To operate a wood stove, an individual must manage teh air within the stovetop and manage the temperature of the wood stove. Many individuals may believe that if a wood stove has a large fire burning within it, that the fire is efficient in burning the wood within the stovetop. However, a large fire is not always an efficient fire.
For example, if the fire within the wood stove are burning to produce an impressive fire yet does not reach the correct temperature for the wood, the fire may be wasting wood by releasing heat through the chimney of the wood stove, or it may be creating creosote within the chimney. To operate the wood stove correctly, an individual must manage both the air within the wood stove to ensure that the chemical reaction of combustion are successful, as well as manage the temperature of the wood stove to ensure that the wood stove is operating within an ideal range. An individual must ensure that the temperature of the wood stove is high enough to prevent the creation of creosote.
How to Use a Wood Stove Safely
If an individual starves the fire of the oxygen that is necessary to burn the wood for longevity, the fire will continue to smolder within the wood stove, and the smoldering fire will lead to the creation of creosote. Creosote may initially form as a flaky powder within the chimney of the wood stove. However, if the temperature of the wood stove remains low enough to continue to allow the fire to smolder, the creosote can form as a glazed and glassy coating along the chimney.
This glassy creosote can become difficult for the individual to remove from the chimney; the individual in this case may have to utilize professional assistance to remove the creosote altogether. Therefore, the individual must make sure that the temperature of the wood stove is high enough to prevent the formation of creosote. An individual can accomplish this by utilizing a magnetic thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wood stove.
The magnetic thermometer will have sensors that allow it to measure the temperature of the stove. However, the placement of the magnetic thermometer can have an impact upon the accuracy of those measurements. If the magnetic thermometer is too close to the wood stove, the sensors will register the high temperature of the fire within the wood stove.
Instead, the individual can position the magnetic thermometer approximately one foot from the wood stove; the temperature of the exhaust can reveal to the individual if there is any buildup of creosote within the chimney. Additionally, the individual should also ensure that the wood stove is not overfired. Overfiring the wood stove can lead to issues with the wood stove; excessive temperatures can lead to the warping of the metal of the wood stove, or the cracking of the welds within the cast iron of the wood stove.
The type of wood that is burned within the wood stove will have an impact upon the temperature of the stove. For instance, hardwoods (like oak and hickory) will burn hotter within the wood stove compared to softwoods (like pine). Softwoods will ignite more easy within the wood stove, which is helpful when starting a fire.
However, because softwoods burn quick within the wood stove, and because they contain resin, they may contribute to the formation of creosote. Additionally, an individual should use seasoned wood within the stove; seasoned wood will have low amounts of moisture. If the individual puts wood with high amounts of moisture into the wood stove, the wood stove will waste some of it’s energy in boiling the water out of the seasoned wood.
To ensure safety within the home in which the wood stove is running, an individual must place a carbon monoxide detector in the house, and have the chimney of the wood stove cleaned at least once each year. A clear chimney and a clean flue (the opening of the chimney) is necessary for the wood stove to operate in a way that is safe for the individuals in the home. Therefore, by utilizing a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wood stove, and by using seasoned wood to prevent the creation of creosote within the chimney, the individual is effectively managing the wood stove.
