Seems I am constantly cleaning the glass door and seem to burn through a lot of wood. Glass door has a slight film on it! Just bought the house had the chimney swept and checked. Burning seasoned wood. Not sure how to get more out of the wood? Maybe burning to hot? No smoke coming out of chimney except at start up. Need some advice.
Clean glass door often and burn a lot of wood?
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firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
More info is needed . . . type of stove, how you run the stove, etc.
I will say that not seeing any smoke from the chimney except for start ups is a good sign that you are doing things right . . . as is the fact that you just mention a slight film and not a black coating. I doubt you are burning too hot . . . but telling us the woodstove and flue temps would give us an idea. I suspect many stoves get a bit of fly ash on the glass. This is normal . . . some stoves do a better or worse job of keeping the glass clean.
As for the amount of wood you are burning . . . that's hard to tell as well . . . without knowing how you are loading the stove.
I will say that not seeing any smoke from the chimney except for start ups is a good sign that you are doing things right . . . as is the fact that you just mention a slight film and not a black coating. I doubt you are burning too hot . . . but telling us the woodstove and flue temps would give us an idea. I suspect many stoves get a bit of fly ash on the glass. This is normal . . . some stoves do a better or worse job of keeping the glass clean.
As for the amount of wood you are burning . . . that's hard to tell as well . . . without knowing how you are loading the stove.
I have a hearthstone soapstone stove. Might get a brown streak across top of the glass but that might be from the flame hitting the glass possibly. Usually get a small fire going to get things heated up and then have to load it an hour later. Will last probably around 2 hours but that is at full blast. You think I should contact the person that sold the old owner the stove to get more information on running properly?
Loaded it last night at 12am turned it down to midway and had some coals at 6 am this morning. Granted it was warm for this time of the year but the house was at a nice temp waking up. Loaded a few logs in this morning and wife let it die down due to leaving the house and temps will be in the 50's.
Loaded it last night at 12am turned it down to midway and had some coals at 6 am this morning. Granted it was warm for this time of the year but the house was at a nice temp waking up. Loaded a few logs in this morning and wife let it die down due to leaving the house and temps will be in the 50's.
Here is another question how should I be loading the stove? We are gone most of the day and hate coming home to a chilly house. After 6pm at night until 6am someone is home but during the day it is sporadic. Trying to keep oil cost to a minumum.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
Your wood may be still to damp or your damping it way down and it wont clean the glass the best? I can burn the black brown or whatever color off the glass by burning it really hot, it will clear right up. But if you run it for a 12+ hour burn it dosent seem to matter if the wood is dry it will soot on the outer bottom edges where the air dosent "wash" very well. Green/wet wood will make it soot up more.
Wood i'm burning has been seasoned for 2 years and is extremely dry. Seems when I damp it down to much I get more film. Just want to make sure I am burning correctly to avoid creosete. Also don't want to be burning to much wood that isn't necessary if i'm using the stove correctly.
Also where does the temp gage go on the back of the stove or on the pipe coming out of the top? New to this and want to make sure i'm not messing it up!
RORY12553 said:
That doesn't really tell you or us the important stuff about the wood- species and MC.
What species, or mix thereof, are you burning?
Do you have a MM (moisture-meter, can be had from Harbor Freight for $10) and what does it tell you about the MC (moisture content) of the wood?
Also, it's easy to test door gaskets, with the "dollar-bill" test. Slip dollar bill between door seal and stove, and see if closing door will grab the bill; do this all around the edge, with stove cold (doh). Many door gaskets are simple to replace.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
Do you have an EPA stove? I guess you do as your on the EPA stove forum. Anyway if you have an EPA stove the creosote in the stove dosent matter, it means your burning colder but its in the chimney that matters. The dark on the door is a sighn that its either too cold or that your wood may have too much moisture. Those stoves are designed with a catalyst that burns the smoke as it leaves or you have secondary flames and air tubes that also reburn the smoke to reduce crosote.
I have a catalyst stove and on a slow burn i sometimes have nothing but a glowing set of coals at the end of logs yet the stove is super hot due to the catalysts being 1500 or so degrees, also no smoke or very little comming out of chimney.
I have a catalyst stove and on a slow burn i sometimes have nothing but a glowing set of coals at the end of logs yet the stove is super hot due to the catalysts being 1500 or so degrees, also no smoke or very little comming out of chimney.
