Any tips, tricks or suggestions for our first burn? Had it installed in July and we are complete newbee's with wood stoves.
Alderlea T5 first burn
- Thread starter brokenback
- Start date
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Make the first fire a small one. Just use some kindling. Do it on a cooler day or night. Then make the next fire with some kindling and a few 2-3" splits. The third fire can be full sized, but I would suggest using no more than 4-5 four inch splits to get used to burning. Open up a nearby window and if you have a fan you might want to have it blowing out air from the house as the paint bakes in. Take the stovetop up to around 500-600º to bake in the paint.
Note that fully seasoned wood is critically important for good wood burning.
There is a link to starting and running an EPA stove up above in the sticky notes that can be helpful guidance in running the stove.
Note that fully seasoned wood is critically important for good wood burning.
There is a link to starting and running an EPA stove up above in the sticky notes that can be helpful guidance in running the stove.
Burning this time of year is tricky because of the mild weather. Don't freak out if your draft isn't great or you get some smoke in the room when you open the door. Especially when doing break in fires. Colder temps and a warm chimney will most likely cure that issue. It's generally not the stoves fault.
I recommend top down starts especially in fall/spring.
I recommend top down starts especially in fall/spring.
MongoMongoson
Feeling the Heat
I always burn a small one at the beginning of every season to cook the moisture out of the firebricks before firing them hard. I believe this helps prevent cracked bricks, so there is another good reason to start with a small fire. I should probably search these forums to find out if it actually does prevent cracked bricks, but I never have.
You have a great stove. Keep us posted on progress.
This website is packed with good information. Here's a short video on starting a top down fire that may be helpful.
This website is packed with good information. Here's a short video on starting a top down fire that may be helpful.
Thanks I just finished watching that video 15 minutes ago and told my wife "good information in that video".
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
I got that stove for my SIL a couple years back. Great choice; Quality construction and simple design.
Keep us updated on your learning curve. There are several here that burn the same stove, and will be happy to share their experiences with it. I haven't really had much experience with it; I handed operation off to my SIL in pretty short order.
This thing draws like crazy on my SIL's 15' liner; The top-down start and E-W loading mentioned in the video seem good ways to control the burn. N-S loads in her stove can get up to 700+ stove top, very easily.
Keep us updated on your learning curve. There are several here that burn the same stove, and will be happy to share their experiences with it. I haven't really had much experience with it; I handed operation off to my SIL in pretty short order.
Yesterday we did the small burn (kindling), probably going to kick it up with a medium burn in a few. May have to open the windows as it still 70° in the house and 60° outside. IDK maybe I should wait?
That's pretty warm for a fire. Draft may be weak. Test it with a ball of newspaper first. Maybe wait a few hours for the temps to drop a bit more.
If you get this one done tonight, then by tomorrow morning a good fire with 4-6 splits should be fine. There's a cold front coming through.
Also burning tonight now that it’s getting colder. It’s a good feeling!
Sounds good. Tomorrow morning load it up with 3 N/S split and 2 E/W splits on top. Top light and let it bake in the paint with the windows open.
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
The fumes weren't too bad when I burned in my SIL's T5. As begreen suggested, I stuck a box fan in a window and pulled the rest outside.
Good stove choice! Ours going on 13 yrs. @ ~5 cords/year.
We've had a couple minor issues, that most don't have -- nonetheless very happy with this stove and it has served us well. Just replaced the door gasket this year for the 2nd or 3rd time, and it is burning very well. Begreen has had his T6 for approx. equivilent amount of time, as well.
We've had a couple minor issues, that most don't have -- nonetheless very happy with this stove and it has served us well. Just replaced the door gasket this year for the 2nd or 3rd time, and it is burning very well. Begreen has had his T6 for approx. equivilent amount of time, as well.
Thats great brokenback. I just purchased and installed a T5 myself. So far I am very impressed with the stove. I was surprised how little it stunk when doing the initial burns to cure the paint. Thought it was going to be way worse.
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