Burning while you're at work

[FN_9]

I tried searching for a similar discussion but couldn't find anything.

I'm curious how many people burn their stoves during the day when no one is home. I bought a house with a Weso stove and used it periodically last winter. It will heat my house quite nicely, but I'm a little hesitant to let it go 24/7.

I've never had an issue, but it's a little scary leaving a fire going unattended.

 

[skinnykid]

I did something right last night because I loaded up the stove and went to bed. When I woke up, still toasty warm in the house with nice ambers in the stove. i put some kindling in and some logs and left for work.
Just needed it to burn until the sun warmed things up for the G/F and kids, It worked great.

I was afraid to leave for work with the fire going and me not home but it went well.

Someone is always here but even if not, once I got more comfortable with the stove, i wouldn't hesitate. I would just make sure there was nothing close to catch fire..

 

[snowtime]

We have been burning 24/7 for almost 40 years. Had lots of stoves in that time. We always installed according to the current regs even though there's no inspection out here. What I know is the new stoves [if you get a quality EPA stove] and regs are so superior to the old days that I am 100% sure you will be fine as long as every thing has proper clearances and you used proper materials. If you are unsure just leave it with a small load the first days. Soon you will be loading it up and feeling good.
I just noticed you bought the place with the stove. In that case I would check all clearances and the condition of the chimney. If all checks out then you are good to go.

 

[Saw-dust]

I don't know about the stove but i guess you checked out the flue pipe and it is good. Figure if the house aint burned down yet with you in there with it it won't know any difference when your gone. As long as it behavies when you are there is should be fine when you aint.

We burn 24/7 all the time when its cold. I lod the stove before i go to bed, I load it before i go to work. The wife loads the stove before she goes to work. Usualy the stove is still going when we get back. I bet our stove burns more when we aint paying attention to it than when we do pay attention to it. I check every thing out from time to time, but I don't ever worry about it. If you got a good stove and good clean pipe you are good to go I say.

 

[Saw-dust]

We have been burning 24/7 for almost 40 years. Had lots of stoves in that time. We always installed according to the current regs even though there's no inspection out here. What I know is the new stoves [if you get a quality EPA stove] and regs are so superior to the old days that I am 100% sure you will be fine as long as every thing has proper clearances and you used proper materials. If you are unsure just leave it with a small load the first days. Soon you will be loading it up and feeling good.

you are right dude. The stove i grew up with had cast iron cracks big enough to see the fire through. Every year dad would mud the cracks saying we gonna get a new stove one of these days. Never had an issue but but i also think God watchs over people that don't know anybetter or cant do any better.

These new stoves are a long way from being as dangerous as them old ones. I aint saying throw God out the window now because you got a new stove. But there is not near as much to worry about with these new stoves like those old ones.

 

[High_Iron]

I burn 24/7. i load her up 3 times a day.

 

[FN_9]

We have been burning 24/7 for almost 40 years. Had lots of stoves in that time. We always installed according to the current regs even though there's no inspection out here. What I know is the new stoves [if you get a quality EPA stove] and regs are so superior to the old days that I am 100% sure you will be fine as long as every thing has proper clearances and you used proper materials. If you are unsure just leave it with a small load the first days. Soon you will be loading it up and feeling good.
I just noticed you bought the place with the stove. In that case I would check all clearances and the condition of the chimney. If all checks out then you are good to go.

The chimney is in good shape and I clean that and stove pipe regularly. The only problem I have w/clearances is in front of the stove. It sits on a brick hearth, but probably only 4" of brick in front of the stove. Then i have carpeting in front of the hearth. I should probably put tile in front to get the 16" i need. The stove is an EPA certified German built unit.

i'll take everyone's advice and get more comfortable with the stove and stock up on wood for the 09/10 winter - I won't have enough good wood for this year to run 24/7.

 

[skamp]

An 18"x 48" hearth pad would work.

 

[FatttFire]

I burn my 24/7 I have an old fisher, and i make sure there is nothing around it even close to catch on fire. I load it before work, then come home at lunch, then when I get home, and before bed. If you think about it, really you leave the stove home alone even when you are there, its not like you have to keep a watchfull eye on it once you figure out how/ what you are doing. Once you get comfortable you'll be fine. I would double check you hearth, maybe this year, tile it, and once you get enough wood split and ready for next year you will be comfortable to burn 24/7!

Jason

 

[jpl1nh]

I burn 24/7. Used to leave my oil burner on unattended while I was away too.

 

[N/A N/A]

My stove burns around the clock in the middle of winter. And we both work so most of the time the stove is burning, we are not at home. But I keep after the chimney and do regular inspections. Its a little nerve racking at first but I refuse to pay the gas guy. So I got used to it.

 

[Girl]

I still feel a bit nervous on occasion.
I work with a woman who also burns & the one in charge of fire tending in her home too.
We have a an on running joke going.
I ask her if my house is on fire.
She tells me no everything is fine.
As silly as it sounds it makes me feel better.
I get up 30 minutes earlier than usual during heavy burning season for my own piece of mind to ensure I when I leave in the AM it is not a smoldering fire I am leaving unattended. It is also some nice quite time for me in the AM before starting my day.

