Unheated cabin - does cold stove require gradual warmup

[kobudo]

If I turn off my propane stove when leaving the cabin it will be quite after after a couple of weeks. 0* inside.
Is it necessary to build a very small fire and then build up gradually or can I just build a normal fire and not worry about the cold temperature of the steel? (Jotul Castine)

 

[Adios Pantalones]

As long as it's broken in- I don't guess it's an issue. I mean- in the winter you're starting a fire in a 65F stove and going to 500F. The extra 65F is probably not going to cause a shock.

I guess if it was soapstone or something- I'd be much more careful.

 

[Jags]

Building a fire in a steel/cast stove will not build heat fast enough to create any thermal shock that would damage the stove. You are talking about zero to ~400 in what? Maybe 35 min? Thats not really fast in the world of steel (just ask the exhaust manifold of your car).

 

[fossil]

Unless you're using liquid oxygen or some other combustion accelerant, whatever sort of wood fire you build in that stove is gonna start out small and gradually get bigger, all on its own accord. I think your stove will like it just fine. Rick

 

[Bill]

I do that many times over every winter in my cabin, I have a cast iron stove, never a problem. When the cabin is that cold, it takes a while to get her warm.

 

[Tfin]

Thats not really fast in the world of steel (just ask the exhaust manifold of your car).

I like your analogy Jags......drives it home. :coolsmile:

 

[Corey]

I would have to put my vote in for 'it doesn't matter' as well. Now the converse situation might be a problem...if the stove is hot and you dump a large amount of water on it, the metal would rapidly shrink and may cause cracks as the cooling progresses - but of course, you're not likely to dump a huge pan of water on the stove.