together.
When I first used my Original Vermont Castings stove 40 years ago I had a problem getting it to draft very well. I have 18ft of single wall and 8ft. of triple wall piping, so I should have excellent draft. I built my home very airtight and that was my problem, I just cracked the nearest window to my stove and the draft was immediate. I later installed an air intake pipe to the back of the stove to the outside of the house. The original Vermont Castings air tight Dutchwest stoves came with this small removable plate on the back of the stove for this purpose.
Nice! Great info.
You got yours when they were still affordable 😁 waiting for the 3 guys I had to hire to help me get my woodstove up 6 stairs into my home and hook it up for me so my hearth is just sitting here , the imperial heat shields I got for a steal had the backing damaged so I added 1/2 durock now my screws for the spacer kit are to short lol geez if it isn’t one thing it’s another but getting those up this week praying these guys will be able to come and install for me and it not be raining but sunshine.
Thanks a lot. Just when I’m trying to understand why my log burner blew back so much smoke in room. Very useful advises, watching from 🇬🇧.👍
Glad to help! We appreciate the support.
Thanks for the tips! I just installed a wood stove to help offset my heating oil bills and I'm a total newbie at this. Sorry about the trolls, they are unhappy people that want to make others feel like they do. Misery loves company as the old saying goes.
Glad we could help!
Trevor, this is the best video I’ve seen on the entire Internet you explain it absolutely perfect but I have to tell you after having had the Hearthstone Heritage’s regular. I’m so sorry that I got the catalytic converter but thank you so much for your video. I watched it at least 25 times.
wow thats awesome! So glad to help.
Trevor, thank you for the video. I recently had a Shelburne stove installed and expected that I could light and close the door and sit back. Wrong! House smelled like a sausage factory! It is amazing how a cold flue just stops the smoke from rising. I should have watched your video first. Now when I take my time lighting it up, much as you presented, it is so much more enjoyable and less smokey in the house. I am looking forward to keeping the firebox going 24/7 this winter. The upside will be fewer cold flue start-ups. How much of the ash should you remove from the firebox when using the stove in a more or less continuous manner? Obviously, you need to put the ash/coals in a metal container and remove them from the house to the outside away from flammables. Your video should be required for ALL new stove owners. Your explanation of the pitfalls was superb. Ignore the trolls. They think that their way is the ONLY way.....and of course, they must be correct, because I saw it on the internet, right?! NOT!!!
thanks for watching!
Great video. I'm surprised you're not using the upside down fire: it does usually work to avoid pushing a cold plug up the flue, and also has the advantage that you don't have to open the door until the logs have burned down, rather than just kindling - so you maintain the heat in that initial period. But each to his own - you know what you get on with best!
Good tip!
Once I discovered the upside down method I never looked back. A variation on it with a V gap on top in the middle filled with tinder/kindling can work even better.
I've been doing the top-down burn and as counterintuitive as it seems, it works out much, much better for me.
nice!
Thank you so much for your video. I learned a lot on how to more efficiently light my new stove (I'm brand new to this). Very grateful to you.
No problem at all! Thanks for watching. More stove videos incoming.
It's nice to have different ways to do things, stubborn people don't get that! Not all stove works the same, just like most things.
Great video!👍🏻
Thank you Angie
Im going to tell you in a very mean way... YOU DID A GREAT JOB! Thanks!
Thanks for watching
Nice video. Smokeless starting. It may sound weird but I use a small metal tray with 6 - 8 tea light candles. I get them all lit and put it in the stove/insert. IN about 5 minutes, the cold downdraft is gone, there was no smoke (tea lights are smokeless) and so I pull out the tray, blow out the candles and then build my fire.
Nice! If it works it works!! Thanks for watching.
Thank you. I am thinking of getting one but am scared of fires and don’t know anything about starting a fire. So this was really comforting.
great to help!
Have you tried an "upside down" fire? I saw some video with that in the caption, and I was intrigued. Put the big wood on the bottom like your friend said, but with smaller wood and then kindling on top. The fire lights fast, and grows hotter as embers fall into the bigger wood. 🙂
Nice thats a good idea. We will have to try it weve been firing up that hearthstone a lot this winter.
Hello I am not a troll😊 I enjoy your videos. I am learning something watching your videos. I am fairly new at woodstoves. Thank you for the videos.
Glad to help we appreciate the nice comment 😁
Thanks for sharing this info! We just bought a house with a wood stove and struggle to get it going. We've been using old flyers but all it does is smoke the house out. We'll be picking up some fire starter and hopefully that helps.
Glad to help!
This is awesome. I have a small new stove and reading the directions on my stove I wasn't sure how to do what it said. You covered it! Thank you Elaine
Glad I could help!