 

[gpcollen1]

I think you will find that most here who actually heat the house with wood burn 24/7. If the stove and pipe/flue are in good shape, it is really just a load of wood a day that is going while you are out.

 

[Brian VT]

i also think God watchs over people that don't know anybetter or cant do any better.

I like that one.

 

[johnnywarm]

install a web camera.

 

[Hanko]

I would like to burn at work, but my boss says if i bring my wood stove one more time, I'm fired

 

[FN_9]

An 18"x 48" hearth pad would work.

Can these pre-fab pads be placed directly over the carpeting, or do you need to cut the carpeting out and place directly over the unfinished floor (concrete in my case).

I seems like if they can't go on top of carpeting, I would be better off just tiling around the hearth.

 

[rich81]

I would like to burn at work, but my boss says if i bring my wood stove one more time, I'm fired

LOL! i was thinking along the same lines ! except i was gonna say most people would get in trouble for "burning one" while at work. now back to topic i burn 24/7 even if no one is home you get comfortable with it after a while, and as mentioned before as long as everything is within regs you'll be ok

 

[Hanko]

I think most people here that heat with wood do so during the day. I wouldnt light er up for the first time and take off for the day, but after a few days getting used to the quirks, you'll get comfortable with leaving it un attended. Just dont open the ash door and forget and leave

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I tried searching for a similar discussion but couldn't find anything.

I'm curious how many people burn their stoves during the day when no one is home. I bought a house with a Weso stove and used it periodically last winter. It will heat my house quite nicely, but I'm a little hesitant to let it go 24/7.

I've never had an issue, but it's a little scary leaving a fire going unattended.

Michael, it is very normal to feel uneasy about leaving an unattended fire. However, realize that the stove will do the same as what it does when you are there by it. After burning it several days when you are there you will become much more comfortable with it.

I'd suggest you try loading the stove during the daytime on weekends and look at it as though you were not there to attend it. You'll soon learn just how much wood to put in before you leave. Even more important is to learn how much time to leave the draft open to get the fire going good before closing the draft to whatever setting you need for a long burn. Then, once you learn this, get into the habit of getting the stove set for the daytime, then getting your coat on or your things taken to the car, then go back and re-check all the stove settings. This will give you peace of mind to understand that there should be no fear and that it will be nice to come home to a toasty house and just add some wood to make it even more comfortable.

Just look around this forum for a while and you will understand how many of us do burn 24/7. As for my wife and I, the wood stove is our only source of heat. We never hesitate to leave for all day. We've even went on all-nighter trips during the winter. Sure, the house is cool when we return, but not freezing. We just add wood or start a new fire and soon are comfy again.

Don't worry. You very soon will be amongst those who burn 24 hours per day and smile all the while! Don't be afraid of it; enjoy it! Good luck to you.

 

[billb3]

If my wood stove was capable of shutting itself down if certain things don't function properly as my oil burner does, I'd be more comfortable leaving it it burning.

I wouldn't leave a newborn home alone in a crib unattended, either.

People do it all the time, though.

 

[DavidV]

I have been burning 24/7 for a couple years now. Have the stove inspected and cleaned before the burning season startsand burn clean dry wood.

 

[OldOwl]

Nice thread. Eight seasons I have burned 24/7 with my Jotul 3 CB. It is installed inside my fireplace and was inspected before and after by the fire dept.. When I'm not home or when I'm sleeping, I turn it to low idle. However, this builds up dirt in the chimney. I know this by the fire fighters I had crawling on my roof one night and looking all through the house. The wife and her hen friends were having a get together and one pilled up out front and called us on her cell and asked if we knew there was a big blue ball of flame on top of our chimney. :gulp:

So while I was in panic mode the girls were trying to get the fire fighters to do a Chip N Dale show. Women.

The fire Captain said if I leave it on low all night, open the throttle in the morning every time and let a good hot flame burn whatever accumulated over night in the chimney. AND clean it once a year, which I do now. What saved me from a disaster was that I blocked the fire place opening with sheet metal around the flu pipe over the stove and cemented up all the seams. The only air which could get into the chimney had to go through the stove, so it couldn't get enough air to become a rocket engine and make outrageous heat. It just did a slow burn.

It's wonderful to come down in the morning and throw some sticks on the coals and have a fire without messing around. The Captain asked me how long the fire in the stove had been burning, and I said since since October. He had meant that day. Maybe I should hook up with the Olympic torch committee just in case they ever have a flame out.

 

[njtomatoguy]

I burn 24/7
Home at lunch to fill it.

Only had one panic call. My buddies wife called my cell and said there is an emergency at your house. I flew home, to find a kid selling something had knocked, and the dogs got out. I thought my house was burning down. We still laugh about that. The first season is a little nerve wracking, but you'll get into a groove, and be fine

 

[RedRanger]

I tried searching for a similar discussion but couldn't find anything.

I'm curious how many people burn their stoves during the day when no one is home. I bought a house with a Weso stove and used it periodically last winter. It will heat my house quite nicely, but I'm a little hesitant to let it go 24/7.

I've never had an issue, but it's a little scary leaving a fire going unattended.

Don`t burn while you are sleeping or away. Instead-save up that wood and send it to me and let me worry about the overnite fires. All we got out here is softwood, so I will be happy to burn some of that "gold" for ya. ;-)