Burning Newspaper

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SteveT

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
May 21, 2008
335
West of Boston
Is there any reason I shouldn't toss the newspaper into the stove instead of the recycling bin?

I can see why the glossy pages (advertisement circulars) might not be a good idea. But if a few pages of the regular paper makes a good starter why not burn the whole thing?
 
Just watch your stove temps.
 
You may end up with too much ash, and a fire that chokes itself out with ash rather than burning. When I have tried to burn paper I usually end up adding more wood to get the whole mess to burn. Start off with small amounts of paper and work up to the point where you find it just isn't worthwhile adding more.
 
Some people recommend taking a bunch of sheets, rolling them tightly, and tying a knot to make a nice fire starter (I do this). I think if you were to apply the same method of having the sheets tightly pressed together, you'd limit the available airspace and prohibit the combustion to where it would safely work. Try it with 10 sheets and go progressively larger to where you think you can safely get away with it. I agree that you might as well reap the BTUs out of it instead of making it someone else's problem.
 
They used to sell a doohickey that would roll newsaper and magazines up really tight into "logs". Maybe someone here has used them.

Burning newspaper and magazines seems to be self limiting- I'm always surprised at the readable newsprint that is left.
 
EngineRep said:
Is there any reason I shouldn't toss the newspaper into the stove instead of the recycling bin?

I can see why the glossy pages (advertisement circulars) might not be a good idea. But if a few pages of the regular paper makes a good starter why not burn the whole thing?

Consider that your town makes a little money from selling the collected paper for recycling, or the private company that picks it up makes the money, which helps subsidize the cost to the town of the actual rubbish collection.
 
How about New York Stock Exchange stock certificates?
 
Suppose you could, but it's always seemed to he that the ash-to-heat ratio of paper is very high...you get piles of ashes for very little heat. If you've got a couple of extra sheets, nothing wrong with throwing them in, but don't go scalping all the neighbors Sunday papers and think that a couple stacks will be equal to a stack of cord wood! :) Otherwise, it's good for fire starter and that is about it.

Me - seems like I read the local papers online (easier to recycle electrons in the computer than paper! - and cheaper, too!) then use the few weekly circulars that get delivered plus shredded junk mail to do most of the fire starting.

Of course, you never know when it may be handy to have a paper burner....
 

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That photo is so sad. I hope we are not heading down the same road.

Ken
 
lets hope not our money is not even real paper.
 
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