Hello everyone I'm new to this site and wood stoves. My husband and I bought a house that had a Vermont Castings Defiant 1945 in the basement. I've gotten a lot if great information looking on here but I'm not able to find an answer to this.... what is the best way to let the fire die with minimal creosote production? also what is the fastest way to put the fire out if we had to leave in a hurry? We don't want to leave the stove burning while we're away or sleeping unless we are way more comfortable and experienced. Thank you in advance!
Best way to stop burning
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That's definitely the goal 
Hoping for more specifics like when it's down to coals should we open the damper and air to make it burn faster?
Hoping for more specifics like when it's down to coals should we open the damper and air to make it burn faster?You could but there is no need.That's definitely the goal
jetsam
Minister of Fire
At the end of the fire, there are no volatile organics left in the wood, and you won't get creosote formation at any temperature. When it's cold, you might crank the air up to burn down the coals to make more room for wood in the stove. When it's warm, you might crank down the air to let the stove coast on the coals for a long time.
Throw fresh splits on low coals and crank the air down, and you will get tons of creosote. All the volatiles cook off the wood- they are not burned by secondary combustion because the stove's too cold- and so they go up the flue, where they condense on the first <250 degree surface they encounter.
(Also, why WOULD you stop burning? It's winter!)
Throw fresh splits on low coals and crank the air down, and you will get tons of creosote. All the volatiles cook off the wood- they are not burned by secondary combustion because the stove's too cold- and so they go up the flue, where they condense on the first <250 degree surface they encounter.
(Also, why WOULD you stop burning? It's winter!
)
By the time the wood is down to coals, there isn’t any water to make creosote. So, you can just let it go or open up the air.
As for putting out a fire, I’d say don’t. You’re going to create a lot of smoke and if there’s water vapor present still, you’re going to be creating creosote by trying to put it out.
Since you’re just starting out, if you had to leave and the stove has been fine for awhile, trust the stove and let it go. No need to worry about it unless it’s raging and over firing.
As for putting out a fire, I’d say don’t. You’re going to create a lot of smoke and if there’s water vapor present still, you’re going to be creating creosote by trying to put it out.
Since you’re just starting out, if you had to leave and the stove has been fine for awhile, trust the stove and let it go. No need to worry about it unless it’s raging and over firing.
Make fires while you are at home for some time . Watch it behave. Learn to trust it as it burns. If the install is up to code, the house will not burn down while the fire in the stove is burning.
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Run.
out.
of wood!
After breaking yourself into this wood burning experience and confirming your setup is working properly you will get over being worried about leaving a active fire.
Welcome to Hearth by the way. Enjoy the resource!
Prof
Minister of Fire
As others have said, understanding how the stove behaves (not how it works per the manual), but how it behaves in your specific context will be key. It won't take you very long to come to understand the burn cycle and feel more comfortable with going to bed with a stove that will continue to provide good heat throughout the night. I know I had similar worries when I started burning a newer stove. My in-laws are convinced that our house will burn down because of us burning wood. I have a far greater understanding of how the wood stove works than most people do about their gas/oil furnaces. I like that you are listening to your apprehensions and getting on this site--this is a great place to learn. The only down side that I've found is that I have spent a pile of money on cool tools that make the wood gathering/processing more enjoyable. Welcome!
Ashful
Minister of Fire
That depends. Was the furnace made by Vermont Castings?
bholler, what’s the skinny on this VC model?
I have had two stoves going 24/7 for seven winters, now. But I sleep much better now that I’ve ditched the iron stoves with aging cement in every joint, and gone to modern welded steel boxes.
Well, gas/oil appliances are engineered for very controlled combustion so that you don't have to do anything, unlike a wood stove. A wood stove is engineered to control combustion, but left unattended or burned without understanding it, as we all know, the stove will get away from you and lead to over firing and/or chimney fires. When's the last time a gas/oil furnace was out of control?
Rearscreen
Minister of Fire
I know one difference. When I originally installed my first oil boiler I didn't know too much about them. I was used to the heat a wood stove produced. On this particular boiler there is a little 1" hole or so covered by a swinging cover exposing the flame directly. So, at one point I decided to look at that flame out of curiosity. My face was about the same distance I would be when loading a stove, over a foot away. Almost burned my face off instantly through that little hole. Unbelievably hot.
The stove only has a chance to get away from you on start up. Once it is cruising and you have the air set where you want it there is about the same chance of it over firing as there is with your furnace.
Agreed, with the assumption the stove is actually cruising and all is in working order.
You should start by having the entire installation, stove, chimney, hearth, connector pipe... inspected to make sure everything is in good condition. Then get a stovepipe thermometer and learn how the stove operates. How long does it take to come up to temp? Where do you set your air controls to maintain a good burn temperature? How long will a full load burn from a cold start, a half load on hot coals, a full load on hot coals?? Get a book and sit by the stove and practice. Once you know the basics the stove will do it's thing. If you don't want it to burn while you're asleep then only load it enough to burn as long as you want. OR, you could just let it burn itself out which is what 98.97 percent of most of us do.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
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