Low Burn on Warm days?

[whynotoils]

I have an old LOPI wood stove. It is just cool enough to need the stove going. I also need it running for my slow cooking stew and the 8gallons of hot water for use.
I am fairly new to using a wood stove as an adult.
Any tips on how I can keep the fire going with putting the least about of heat into the house? Or is it just a burn as usual day with the windows open?

 

[begreen]

Feed the stove less wood, but more frequently. Try just 2 splits at a time. If this also your sole source of hot water then you may need to leave a window open in mild weather.

 

[whynotoils]

Feed the stove less wood, but more frequently. Try just 2 splits at a time. If this also your sole source of hot water then you may need to leave a window open in mild weather.

Thank you. I will try that. We do have other options for our water and cooking. We are trying to learn how to be more self sustaining.

 

[whynotoils]

Do I keep everything open wide or shut everything? I was thinking keeping it all open to keep it burning?

 

[begreen]

The amount of air will depend on how well seasoned the wood is and what species is being burned plus how strong the draft is. Milder weather weakens draft. Close the air down to the point where the fire still burns cleanly and doesn't smolder. If the wood is well seasoned and the flue height adequate, then you may be able to burn fine with the air about halfway closed.

 

[firefighterjake]

On those borderline days when it is cold enough to burn, but not so cold that I need to run the stove hard I do one of two things.

Option 1: Light a fire (using less wood and lower BTU wood . . . not packing the stove to the gills, etc.) and let the fire do its thing and then go out . . . if needed later, relight the fire.

Option 2: Light a fire (using less wood and lower BTU wood . . . not packing the stove to the gills, etc.) and just adding a split or two over the course of the day to keep the fire going. It's not as efficient, but slightly easier than relighting the fire from scratch.

 

[blacktail]

Option 2: Light a fire (using less wood and lower BTU wood . . . not packing the stove to the gills, etc.) and just adding a split or two over the course of the day to keep the fire going. It's not as efficient, but slightly easier than relighting the fire from scratch.

I do this when I'm home all day and it's not that cold out. It's also a good way to burn up the odd-shaped wood. It's also how my dad has run his pre-EPA stoves for decades. Toss in one or two chunks every couple of hours and leave the air about half open.

 

[xman23]

Learning how to run the stove on any day without having to open the windows is the goal of every wood burner. But doing that and trying to cook on the stove is a whole different thing.

 

[jatoxico]

I like the wood from branches and other real small wood for this purpose. Fast burning airy fires that burn hot enough to be clean but also burn down quick.
Couple years ago I posted that I cut up and bagged at least a 1/4 cord if not more. Bags were breathable and allowed wood to dry. Perfect kindling and for low demand days.
Now if the stove has to be hot enough and long enough to cook then I don't know if you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

[Jags]

I do what I would call “flash Fires”. Small loads that bring the stove up to temp, but start to die shortly after reaching operating temp. A 500 hundred pound stove at 500 hundred degrees F contains a fair amount of residual btu that can often last several hours. Its a learning curve, but it works for me. I have never been one to keep a low temp fire going in a tube stove. Cat - yes, Tube, not so much (its all about the return tech). Just my method of operation.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I burn one or two logs at a time on warmer days, just enough to throw a little heat but enough to keep the fire going as starting new fires in my stove is a pain. Sometimes i have to open the door for awhile if it gets to hot. I dont know about cooking stew and heating water tho,it's not exactly an oven you're working with here. What exactly is the point of heating 8 gallons of water anyways?