How to hold off on reload..

[Heem]

So the logs have burned down. I've got a bed of bright red coals. It's 83 degrees in here. I won't need to start adding heat to this house until I'm down around 65-70 degrees max. But, if I don't get logs on within about 30 minutes or so, I'm going to be starting over from small splits and kindling.

What can I do to extend this down time, seeing as it's not really all that cold out yet, and I've got plenty of time before the house is too cold - BUT, not long enough that I can just let it go out 'till morning?

 

[fbelec]

sounds like you got no choice. let it go out. i have that problem too. but that's because my stove is to large for my house. if this is what your problem is, you'll be doing alot of restarts. and you will have more build up than normal in your chimney because of it. the way i keep the build up in check is to do top down starts and smaller fires but run it hot.

 

[Todd]

Open the windows and cool down the house then add more wood. The fresh air will be good for you anyways.

 

[Heem]

Problem isnt so much the heat, just trying to not waste the wood.

 

[flyingpig]

Leaving more ash in the stove? It should help the coal last longer.

 

[rdust]

Shovel the coals into the back corner, cover them with ash and shut the air down. You'll be surprised how long the coals will last once you bank them.

 

[corey21]

Shovel the coals into the back corner, cover them with ash and shut the air down. You'll be surprised how long the coals will last once you bank them.

I do that same thing and i can hold coals all day.

 

[Heem]

Shovel the coals into the back corner, cover them with ash and shut the air down. You'll be surprised how long the coals will last once you bank them.

I do that same thing and i can hold coals all day.

Great! Will try this next time - I just threw 3 splits on

 

[xman23]

A fire size based on outside temps allow you to keep the stove cruising longer. But when you get the house to 85 you just have to let it burn out and open the windows.

 

[corey21]

A fire size based on outside temps allow you to keep the stove cruising longer. But when you get the house to 85 you just have to let it burn out and open the windows.

especially when you get a inferno with the secondaries.

 

[nate379]

Can also just put in 1-2 small logs, just something to keep the fire going.

It's nice right now in a way with the 60mph winds we have cause I am able to load my stove all the way and run it on #1. It's 80* in the living room near the stove but the back of the house is closer to 70*

 

[KB007]

Can also just put in 1-2 small logs, just something to keep the fire going.

It's nice right now in a way with the 60mph winds we have cause I am able to load my stove all the way and run it on #1. It's 80* in the living room near the stove but the back of the house is closer to 70*

I do the same, 1 split let it coast for a while just to keep it going. Will have to try to coal banking thing at some time, but usually when it's cold, it's cold enuf to keep some kind of fire going.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

I have started from banked coals 2 days later. Was a slow start, but it worked. You have to have a good ash bed, then get all the coals back to the top, and for me, right in front of the doghouse with my reload in the tunnel of love configuration.

 

[Troutchaser]

Shovel the coals into the back corner, cover them with ash and shut the air down. You'll be surprised how long the coals will last once you bank them.

Because I have a downdraft stove, I can't keep enough coals around like this. At least I haven't been able to yet. My coals have got to be fresh and red hot.
So, in this weather of 50* days and 25* nights, I'm basically building two fires in the evening. The first is smaller just to bump temps up a little. The second is to gain enough coals for overnight burn. The first burn still helps to get the stove warmed and a few coals are left in the bottom of the stove.

When it gets cold, I can probably downdraft through the evening with smaller stuff, then re-load again before bedtime.

 

[LLigetfa]

Let the coals go as long as you dare and then just toss on two small splits instead of filling the stove.