Well as you can see from previous posts, I've had some questions. We're getting there. Today was not a cold day at all (62 high, about 39 for the low overnight) but it was cold enough for me to decide to play with the Super Cedar fire starter sample I got, the 2 year seasoned wood I got from a neighbor and the compressed cedar logs I got from the fireplace store for troubleshooting and help with the 6 months seasoned wood I have for my other 3 cords.
One of the posts was about a less than tight seal on the flue to chimney connection with pictures (https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/59779/) Still looking to fix that. I have opted to go with the right connector from Selkirk MetalBestos. I tightened the adapter in there now a bit more but can still hear a bit of air and see a couple spots that like dollar bills.
Tonight though - A few thoughts with a question:
1.) Super Cedars? WOW. Get your sample. Buy them. They made it easier. Next time I use it, I need to be a bit more patient, give a bit more space between it and the wood and maybe consider using some kindling if I want to get the Compressed Cedar logs (with the hole in the center) going:
2.) Compressed Cedar Logs? I think they will work better with a bit more flames than the Super Cedar gives out. I think if I want to use these again to help boost temp and make the 6 month old wood go better, I need to start with the Super Cedar and smaller splits/kindling. Those compressed cedar logs take longer to go up than expected.
3.) Stove up to temp 600-650 on the stove top - NICE. Wood heat where have you been all my life? Even on a night that isn't so cold out, this heat feels great. It stays in you. Perhaps a little too hot in the room it is in even
. Really really hot on those tiles we used for the hearth (on top of cement board, all within clearances and over the thickness required) but man those tiles hold heat. Bare feet on the tiles don't last long. House isn't a very open concept house but we have ceiling fans going, cut some headers out and our living room a few rooms down went from 66 to 73.5 (and rising) in a couple hours. Our upstairs hallway (its a colonial with an open to above foyer right outside of the fireplace room) went from 68 to 72.5 in about the same amount of time. This should be a good winter
4.) Oslo Thoughts/Minor Frustrations to work out -
- I got it up to temp much better with the dryer wood. I think the draft may still be a bit off in this warmer weather, even with the straight chimney. Was thinking I need a damper in the other thread. I think now I don't (at least not on days like this).
- Once I was up to about 580/600 the secondaries (with air wide open and only a few splits in) looked amazing, but there were still primary flames.. Backed down to full off (stove shop guy does that with his) and it turned into red ember smolder on the logs.. Went to full for a bit to bring temp up and stuffed it full of the dryest hardwood from 2 years ago. Temp went down a bit while it started but once it started taking off, temp climbed towards 650 and I then backed down to about 3/4 and followed my wife's advice (LEAVE IT ALONE AND WAIT A WHILE
!) and the secondaries were looking great, less primary action. Temp went up to about 670. and hovered there.
- Backed to half - still looking good, temp started going down to about 630/610 but still flames/secondary burning visible, started really feeling the heat pouring into the stove room at that point.
- Backed to 1/4 and secondaries eventually stopped and just had the orange logs no flames and temp eventually dropped to 400. So here is where I got confused, no big deal on a day like today but in winter... Firebox is probably about 1/4 or a bit more full now where it was crammed full just 2 hours ago (seems quick burn? but had it open fully for longer than I should have I bet... for first 1-1.5 hours as temp got up past 500) but the stove at 400 with no flames had me worried about smoldering for the chimney and losing the heat. So I opened full, but flames never got great again, secondary never really started back. Temp did climb back to about 500.
- Now I have lever at about half with a few flames here or there, bright bright orange logs (or embers still in log shapes that would probably break down to good thick (maybe 6" +?) layer of bright orange... Should I (pretend it is colder out) crush them down and add more logs and try and lower air control, or just lower it right down and not worry about the ember only fire with no visible secondary?
Otherwise, this is still fun. Really like the Super Cedars. Definitely see the benefit of 2 years seasoning. Definitely hooked on wood heat, just hope to get more efficient with my burning and see the full firebox last for 8-9 hours that stove shop talked about.
- Backed to 1/4 and secondaries stopped
One of the posts was about a less than tight seal on the flue to chimney connection with pictures (https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/59779/) Still looking to fix that. I have opted to go with the right connector from Selkirk MetalBestos. I tightened the adapter in there now a bit more but can still hear a bit of air and see a couple spots that like dollar bills.
Tonight though - A few thoughts with a question:
1.) Super Cedars? WOW. Get your sample. Buy them. They made it easier. Next time I use it, I need to be a bit more patient, give a bit more space between it and the wood and maybe consider using some kindling if I want to get the Compressed Cedar logs (with the hole in the center) going:
2.) Compressed Cedar Logs? I think they will work better with a bit more flames than the Super Cedar gives out. I think if I want to use these again to help boost temp and make the 6 month old wood go better, I need to start with the Super Cedar and smaller splits/kindling. Those compressed cedar logs take longer to go up than expected.
3.) Stove up to temp 600-650 on the stove top - NICE. Wood heat where have you been all my life? Even on a night that isn't so cold out, this heat feels great. It stays in you. Perhaps a little too hot in the room it is in even
. Really really hot on those tiles we used for the hearth (on top of cement board, all within clearances and over the thickness required) but man those tiles hold heat. Bare feet on the tiles don't last long. House isn't a very open concept house but we have ceiling fans going, cut some headers out and our living room a few rooms down went from 66 to 73.5 (and rising) in a couple hours. Our upstairs hallway (its a colonial with an open to above foyer right outside of the fireplace room) went from 68 to 72.5 in about the same amount of time. This should be a good winter 4.) Oslo Thoughts/Minor Frustrations to work out -
- I got it up to temp much better with the dryer wood. I think the draft may still be a bit off in this warmer weather, even with the straight chimney. Was thinking I need a damper in the other thread. I think now I don't (at least not on days like this).
- Once I was up to about 580/600 the secondaries (with air wide open and only a few splits in) looked amazing, but there were still primary flames.. Backed down to full off (stove shop guy does that with his) and it turned into red ember smolder on the logs.. Went to full for a bit to bring temp up and stuffed it full of the dryest hardwood from 2 years ago. Temp went down a bit while it started but once it started taking off, temp climbed towards 650 and I then backed down to about 3/4 and followed my wife's advice (LEAVE IT ALONE AND WAIT A WHILE
!) and the secondaries were looking great, less primary action. Temp went up to about 670. and hovered there.- Backed to half - still looking good, temp started going down to about 630/610 but still flames/secondary burning visible, started really feeling the heat pouring into the stove room at that point.
- Backed to 1/4 and secondaries eventually stopped and just had the orange logs no flames and temp eventually dropped to 400. So here is where I got confused, no big deal on a day like today but in winter... Firebox is probably about 1/4 or a bit more full now where it was crammed full just 2 hours ago (seems quick burn? but had it open fully for longer than I should have I bet... for first 1-1.5 hours as temp got up past 500) but the stove at 400 with no flames had me worried about smoldering for the chimney and losing the heat. So I opened full, but flames never got great again, secondary never really started back. Temp did climb back to about 500.
- Now I have lever at about half with a few flames here or there, bright bright orange logs (or embers still in log shapes that would probably break down to good thick (maybe 6" +?) layer of bright orange... Should I (pretend it is colder out) crush them down and add more logs and try and lower air control, or just lower it right down and not worry about the ember only fire with no visible secondary?
Otherwise, this is still fun. Really like the Super Cedars. Definitely see the benefit of 2 years seasoning. Definitely hooked on wood heat, just hope to get more efficient with my burning and see the full firebox last for 8-9 hours that stove shop talked about.
- Backed to 1/4 and secondaries stopped
