grate in woodstove

[netmouse]

For many years using my wood stove, I have used only a very short grate under the wood - really almost a flat screen. Fires were great. Recently the fires are very hard to start. The ashes are not that high even after a number of days. That says once I get a fire going, the wood burns thoroughly. What I find is that for some reason I now need to empty the ashes almost daily, and then the fire gets going fairly quickly. Note the ashes were not blocking the air openings.

I today bought a new grate that has legs about 3 inhces. I expect that will let lots of air circulate under the logs and up.

Does anyone recommend for or against using a grate? Until this, the burning logs settled nicely into the hot embers on the stove floor and burned well.

 

[LLigetfa]

Most modern stoves are designed not to use grates and in fact many stove manufacturers advise against the use of grates.

 

[Todd]

I think they advise against it because the fire can get too hot and cause damage. But if you cut the legs off I think it would be ok and would work well for keeping logs from rolling forward towards the glass. Kind of a home made andiron.

 

[netmouse]

I should mention I have a Vermont Castings large Defiant that is about 25 years old. It does not have a glass front.


Does this make any difference?

 

[Todd]

Being 25 years old it's probably due for a rebuild or the seams may have some leaks. Go around the stove with a cigarette or incense stick and check to see if the smoke gets sucked in where it isn't suppose to.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hey Todd, would a cigar work too?! lol

Personally, I would not use a grate but would leave 1-2" of ash on the bottom of the stove.