I am burning mostly oak, maple and ash. Think I need to fix the side door being it doesn't close properly without forcing it closed. Also the gaskets probably need to be changed. You guys think i should have someone come out and look at the stove to make sure the gaskets etc are proper?
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
When the stove is cool put a dollar bill in the door, shut it and lack it. If its not grabbing your bill like you will tear it if you pull it its not very tight, and should be replaced. You cant do this with a hot stove for obvious reasons, your dollar will burn!
I have also done a smoke test lit a match and blown it out to see if the smoke gets sucked toward any area on the stove, not sure if this is a proven way but in my mind if its sucking air it will redirect that smoke at least the slightest bit.
NH_Wood
Minister of Fire
1) A light film (whitish haze) is absolutely fine and I don't clean that very often. I'll clean my Manny's window every two weeks or so.
2) Sounds like your wood is likely in good shape - two years should be good to go for all but larger oak rounds/splits in poor seasoning conditions. Since you have ash, you can always try a solid few days of nothing but loads of ash to see how the stove behaves - the ash has to be dry. I do think your wood is likely a non-issue here.
3) Which Hearthstone do you have? Heritage? From a smaller stove, I'd say a decent 6 hour burn with coals to start a new fire is pretty good.
4) How long do you let the fire burn before turning down the primary air? Lots of folks let a lot of the heat go up the flue by leaving the fire burn wide open for too long. As soon as the load has caught well, begin dialing down the primary air in ~ 25% increments, waiting a little while (perhaps 5-10 minutes, perhaps more or less depending on a lot of factors - you'll learn your stove) between reducing the primary air to be sure the load keeps flame and secondaries ignite and stay ignited. Close the primary air as much as possible while maintaining active secondaries. This will put the most heat into the stones, and the least up the stack.
Cheers and good luck!
2) Sounds like your wood is likely in good shape - two years should be good to go for all but larger oak rounds/splits in poor seasoning conditions. Since you have ash, you can always try a solid few days of nothing but loads of ash to see how the stove behaves - the ash has to be dry. I do think your wood is likely a non-issue here.
3) Which Hearthstone do you have? Heritage? From a smaller stove, I'd say a decent 6 hour burn with coals to start a new fire is pretty good.
4) How long do you let the fire burn before turning down the primary air? Lots of folks let a lot of the heat go up the flue by leaving the fire burn wide open for too long. As soon as the load has caught well, begin dialing down the primary air in ~ 25% increments, waiting a little while (perhaps 5-10 minutes, perhaps more or less depending on a lot of factors - you'll learn your stove) between reducing the primary air to be sure the load keeps flame and secondaries ignite and stay ignited. Close the primary air as much as possible while maintaining active secondaries. This will put the most heat into the stones, and the least up the stack.
Cheers and good luck!
Have a heritage hearthstone. Don't think I am dialing it down early enough and that is possibly why I am burning what I consider to be a lot of wood at first. I am confused about primary and secondaries. This is all new to me. I know on the bottom of the stove is the primary air which I have to fix becasue the grate on the bottom of the stove is buckled so it doesn't catch the adjuster. Also very hard to move back and forth when it is loaded with wood. Suggest I get a log holder for the inside to keep the wood off the grate on the bottom of the stove? The is also another adjuster below the front door of the stove on the left which I believe controls air too.
PLEASE HELP NOT LOOKING TO WASTE TIME AND ENERGY! LOL
PLEASE HELP NOT LOOKING TO WASTE TIME AND ENERGY! LOL
NH_Wood
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
First, primary air is the air that you control entering the firebox to allow combustion of the wood (the lower lever you mention). Secondary combustion is the burning of gases (smoke) by hot air entering the the secondary air tubes located on the top of the inside of the firebox (this air enters the stove from a different location - likely the back bottom of your stove, but not certain). You allow more hot combustion air to enter the secondary tubes as you close the primary air. The stove needs to get fairly hot to get good secondary combustion, which is why you want to get a fresh load of wood charred well with good flame before starting to shut down the primary air. It takes some time to get used to your stove and setup - everyone's setup behaves a little different.
Hmmm......not sure why you can't adjust your primary air if your ash grate is warped. You aren't using the ash pan door to burn the fire are you? A warped grate makes me wonder. The air from the fire should not be entering via the grate, but from a specific air channel in the firebox. In my Manny, air enters the firebox front, center, bottom. You only have one air control lever - the lever on the left side below the front door. This is the ONLY way you should be controlling the primary air. Please explain how you use your ash grate/ash pan door.
