Better to start from coals or new fire?

When I was using my Pleasant Hearth in the basement, I got into the routine of just throwing a fresh split or two onto a healthy fire, until I started accumulating a lot of coals. Then I would let it burn down to no flames, open the air wide and let the coals burn down. Sometimes adding a couple of small splits of pine to help burn the coals. Then I would restart a fire or coax one from the coals that were left.

Think that might work in your Jotul?

Nancy

Mike, I've not noticed a whole lot of difference in time but do prefer to have some coals. If no coals this is how I like to do it (and the time factor is very close).

First, I use some kindling and that means some 1" x 1" pieces of soft maple.

On the bottom of the stove I place 2 splits so the split is facing up and the 2 form a slight vee.

Then I lay 1/4 of a Super Cedar and light it right away.

Then I put on the kindling in a cross fashion but do not use a lot of kindling.

On top of that I place another couple of small splits.

Then the door is closed and the fire will be cooking quite fast.

I know this is different but it works well for us and we don't have to open the firebox door again for quite some time when we have to add more wood.

dbailp, that will work right as you are getting the flames going but the stove will heat up a whole lot faster with the firebox closed. That is because you are letting in so much room air temperature and the firebox wants to be a whole lot hotter. So close that door as soon as you can.

I'd be wary of leaving the door open when trying to get the fire going quicker, there is always the risk of a distraction like a phone call/visitors, medical emergency etc., and before you know where you are the fire may well have overheated to a dangerous degree.

Our firebox is fairly small, and I find it easy to relight from a few coals, just by adding small kindling to the remaining tiny coals with a bigger split or two.
Even when I've thought the fire has gone out, it does seem very easy to fire up again from almost nothing, not that I'm trying to save a match or two.....

I agree with you - in this milder weather it is difficult to have some (if any) red hot coals left in the morning.

I have experimented a little with the bio bricks, eco logs etc. If you want lots of 'red hots' left in the morning, try this when you reload for the night:

1. at the back/middle of your firebox, remove enough coals/ashes to have room to place 1/2 (or more) of one biobrick directly on the firebox floor.

2. surround the biobrick with hot coals.

3. place one larger split on top of the bio brick; then load your box as usual. (At this time of year, in my Oslo, I only put 3 medium splits in)

4. In the morning, your wood will likely be gone, but you will have a good portion of the bio brick still there. Pull it to the front of your firebox, and load the stove
Voila -fire!!

This works well for me in the shoulder season where I don't want to fill the firebox and drive myself out of the house to escape the heat!!

It may work well for those of you with smaller fireboxes - even in the colder weather. Those biobricks definitely burn for a long time!

This time of year I am a big fan of kiln dried lumber (2x4s etc). Luckily I have alot available. Its great to get a fast hot fire with kindling or coals. If you can't get kiln dried maybe you can get pine or some other good shoulder wood. I have alot of hemlock and basswood for the future. Good luck!

nola mike said:

Unfortunately, with the tiny firebox of the Jotul, I've found myself having to start a fresh fire often, especially as the weather's warmed up. If I have a good bed of coals and the room is warm, I'll shut the air down (I'm planning to add a secondary air inlet shutter as well) so that I'll have coals left when I want to relight. Otherwise I'm frequently left with just a few sad looking coals and a cold stove to work with. In this case, am I better off trying to start the fire from the coals (this involves getting some kindling lit good, then going back and adding bigger fuel as needed) or just starting over (I light top down with 2 splits at the bottom)?
Either way, it seems like I waste 30 minutes and a couple of splits just getting the stove hot again...

Click to expand...

If you bank your coals, that is to push them into a pile and cover them with ashes, they will last a lot longer, and can be used to restart your fire.