Our new house has an antique silver oak cast iron wood stove. Have only started it twice with some obvious errors. Thank you for this video! Hope these help us not smoke out our house again 😆
I'm glad we could help! We will be working our stove more this winter creating more vidoes. Have a great burn season 😁
I use a similar method as you, making a teepee with bunched newspaper and /or newspaper & cardboard beneath. Before i ignite the combustibles below, i roll a bunch of newspaper sheets into a cone...flaired at the end. I'll place that on top towards the back of the flue and ignite that 1st before lighting the bottom layer. That 'cone' throws alot of heat and gets the draft going pretty quick... After that I'll close the door leaving a 1/4" or so gap. I've never had smoke or a burning smell in my home using this method...even in below zero days
Nice! That sounds liek a great way to get the stove going!
Great information, thank you
Thanks
I prefer to burn hardwood/softwood combo because burning hardwood only is very tough for firepit because it burns so hot.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video! Your videos have inspired me to get a wood stove next spring!
nice!
Guys try the Top Down lighting approach. Counterintuitive but works amazingly well and is so easy you’ll kick yourself you didn’t try it before. A MUST TRY.
=> Layer big / big medium logs on bottom (split side up). Then layer medium/ smaller wood on top of this. Small bunch of kindling on top. Place lighter under kindling. Now light and walk away for 5-10 mins. I don’t even leave the burner door open to start. Presto!
Version 2 Place later of softwood medium on bottom, then large hardwood log on top of this on one side. Kndling on top of the medium. Light as before. Important to have enough medium to create hot embers to ignite large logs sideways
Thanks for the comment!
Excellent vids. Very informative. Thank you!
No problem! Thanks for the comment.
Love your videos and the fact that you don’t handle stupid very well.
Please keep them coming! Great information and love how you go into the why, of how your products work. Wish you guys would open a location in the Chattanooga area.
thanks for watching!
Great video thanks fornthw simple explanation.
No problem!
I love how you tell the trolls. Off.
haha thanks
try starting a fire w dry kindling facing north to south never east to west , less paper to make your wood stove breathe and after that do the same thing. Always face north just like a compass and the fire will be happy, no black or darkened window. i burn pine 20 percent moisture @ 450 f for 12 hrs. damper closed.
good idea
Great information!! Thank you.
No problem! Thanks for watching.
Had my fire going for a couple of days straight no problem... One morning had a few embers left from an overnight burn, I added a couple of logs and it was super windy outside, within 5 minutes I smoked the entire house, down stairs and up stairs, I had to open all windows for a few hours and throw the logs outside as quick as I could.
Question is: How do you start a fire on a super windy day when you feel the wind come in through the stove when door is opened ?
Cold air falls. If you’re feeling cold air rush in when you open the door on your stove, leave it open a few minutes and let the chimney “equalize” with your room. Hot air rises and once it equalizes; you shouldn’t feel a rush of cold air.
If you start a fire with a column of cold air inside your chimney, that cold air WILL fall and any smoke will not go up it’ll be forced back into your house.
I’ve been there! It also could help if you crack a door or window to assist in drafting. It works wonders at my house. Smoke city then I open the front door and whoosh, immediate improvement.
@@CopperBooom Thanks !... We get strong wind gusts here, I'm installing a wind deflector-baffle around my chimney cap today... I'll try opening a window to let wind-gust pressure come in the house and use a hair drier on high to warm up the inside of the black stove pipe.
Thanks for watching!
like a boss. thanks.
Thanks for watching
Well first off.... excellent job. You know what you are doing. The house we sold in SE PA I installed the big momma Hearthstone Equinox soapstone stove. Such a beautiful stove. Had a custom solid black granite hearth pad made. The biggest issue I had with it was the air control binding. I took it apart and did the cleaning but always came back. You had to learn how to jiggle it to get it to unjamb. Wondering if they ever fixed the issue cause I know they had a bulletin on it. What brand treadmill do you eat your BBQ on? LOL
Haha
Great video Dude. Good luck and thank you.
Thank you for commenting.
your buddy has the method nailed which is also preferred by the EPA.
Yeah randy is a pro
I'd like to see you light the stove when the outside temperature is below zero. I don't think you would have the main front door open.
I see.
Thank you - really interesting insight
Thanks for watching!
If it works for you bro and you’re happy then do it some more 👍🏻
I’m in the uk and have just installed my own stove. Your tips will come in useful.
thanks for watching!
Awesome video! Sorry to hear about the trolls. It gets old quick! I've been "called out" for going "ahhh" and "ummm" in my videos, and it works great to say, "I wish I was perfect like you" and they have no rebuttal to that! Anyways thank you for making this very informative video!
Yeah, someones always got something to say!! Thank you for the positive comment.
great video.. my question is my glass has got a bit cloudy cant clean it,,, i know nothing about stoves the one i have is a small multi stove thanks....
most have a built in air wash system that cleans the glass as it heats up
Very good review.
