We have a new wood stove insert and the owners manual says that we should make a few small fires and let them burn out. I'm curious why they need to burn all the way out? Does anyone know why I can't just create a small fire and keep it going small? I guess somebody has done some research about the best way to cure the stove, but I was curious why the fire needs to burn all the way out.
How to Break in a Wood Stove Insert
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rkofler
Burning Hunk
Because it should cool all the way down between several break-in fires. Guess something to do with expansion and contraction, etc.?
Welcome to the forum! When you get a new stove (or when your stove sits for really long periods of time) the brick inside 'acclimates' to the humiditiy surrounding it. By burning small quick fires, you are helping 'cure' the firebrick in the stove. If you were to just build a fire and keep it going, it would dry the brick out too fast and cause them to crack and break.
Thanks for the welcome. You has satisfied my curiosity. So, I guess maybe pine would be a good wood to use that burns less hot than most wood and also burns fast?
Yes, any kind of 'softer' wood will do (poplar, pine, fir, hemlock, silver maple, etc). Make it the size of larger kindling (say, 2x2 to 3x3), build a small fire and get it going, shut the door and let it burn out.......Wait a while (say 3 to 6 hours), do it again.
Three or four of those break-in fires is usually enough to do the job. Don't be alarmed if you get a hairline crack in your refractory brick, either. It happens. That brick really takes a beating in that stove.
You want to do the break-in fires every fall, when the burning season commences. Your bricks will last many years if you do this.
lopiliberty
Minister of Fire
They will as long as you don't hit them hard with a piece of wood, although I must say nock on wood, on year 3 with the liberty and no broken bricks yet
Didn't know this. I always just started a roaring fire for the fist time. You learn something new on here everyday.
I don't think I could survive without this site
jotulguy
Feeling the Heat
Not sure if you have a Cast iron model but in the stoves the reason for break in fires is to cure the paint and cement. That was the first I have heard about it benefiting the firebricks as well. Nice to learn something new!
Fod01
Feeling the Heat
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