THE INTREPID SPOUSE

[jetmech]

The better half called me at work this morning and said she was cold. So after numerous calls she has the intrepid at 500 deg and cruising. She did a great job, it already has the 2 rooms it heats at 70 deg from 62 in about hour and ahalf. looks like shes a keeper. the wife i mean. it was her first time using the stove.

 

[SlyFerret]

Nice!

My wife has started the stove a few times and done OK with a little coaching.

I still remember shortly after putting the stove in, being called at work by my wife, complaining that the house was 95 degrees in the house. I started the stove in the morning before I left. It was her first time with the stove, and she kept putting more wood in it because she thought that it should always have bright flames burning like a fireplace. She never let it get to the coaling stage to let things cool down. I told her to stop feeding it, and open some windows to cool things off.

-SF

 

[Bobbin]

Spousal stove operation is important (even when they get a little sloppy with the draft controls!). It's my own opinion that if there is a stove in the house everyone should know the basics of its safe operation and have a "go to" procedure list for dealing with any possible malfunction. I have a deeply held belief that fear and wilful ignorance are potentially lethal when it comes to wood stoves. One of our esteemed collegues has the tag line, "fear is a mind killer" and I couldn't agree more.

I have several friends who refuse to have anything to do with the stoves in their homes. Most of them are simply afraid and their husbands tend to bark instructions at them as they're on their way out the door. Not a good way to teach anyone anything, IMO. Others simply loathe the look of old smoke dragons, resent the lingering scent of woodsmoke in their homes, and chafe under the relentless clean up that falls to their shoulders. Small wonder they don't wish to participate in the stove's operation, huh? A couple of them have been stunned at how easy it is to operate a stove and how odorless a stove can be when they've visited our home.

So, I give all fearful wives a big thumbs up when they decide to learn how to operate the stoves in their homes. It takes guts and I also caution husbands to involve their wives and (age appropriate) children it the stove's safe operation. Go slowly, and involve them regularly when you're home and there is no pressure that you'll "leave them alone with the stove". My father struck out on all counts when he put the stove in my parents' home. My mother hated it and was never comfortable with either its installation or its operation. Foolishly and wilfully she chose the path of ignorance. Shame on her, too.