Clean Firebrick, Clean Burn??

[Rob From Wisconsin]

Often times I get a fire going good, set it, and forget it.
After it is pretty much done burining (hours later), is it safe
to say that the burn was pretty much "clean" by noting the
lack of carbon/soot on the firebox bricks??

Any opinions or personal experiences on this??

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Highbeam]

I feel pretty good about concluding the opposite- that a blackened firebox and glass indicate a poor burn and/or a smoldering fire.

 

[PAJerry]

Good hot fires with nice dry wood gives soot-free glass and firebrick. It's the easiest way to know that you're doing it right!

 

[KeithO]

I think you and the original poster are actually saying the same thing, just in totally opposite ways.

I feel pretty good about concluding the opposite- that a blackened firebox and glass indicate a poor burn and/or a smoldering fire.

 

[jtp10181]

Often times I get a fire going good, set it, and forget it.
After it is pretty much done burining (hours later), is it safe
to say that the burn was pretty much "clean" by noting the
lack of carbon/soot on the firebox bricks??

Any opinions or personal experiences on this??

Thanks,
Rob

Sounds good to me. Easiest way to spot someone not burning correctly is the nasty nasty gunk / goo on the glass and all the black on the top 1/3rd of the bricks.

 

[swestall]

Interesting item. I'm just now starting to use a V/C Defiant Non-CAT. Getting the initial load up to temp generates a lot of "black stuff" on the glass/brick. Once up to temp and then when engaging the secondary burn, my stove temp. and stack temp. are good. (500/450) and there is nothing but heat out the chimney. But, the smoke doesn't burn off the glass. The brick is clean but not all the way up. I suspect I will need to burn for a few days straight to get this burned off, then be fine. But the days aren't cold enough for that yet, I could always leave the windows open.....
Is it not wonderful that we are approaching that time of year when we have the wonder and smell of the old stove again?!!