Thanks for watching!
Cool air push smoke dowthe chimny when is I know the smoke out welding smoke hanges low
Nice!
thanks for the video. I do not know how to use the air control. When do you keep it on and when to turn it off? Any advice?
for this particular stove
@@embersliving when it is windy outside, starting the fire is also more difficult. Should I do something with the air controller then?
Here in the eastern states (Pennsylvania) we are told not to burn pine due to the cresode build up in the glue, and we should just burn hardwoods. Are we being misled?
no
@@embersliving how often if it's a choice, can pine be burned while burning hardwood, without the worry of build up?
How come shop stove to strong of draft when get hot
Ok
Thanks!
Thanks!
Question
That wood stove in the video is close to the wall.
QUESTION: Our HEARTHSTONE heritage has a heat shield - if that stove IN THE VIDEO has a heat shield how far is it from the sheetrock wall ❓
Do hearthstone heritage woodstoves remain cooler to touch than a std metal wood stove?
We have cement walls so its not a hazard . I will have to look at it again. They get just as hot .
@@embersliving the heritage installation book says 6" so I was curious - the stove store installs it. It has a hearthstone heat guard shield in the back of stove and dbl thick pipe.
Dude! Thanks for the video! we have that eggsact stove! LOVE IT. One question: what's the technique to maximize the burn time to log quantity/type to avoid from getting it too hot? ours run a bit too hot with the catalytic burn going after a bit...does it eventually lower the temp when the wood burn out, or should we worry about the too hot burn and never let it get there?
Bravo... bel video...
Thank you Ovlas
Where can you buy replacement soap stones
I think you can order them from the website
@@embersliving thanks
With today’s building codes you may need to open a window or two in your house to allow for the draft to start. I have an H.E. stove and some times when everything is cold I have to do the window trick.
Happy burning.
true
Modern stoves can get fresh air from the outside through a pipe, so you don't need the draft from the room the stove is in.
Hi are you not worried about temperature on stove pipe I feel the way you started my stove pipe would be well over 500
no not really worried about it. I will check it next time we start it up. our pipe is also double piped.
thanks for help
No problem !
Very helpful! Ty
Glad to help!
Really nice video. Thank you!
thanks!
Good video
thanks for watching!
Personally you seem like a genuine guy, so F the trolls 👌and im learning
ha thanks
I’ve watched this a few times and respect your professionalism and class. You’re methods are sound and I’ve just started my old wood stove in a home we just moved into for the first time and it worked beautifully. Thank you for posting. Have a wonderful season! (Not that I have to say it, but trolls are those who speak I’ll of others because they hate themselves).
ha that is right
leaf blower
Thanks for watching!
I normally start my fire in my stove with straight gasoline.
I know more about starting fires than anybody I know of!!
nice
Not a thing wrong with your tutorial, I do it pretty much the same way, also. Get a small, hot fire going first before you feed in the larger logs and do so slowly to avoid smothering the fire and creating a smoke backdraft.
Thanks for the info!
10 out of 10 is user error? So every stove is perfect from the get-go?
it takes time to learn
@@embersliving and to be clear I am not trolling lol.
I sometimes use FATWOOD to start my fire but that stuff smokes really bad.. do you think it’s not the real stuff??
I personally have not tried it
Good video my man, just ignore the haters, they are mostly losers.
ha thanks
Never seen a fat guy light a wood stove 😂 jk man I’m hefty myself love your vids
Hhaha thanks for watching!
Thanks for the vids, screw the rude people.
That's the pits nor having hardwood to use as firewood in Colorado. Pine sucks, and even Aspen is still a softwood.
true
Thanks for the videos and trolls can suck smoke. I appreciate learning, even though they may be different methods than I have used. That said, I had this exact problem starting my stove and, thanks to you, know why.
thanks for watching!
Try top down fire! (Swedish way to start fire) Your welcome.
Yes that's the way we do here in sweden
k
Top down (Swedish way) heats the top of the firebox and embers falling down ignite larger pieces creating a no fuss fire. I used to do exactly what you are describing and found that the Swedish method is easier and less prone to failure if you get interrupted. Great info on dynamics of flue getting heated and drawing properly to prevent smoke rollout. Keep up the great job and this app is fantastic for information sharing.
I do the top down method for all wood except oak, oak needs a lot to get it going. So I do the Jenga so it's basically top down but I do it from the bottom up and I do a wider jenga so it supports the two smaller logs I put on initially. Works very well this way.
Swedish method ? 😂😆
inSwitzerland it's called the Swiss method and in the rest of Europe and America it's called the " let's defy the laws of PhysicsMethod .
