Breaking in your stove for the season

[NYCPrincess]

How do you break in your castiron wood burning stove for the season? Please be as specific as possible.

Thanks.

 

[Batman]

Brush the dust and cat hair off of the top.

 

[webby3650]

Typically the only break in fires take place when the stove new. Soapstone stoves ask that you burn a small fire at the start of the season. 200 degree stovetop for an hour or so, then return to room temperature. Not necessary for iron stoves, but it won’t hurt anything obviously.

 

[NYCPrincess]

Typically the only break in fires take place when the stove new. Soapstone stoves ask that you burn a small fire at the start of the season. 200 degree stovetop for an hour or so, then return to room temperature. Not necessary for iron stoves, but it won’t hurt anything obviously.

Hmm. Close. I've been burning it at a max of 300 and for about 3 hours. It was just so yum. If I had to guess, it will start going down in about 1 hr. Do i need to "break it in" again? Or just one a year?

This will be the third year with the stove.

 

[2fireplacesinSC]

I think "break in" fires are just when you first get it. I seem to remember someone here talking about your first fire of the season going a little gentle to let any condensation/humidity that may have built up in the fire brick to get out. After my break-in when I first got it, I just let it rip thereafter. No "break-in" thereafter, just normal use.

 

[webby3650]

Hmm. Close. I've been burning it at a max of 300 and for about 3 hours. It was just so yum. If I had to guess, it will start going down in about 1 hr. Do i need to "break it in" again? Or just one a year?

This will be the third year with the stove.

There’s no real reason for a break in fire at all, unless it’s new or soapstone. What stove are you running?

 

[Jags]

Light a fire and fugitaboutit. You will not bring up the temp at a rate that won't have everything working like it should. Soap stone can absorb moisture, hence the suggestion of a small warm up fire. Cast iron and the firebrick in the stove is a different critter. Think of a cast iron skillet on the stove - you don't bother to preheat - you pour the coals to it.

Smoke'em if you got 'em. (Or just light a fire )

 

[firefighterjake]

None needed with steel or cast iron ... although my first fires tend to be not as hot for as long as I start out in the shoulder season using punks, chunks and ugliest along with smaller one and done fires.