Has someone ever used your stove that didn't know how??

[Swedishchef]

Hey folks,

This week my wife and I had a baby on Tuesday via c-section. I stayed with her at the hospital (and was fed as well!) for 3 nights. My in-laws stayed with my 2 year old son and they said "by the way, we made a fire!". I nearly had a heart attack!! 3 thoughts: did they open the bypass and forget to close it? Will I arrive home to find a house full of the smell of smoke (did they ensure there was no downdraft?)? Will my glass be black as night?

Considering my FIL has an old smoke dragon that he thinks is the best. I was worried. I think he had a hard time getting the fire to go because I found large pieces of "coals" leftover and he said he only made 1 fire.

Has anyone else had someone use their stove while they were away?

Andrew

PS. The OBGY said it was the thickest/biggest umbilical cord she has seen in her LIFE. It was the size of the baby's arm!

 

[PA Fire Bug]

My parents watched our girls for a night last winter. I was sure that my dad would no problems keeping the fire going. My only concern was that he may overfire the stove. I had to give him directions over the phone since they didn't arrive until after we were gone (don't worry about the girls, they were in school). I made sure to tell him about the thermometer on the stove pipe and asked the girls to let grandpa or grandma know if the thermometer was getting near the red zone. When we came home the next evening, both grandparents said how warm the house was and how much they enjoyed the wood stove. When I asked the girls if grandpa had any problems with the stove, they said "No. He build a fire and then laid down on the couch and fell asleep."

 

[simple.serf]

I have fired other people's stoves/boilers. Never had issues. I would probably only trust my wife, who does fire the stove, and my father, who is good at following directions.

 

[flhpi]

A good friend came to visit and I was traveling home from working out of town. When I got home he had let himself in, let the cat in and fed it, drinking a beer from my fridge and sitting on the couch watching tv in a cool house. He said he didn't want to light the fire because I probably have a certain way I do it and he didn't want to mess it up.
I thought it was great that he made himself at home and had the sense not to mess with my stove. My girlfriend has been learning about the stove, I want her to know what to do if she needs to stay at the house while I am out of town. She is fully aware that I am particular about certain things.

 

[Swedishchef]

Why is it only my FIL has no common sense

He means well but doesn't understand the concept of an EPA stove, stack temps, etc. He is old school: throw the wood in, turn down the air and let it go. Zing.

Andrew

 

[jeff_t]

Congrats on the baby.

My sister burned our stove when she was staying with us. I gave her a crash course over the phone, and she had no problems. That's part of the reason she wants the same stove in her house, the installation of which will start next week.

 

[Swedishchef]

Thanks for the congrats Jeff.

That's great that your sister used your stove. The likelyhood of my sister using my stove and NOT burning my house down are slim to none. She just isn't....the manual type!

PS. Big Bang Theory is the best TV show out there!

Andrew

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Only one time. I actually hired someone to keep a fire going for us when we had to be away a couple days. No big problem but we came home to a cold house. Stove was crammed full of wood but the fire was almost out. It was a good thing we got home when we did because that night the temperature fell to -28. Our water pump had already frozen but not enough to crack anything as I got it unthawed right away.

 

[Swedishchef]

That sounds like a close call Dennis. Do you ever find it an inconvenience to only use wood as a heat source and not be able to get away for a few days?

Andrew

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Only that one time Andrew and we have not had a furnace now for over 30 years. When the wife and I went to Arizona a few winters then of course we drained the water and blew out the pipes, put anti-freeze in the traps, etc.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

My mother in law tried to light and load the Century once. Without opening the primary. That didn't work out too well. She wouldn't listen on how to light it so she was cold.

She came up to help the wife take care of our newborn daughter.

The woman wouldn't believe us that it was colder than her freezer down in Houston. She arrived at the airport in December in flip flops. Our first stop after she got here was to pick her up a pair of boots, or at least appropriate shoes. The only thing she could find was $80. She was only up for 2 weeks before I started getting sick of her. I lasted a few more weeks before the wife had had enough too and we bought her a ticket home.

I'm so happy she's back in Houston. I don't want to live anywhere near that woman.

Matt

 

[precaud]

The first time I used my stove(s), I didn't know how...

 

[n3pro]

I had a friend over. I had to make an errand run. Came home an hour later to smoke like I never seen from my chimney. I ran in opened up the air control. My friend said "I few on a few logs, the fire was dying out". I said you forgot to open the air control and you put three of the biggest pieces I had here! He never touched my stove again.

 

[Pallet Pete]

My niece tried to help once a few winters back and threw in some wood when I woke up all the fatwood was gone lol.

Pete

 

[rdust]

Nothing to add about the stove use but congrats on the new addition to the family!

 

[Treacherous]

My dad tried to run it like a smoke dragon the first time he used it. I guess it could have been worse. He knows how to run it now.

 

[Swedishchef]

Matt: hilarious story

rdust: thanks for the congrats! The kid is sleeping well, eats every 4hours which isn't too bad at all.

I think letting someone use your stove is like someone using your toothbrush. In dire situations it can be done.

 

[burnt03]

Congrats on the new addition! Sorry about your luck having to eat for 3 days at the hospital

 

[Ashful]

Has someone ever used your stove that didn't know how??

Yes... me!

My in-laws stayed with my 2 year old son and they said "by the way, we made a fire!".

First, congratulations! Second, it sounds like your in-laws are a lot like mine... always around, "helping". Sometimes the help is other than what's wanted, but I'd rather have them than family who's never around when you need them. You were able to rush off to the hospital knowing your 2-year old was safe at home.

Being a smoke dragon owner, my bet is he ran the thing all night with the bypass damper open, or closed it too early. Either way, he likely had the air control set low, and was erring more towards "smoulder" than "overfire".

 

[HotCoals]

Interesting thread.
Make me think I should post instructions near the stove.
It would prolly go like this:
Leave the wood stove alone please..if cold turn up t-stat in the next room,thank you..lol.

 

[Swedishchef]

Hey Burnt! How are things in BC? I am sure everyone appreciates that BC has sent a mini tsumi halfway around the world. LOL. The hospital food was actually very good! red meat every day, the food had taste, etc. It is a small hospital with only about 100 patients.

Joful: you are absolutely right. They are always around and some times annoying but the PROS outweigh the CONS in this situation. They are very easy going and don't ever give their opinions or get in the way. I think you're right, it may have smoldered all night and I can see my FIL say "these new stoves suck, they don't put out heat"

HotCoals: I love that idea. Makes me want to get a sign carved saying the same.

Andrew

 

[woodchip]

The first time I used my stove(s), I didn't know how...

Same here, until I joined hearth.com..........

And Swedishchef, congratulations

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I had the opposite problem. My Dad came to visit. He ran a stove through much of my childhood. First he started messing around with the fire. Then, when we were supposed to be going out to lunch he was out splitting kindling. Then he was working through some wood with the chain saw.
He told me "don't tell Susan" (my stepmother)

 

[David Tackett]

Congrats on the new addition to your family. NOBODY has ever touched my stove or fireplace. Only I START fires in my home. I have been teaching my son.

 

[Swedishchef]

Thanks Woodchip!

Kathleen: I love that story. Your dad seems to be sneaking to get things done for you without letting the stepmother know. Sounds typical of men! lol

Dave: I think I am doing the same thing as you....