Top down is nonsense . i start with two waxed wood shaving balls in between two sticks . the sticks should be slightly thicker than the shavings . then add criss crossing kindling and your logs on top . open the inlet air fully light the wax shavings and shut the door . the big and chimney will heat up faster than the top down method because,,,, wait for it , heat rises . each successive layer above the shavings will ignite faster and produce more heat quicker that the top down nonsense . you box will be fully engulfed in flame in two to three minuets , increasing efficiency and reducing unburned gases .
Thank you and well said
appreciate it!
Good for you mate. Tell the trolls to go @#£& themselves
yup
Pine, oh hell no, top down is the very best way.
nice
dont worry about the trolls man lol
ha thanks
Always takes a yank 20 minutes to say what a Brit would in 2.
🤣
I've never seen a man wearing Capri's start a wood stove before....
now you have
Don't explain it good
Ok
Piss on them trolls bro. You look great, no homo...
ok
Found this video after researching why the smoke wouldn't vent my insert and instead was coming back in the house. It was the second time we used our (Regency) insert, so I couldn't understand why it was doing that when it worked fine before. I think I figured it out by watching your video. Thanks for the great info!
Glad to help!
To get my stove really burning I find pouring petrol into it gets it blazing. 🤟
haha
Excellent -thank you for your in-depth instructions, we were having such problems with smoking out the room now and again. This has explained so much. 👍
I'm glad our video helped!
Just got my Hearthstone gm80 and this helped a lot. I also like the way you give the viewers that hard love no nonsense commentary, very entertaining 😅 Keep up the vids
haha glad to help
Thanks for the video.
People are such jerks today like every video online has to have a disclaimer like this. No need to comment “I do it this way”.
Oh yeah! Its ok, Trevor has been at it for awhile I think he's good. 😄 We appreciate the view!!
You make great videos man. When I first saw this video, I was like "yeah cmon I know how to start a fire". Your video totally changed my game!
We are so glad the video helped you out! Expect more wood stove content during burn season. 🪵🔥
I had my stove fitted in June 2022.I’ve just sussed out how to get it burning properly and efficiently and it’s now 1st October.it’s definitely a trial and effor situation and it’s not just a case of throw wood in light it and off you go..totally the opposite..my stove has a tertiary air control and I just left it on full ..disaster…now I’ve worked out the air settings it’s running like a dream..the glass is now crystal clear all night long and the flames look like you see in the movies 🤣..thanks for your tips and help mate and just ignore those trolls..they are just sad individuals with naff all better to do…take care mate..Richie uk
I hope our tips helped you out! Thanks for watching .
hello, great but maybe too much unneeded info and why didnt you demonstrate the side door for loading wood. I wish my stove had that, I loved at the start when you talk about customers complaining about smoke when its their fault which I know youre right, and yes its a learning experience.
I don’t think the side load would have worked with our set up. Either front load or top works for our situation
My wood stove has duel three foot stacks just like a big rig.
Nice!
Hey, sorry about the trolls. Your videos are great and they helped me A LOT when it came to figuring out my heating needs. I just had a Hearthstone Green Mountain 60 professionally installed and have been working on figuring how best to start and run it.
Like many, my first burn was a smoke out due to the reasons you mention. Also, like many, I’m used to non-efficient, non-EPA approved stoves that are comparatively easier to light.
What I’ve found works for me is the combination of:
1) Kill my overhead fan.
2) Slightly open a window in the room with the stove.
3) Open the air on the stove fully.
4) Build a log cabin style kindling structure - stacking the kindling as high as possible in the firebox.
5) Light 2 to 3 sticks of fatwood and place them in the middle of the log cabin kindling structure.
6) Leave the firebox door cracked until all of the kindling is lit and there are some coals starting to build. At this point I close the window to the outside and start back up my overhead fan.
7) Close the firebox door and let more coals build and let the wood burn down until there is a good bed of coals.
8) Add more wood. Smaller stuff initially.
9) Once in the catalytic zone, turn off the catalyst bypass.
10) Add more wood and start to dial down the air intake.
Keep up the great work and please keep making these videos. Trust me, the trolls are jealous.
wow thanks for the great feedback
Thanks for all your Woodstove videos on my fourth burning year of a woodstove and I’ve learned a fair bit from you thank you
Glad to help! More videos incoming 😁
I like doing the top down method and I can shut the door instantly
Very nice!
i use a log cabin fire ny stack look like a log cabin not a tepee
Nice idea
Great channel! I experience the top to bottom style. I have a long chimney made out of bricks, so when its cold outside I have a huge mass of very cold bricks. And I can build fires that lasts a very long time using that method.
Thanks for watching! Thats a good method!
Use about a cup of gasoline start right up
Thanks for watching!
Great video. Thank you
Glad it helped!
Love these videos
Man Capris= Hell No!
Ok
Must be a tool hanger
Thanks for watching!
I think your cute....
Thanks for watching!
Make a force air stove
that would be cool
Awesome video bro. I've learned what my mistakes were and corrected them because of your video.
Glad to help!