Cheers!
Not using the ash door at all. Just found out that I should have the grate on the bottom of the stove completely closed which I have had it slightly open because I thought I needed air coming up from the bottom.
Also the lever on the bottom left which is for the primary air, not sure if you have the same thing and if it is very easily moved back and forth or should it feel like it is catching on something?
Lastly I definitely need to change the gaskets in the stove. I greatly appreciate your time with this I know I sound like a complete moron but never had a stove like this and want to make sure I am operating it correctly to get the most efficiency out of my time and the stove. Spliting wood isn't easy and boy do I have a lot to split. That is a whole other topic! Never knew the inside of a red oak could be such a nice color!
Also the lever on the bottom left which is for the primary air, not sure if you have the same thing and if it is very easily moved back and forth or should it feel like it is catching on something?
Lastly I definitely need to change the gaskets in the stove. I greatly appreciate your time with this I know I sound like a complete moron but never had a stove like this and want to make sure I am operating it correctly to get the most efficiency out of my time and the stove. Spliting wood isn't easy and boy do I have a lot to split. That is a whole other topic! Never knew the inside of a red oak could be such a nice color!
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
Have you ever seen oak floors, fine furniture made out of it? It can be anything from white to red to brown.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
A bit of brown could be from a split coming in contact with the glass, unseasoned wood, leak in the gasket . . . or as you mentioned the flame may be hitting the glass due to the placement of wood . . . if it is just a split resting against the glass or flame, don't worry. It should clean up on the next burn.
Not sure if you realize that the way to get the most heat out of the secondary burners like this stove is to bring it up to temp . . . and then cut back on the air . . . if the temp is good and the wood is seasoned you will be treated to a secondary light show, more heat (less is going up the chimney) and a longer burn.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
The same way you should be always loading the stove . . . only you may wish to use bigger splits, your better BTU wood, etc. . . . and just remember to turn down the air as low as you can go without it killing the fire or blackening up the glass.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
Sounds good at first read . . . unless it is oak . . . or unless you or the person you bought the wood from considers the time seasoning from the time it was cut to when it was split . . . I mean to say . . . if the wood was cut, split and stacked for two years and is just about any wood other than oak I'm betting the wood is primo stuff . . . but if the wood was cut and left in log length until three weeks ago . . . all bets are off.
My gut feeling is that you may be using the air control incorrectly . . . thinking that you can control the heat output by the air control . . . many folks think more air = more heat when in fact less air = more heat since leaving the air control all the way open results in lots of flames, but a large part of the heat output is being whisked up the chimney instead of heating up the stove . . . and in doing so this also results in a faster burn time.
NH_Wood
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
No worries. I had my primary air lever stick my first season. I use graphite powder every few months to keep it moving well - pick some up at your local hardware store and lube the mechanism, work back and forth, lube again, and you'll likely see a big difference! Cheers!
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
Depends . . . some manufacturers specificy certain locations on the stove . . . others never even mention it.
Me . . . I'm a big fan of having a thermometer on both the stove (let's you know when the stove is close to being overfired and when it is hot enough to start turning back the air) and on the flue (generally 18 inches from the collar -- and if you have double wall pipe you'll want a probe style thermo -- this thermo will let you know if you're burning too cool and making creosote or burning too hot and at risk of igniting that creosote in your chimney.)
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
clemsonfor said:
Save your money . . . take C's advice first with the dollar bill and match test to see if this is a gasket issue.
Thank you to everyone who posted a response to my questions I greatly appreciate it. Did NOT realize how many variables there are but think I have a good handle on it now and definitely haven't been using the air control correctly which resulted in a faster burn which results in more wood.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
Common problem . . . we see that a lot here . . . try the same wood and once you get things up to temp (here's where a thermo helps a lot), start to slowly cut back on the air . . . go down to 3/4 and watch the fire for five minutes or so . . . if the fire continues to burn well then cut it down to halfway and see what happens . . . again wait 5-10 minutes to allow the fire to "catch its breath" as it gets used to burning with less oxygen . . . most folks can keep doing this and go down to the quarter mark . . . sometimes even lower . . . and once you see the secondaries . . . well hang on . . . if you see the Portal to Hell open up in your firebox then I think you'll see some much longer burns and a lot more heat . . . ditto for the Northern Lights or BBQ Grill Effect.
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