Heat N Glo NorthStar - first fireplace for me, questions

[jlachowin]

Hi everyone, very nice community here. Been searching and doing more research before posting some basic questions. Moved into a new home, we chose wood vs gas for the fireplace. This is my first wood fireplace, so I don't have a lot of knowledge other than reading. I purchased 1/3 face cord of cherry wood, and 1/3 face cord of kiln dried mixed hardwood. I've been mostly using the kiln dried mixed hardwood, but will throw in a piece of cherry once and awhile. I purchased a moisture meter, and it reports 12-16% moisture on both types of wood, so I'm believing it's pretty dry.

I've been having no issue starting the fireplace with kindling and usually a small stick of fatwood. Is it OK to use fatwood to get it going? Then I'll throw 1-2 larger logs on, but from what I understand you can pretty much load this fireplace up? I've been having issues with it generating any type of real heat.

My real concern is what the chimney looks like already. First small fire to break in the fireplace was early October, and we've probably had 10-12 fires since then. I've uploaded two pictures, what it looked like 10/24, and then on 11/24. It looks like I'm already getting shiny creosote? At this point, should I be cautious? Again this is my first fireplace and I'm just not very knowledgeable yet.

I'm thinking my real issue is I'm not burning enough wood and the fireplace essentially burns through the small amount of wood quickly and cools off creating soot and possibly creosote? If jtp10181 see's this, he seems to have a lot of knowledge with this particular fireplace and is a fellow Wisconsinite!

One last question.. when we are finished using the fireplace, and the coal-bed is dying down, is it advisable to close the damper, and close the air controls, or do you just want everything wide open? I'm just trying to avoid creating any creosote or unsafe condition. Plan is to have the chimney inspected every early fall.

Anyway, I appreciate any input for a beginner.
Justin

 

[jlachowin]

Also curious.. should I not be burning pieces of wood that still has some bark on it?

 

[Rickb]

bark is fine. However how are you testing your wood moisture?

It should be tested with the grain on a newly split piece.

Wood often will read 12-16% outside and be 35% inside.

 

[spudman99]

Several points.

Wood needs to be at room temperature before testing for moisture. Bring it inside for 1 day and then split and test in the middle. That will be your reading.

You can close the outside air knob when done to keep the cold air from coming inside. Same for the Air control if you desire. Unit is manufactured to allow some air to infiltrate so any heat from the coals will go up the liner. Creosote is most common in the early part of the burn, when the moisture from the wood is being baked out. If the flue gases are too low when there is moisture in the exhaust, then creosote has a greater chance to form. At the end of the burn (think coals and hot embers) there is very little, if any moisture left and creosote has a difficult time in forming.

Your manual is pretty detailed on how to achieve an optimal burn. Read pages 14-15 again. You have a nice unit, go an enjoy.

 

[David.Ervin]

I've got this fireplace, and I can offer a couple tips and insight...

* It likes to burn HOT. If you load it up with dry wood and let 'er eat, you'll love the heat you get, even if it looks a little scary at first.
* Watch the secondary burn. You'll get better secondary action and more heat if you close the air down. It's like the air isn't going through it so fast and sucking the heat out. Bigger secondaries = more heat.
* The air inlets are front and center, under that bump-out in the firebox. I rake the coals into a pile right in front of it before a reload to get the next one going faster, and open the air up all the way until the wood catches.
* The top of the firebox gets DIRTY. Doesn't seem to matter what or how I burn, I'll have creocicles up there by the end of the winter. Your two photos look exactly like what I've got. Sweep it out at the end of the year, I guess.

Edit: When the metal channel thing on the front edge of the fiber board and blanket falls out, Don't Panic. It's easy to get back in there once the stove has cooled down if you lift the board a little so it can wrap behind the first burn tube, and appears to be very non-essential anyway.

 

[jlachowin]

I grabbed a few pieces and brought them inside. Tomorrow I'll split and take new readings, thanks for the info. I'm using a Ryobi Bluetooth moisture meter which is kind of a pain.

bark is fine. However how are you testing your wood moisture?

It should be tested with the grain on a newly split piece.

Wood often will read 12-16% outside and be 35% inside.

 

[jlachowin]

David, thanks for info. I'll try the trick with coals on my next fire and build a hotter fire. I actually just took the front channel off to take a look at the baffle and blanket, it really is getting sooty up there but looks normal. I'll probably clean that up twice a year then have chimney swept yearly. Does that metal channel fall off by itself? By your post it made it sound that way which would be nerve-racking! Thanks everyone.

I've got this fireplace, and I can offer a couple tips and insight...

* It likes to burn HOT. If you load it up with dry wood and let 'er eat, you'll love the heat you get, even if it looks a little scary at first.
* Watch the secondary burn. You'll get better secondary action and more heat if you close the air down. It's like the air isn't going through it so fast and sucking the heat out. Bigger secondaries = more heat.
* The air inlets are front and center, under that bump-out in the firebox. I rake the coals into a pile right in front of it before a reload to get the next one going faster, and open the air up all the way until the wood catches.
* The top of the firebox gets DIRTY. Doesn't seem to matter what or how I burn, I'll have creocicles up there by the end of the winter. Your two photos look exactly like what I've got. Sweep it out at the end of the year, I guess.

Edit: When the metal channel thing on the front edge of the fiber board and blanket falls out, Don't Panic. It's easy to get back in there once the stove has cooled down if you lift the board a little so it can wrap behind the first burn tube, and appears to be very non-essential anyway.

 

[David.Ervin]

Does that metal channel fall off by itself? By your post it made it sound that way which would be nerve-racking!

I've bumped it with my fireplace poker or a log and knocked it out more than I'd care to admit. I've never seen it just drop out on its own, but it doesn't seem well attached. It'll scare you the first time it happens, but just pull it out with some tongs and let it cool on the hearth and you can put it back at your leisure.

 

[jlachowin]

Just an update, I brought in a few pieces of wood for a day then split them even more and took readings with the grain and against. Both readings were around 13-16% so I think I'm good in that respect. I bought some Bio Blocks for the heck of it, and I put 4 of those in with 3 big pieces of hardwood and it's getting hot in here! I was underestimating how much wood to put it, you can load this thing and once it's going really good turn the air controls down. I'm very happy now that it's warming things up, thanks everyone for the feedback. One more thing, since I'm burning more wood and it's hotter, the glass is staying cleaner, before I was having to clean every other fire as I wasn't burning hot enough. The more you know! Happy Holidays everyone.