A Provocative Rant About Log Burner Fire

Dos and Don'ts When Using a Log Burner Fire

Log burners are the ideal way to experience the warmth of an actual fire. They also provide a potent heat source for your home.

To get the most efficient log burner heat from your log burner, you must ensure that the wood is dry before you use it. Moisture loss, higher than necessary temperatures in the stove, and emissions of unburned fuel can all contribute to poor performance.

Burning logs

It is crucial to make use of Ready To Burn certified logs when you own a wood stove. This will increase the efficiency of your stove. When properly used, these logs will burn at the optimal heat levels and reduce the amount of creosote built in your chimney. This will dramatically lower your energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If you're using unseasoned or green wood, it could be hazardous to the health of your chimney and stove system. Unseasoned wood is more moist of moisture than kiln-dried wood, which can cause problems when burning. Wet logs can produce much more smoke when burned, which could reduce the effectiveness of your heating system. It can also lead to creosote building up in your chimney. This poses an fire hazard and could cause chimney fires.

Unseasoned and wet logs will also burn slower than kiln-dried wood. This could lead to your stove overheating and damaging the flue, which is why it's best to use wood that is seasoned only. To test the moisture content of your logs, pound two sticks together to see the way they sound. The wood that is damp will produce an uninteresting thudding sound, while dry logs make the sound of a sharp cracking. The wood that has been seasoned will also appear darker than freshly cut, damp wood.

Once you've established small flames and good airflow through your stove, it's time to add more logs. It is crucial to not add more than one log at a time, as this will smother flames and prevent them catching. It's also a good idea to spread the logs out evenly around your fire, and to keep a bit of your firewood between them.

The rate of combustion can be affected by opening your stove door too often. This could cause your stove's burner to stop working and reduce the effectiveness of the appliance and increase the amount of smoke being released. It is also essential that you ensure the area around your appliance is free of combustible materials and the furniture is far away from the appliance to be in line with the distance-to-combustible guidelines for your particular model.

Ventilation

To ensure that log burners, fireplaces, and stoves work efficiently, they require ventilation. In fact, English Building Regulations specify that there needs to be a sufficient supply of air for combustion appliances like log burners. Smoke can leak into your home if you don't have adequate ventilation for the stove, particularly when it's not burning correctly.

To avoid this it is essential to ensure that the flue, or chimney isn't blocked. It is also essential to ensure that the room surrounding your fireplace or stove has adequate ventilation. Smoke and soot could escape through the chimney and enter the house. Ventilation ensures that your fire burns effectively, so you get maximum heat from your wood and minimise emissions.

To maximize efficiency, make sure to use lumber that is seasoned. This means it has been split and cut and then stacked over an extended time period to allow the moisture in the wood to evaporate. Usually, this is between six and twelve months. The logs must be dried in a kiln to make them easier to burn.

Introduce a few pieces of wood to the fire at first, so that the flames can establish themselves. Once the flames have established themselves they can be augmented with larger logs. Don't pile on more than one log at a time because this could cause the fire to become smothered and leave the wood unburned, which will create smoke and creosote.

It's important to keep the fire going till all the logs are reduced to embers or soot. If you take them out too soon, you could draw smoke and other volatile compounds into the room and this could also impact the efficiency of the fire.

Avoid touching the flame with your fingers to avoid releasing smoke into the room and cause the wood catch fire. Also, if you open the door to the stove too quickly when the fire is hot, it will release smoke and spit embers into the room.

Cleanliness

Cleaning is vital to the success of a log-burner fireplace, both in terms of appearance and the efficiency of heating. A dirty stove produces less heat, consume more fuel, and produce unpleasant smells. It can also pose an hazard to fire and can block up the flue, resulting in a poor venting system for fumes and smoke.

There are other things that require attention in addition to the regular cleaning of your Ash pan. The bottom burner plate and riddling grates, for example, should be cleared of soot particles. The baffle plate and the ash bucket must be inspected for wear, and so should the gaskets around the glass and door.

Before starting any maintenance tasks, it is essential to put on protective gloves and goggles as dust particles that are abrasive like ash and soot can cause painful abrasions. It is advisable to pick a safe location for the work away from any dangers. It is also recommended to place an tarpaulin sheet on the floor to collect any debris that might fall and make the cleaning process more efficient.

When you empty the ashes, it is essential to remove them from the fireplace into a metal container and to keep the container open until they are completely cold. Ashes are an insulation material and will continue to retain warmth for a few hours or days after the fire has been put out. They can be used for fertiliser, provided they are made from clean, untreated wood.

The type of wood you choose to use is also vital. It is best to use well-seasoned firewood that has been cut and kept away from the weather. Allow it to dry to a moisture content of between 20 and 25 percent. This will help prevent the accumulation of creosote from forming and keep the chimney free of soot, tar and other deposits.

We also offer a variety of DEFRA-approved wood burning stoves that can be used as an alternative to the traditional log fire. These stoves are highly efficient in energy use and produce less emissions than a conventional open fire. Between 25 and 33 percent (or more) of London's fine particles pollution is due to domestic wood burning. Switching to a stove can make a an enormous difference to the environment.

Safety

Log burners are a warm and efficient method of heating your log cabin. They are relatively simple appliances consisting of a firebox, stove door, and stove-pipe that has air vents for controlling the fire. They require regular maintenance and an understanding of how to operate the appliance. Here are some tips and don'ts to use a inset log burner burner.

It is recommended to use seasoned and dried wood in your log burner because it burns more efficiently, and generate more heat and less smoke. Green wood that isn't seasoned and seasoned could cause deposits of tar to form in the chimney or flue. This can block air flow and reduce your heating efficiency. It also poses an ignition risk, leading to potential flames in the chimney or flue. It is recommended that you buy kiln-dried wood that has the 'Ready to Burn' label as this is a good indicator that it is dry and safe to burn.

It is also recommended to avoid using other fuels, such as charcoal lighter or firelighter made of paraffin fluid in your log burner. These are extremely flammable and could create fireballs in the stove and release harmful gases into your room. If you are using a log-burner in a Smoke Control Area it is recommended to only use smokeless fuels.

Pellet stoves are easier to operate than traditional log burners, with the majority requiring no more than plugging them in and pressing the ignition button. Nonetheless, it's essential to follow the manufacturer's instructions when using your stove and keep in mind that you must clean out the combustion chamber regularly. It's not a huge task, but it requires some time and effort. Place a log holder near your stove to make it easier to get rid of the ash or debris whenever required. You can also purchase the stove with self-cleaning chambers to facilitate cleaning. However, this will still require regular emptying of the ash tray. This will reduce the amount of time and effort that you spend cleaning your log burner.