Just started real fires in my new Jotul 550. My old insert was a Napoleon 1101. My question is about start up techniques ( that don't use blow torches).
When I started fires before I used maple twigs( that I cut up when our maples were trimmed last year) with two pieces of fat wood and two pieces of split pine - about 3" wedges -and a square of Rutland's firestarter broken into pieces ( I like them better than newspaper and we don't get a paper). Once those were going I'd throw on a small split of hard wood. Once that was going I'd throw on more logs and the temp. would rise into the 300*-400* zone somewhat quickly.
Using that same technique with the Jotul I am noticing it takes a lot longer to get the temp. up. I am using a Rutland therm. placed on the door right above the handle.
I figure this is normal because this insert is HUGE in comparison and has a lot more cast iron to heat up.
My concern is that since it takes longer to heat up I'm assuming more creosote is being deposited in the liner. I know that is normal and burns off as soon as temps. rise and I can see it happening on the fire bricks in the stove. I just get paranoid about creosote and like it gone as soon as possible without the help of a chimney fire.
So my question is: Should I add more pine in the beginning since it catches really quickly getting the temps up faster? Or should I just relax and let this unit do it's thing in it's own time?
The temp. on the door reads 300* now and the bricks are clear but I know the fire in there is a lot hotter than that and in my Napoleon it would be registering at about 500*.
When I started fires before I used maple twigs( that I cut up when our maples were trimmed last year) with two pieces of fat wood and two pieces of split pine - about 3" wedges -and a square of Rutland's firestarter broken into pieces ( I like them better than newspaper and we don't get a paper). Once those were going I'd throw on a small split of hard wood. Once that was going I'd throw on more logs and the temp. would rise into the 300*-400* zone somewhat quickly.
Using that same technique with the Jotul I am noticing it takes a lot longer to get the temp. up. I am using a Rutland therm. placed on the door right above the handle.
I figure this is normal because this insert is HUGE in comparison and has a lot more cast iron to heat up.
My concern is that since it takes longer to heat up I'm assuming more creosote is being deposited in the liner. I know that is normal and burns off as soon as temps. rise and I can see it happening on the fire bricks in the stove. I just get paranoid about creosote and like it gone as soon as possible without the help of a chimney fire.
So my question is: Should I add more pine in the beginning since it catches really quickly getting the temps up faster? Or should I just relax and let this unit do it's thing in it's own time?
The temp. on the door reads 300* now and the bricks are clear but I know the fire in there is a lot hotter than that and in my Napoleon it would be registering at about 500*.