How to start a fire in a Hearthstone stove!

[Stu02]

I wanted to give advice on this topic to help others avoid the hair pulling my now bald head represents. We have a hearthstone green mountain 60 and until we found this startup method we were frustrated smoked out unhappy people. Now we adore our stove:
This worked a charm:
-Make 6 newspaper knots ( roll single pages of newspaper into a 18 inch long 1/2 inch diameter tube and tie in a knot)
-Place 2 logs beside each other about 1-1/2 inches apart but be sure to prop the one near the door up on one side an inch so you do not block the fresh air intake from the space between the 2 logs.
- place the 6 paper knots between the logs.
- place 4 to 6 small pieces ( 1 inch x 1/2 inch x ) inches) of kindling railroad style across the gap above the paper knots.
- place a 3rd log on the railway kindling ties
- open a window or door near the stove 1 inch for outdoor air supply ( CRUCIAL)
- light the paper knots ( with long wood matchstick or BBQ lighter so you can reach the hidden paper
-close the stove door but leave it agar about an inch.
- pull the steel air draft supply lever out fully
-BE PATIENT, it takes 5 to 10 minutes to really catch
-you can close exterior window/ door after 10 minutes or so
-DO NOT close stove door until fire is really happily burning about 150 to 200 degrees
Notes: small dry out fires at the start of the season are important
- after you have ash build up from multiple fires be sure to use a stick to clear an air route under where your paper knots go AND TO THE FRESH AIR INTAKE AT FRONT OF STOVE

100 % effective- enjoy your stove. We absolutely love ours

 

[begreen]

open a window or door near the stove 1 inch for outdoor air supply ( CRUCIAL)

Is there an outside air supply on this stove? If not, it sounds like it would benefit from one. Info on page 13 of the manual.

OUTSIDE AIR SUPPLY
(Optional Kit #96-53400)

You can connect an outside air source directly to this stove using an optional outside air kit. The advantage of providing outside air directly to the stove is that the air used by the stove for combustion is taken from outside the residence rather than from within the room where the stove is located.

 

[Stu02]

No but worth thinking about.

 

[cabinwarmer]

Have you tried the top down lighting method recommended on the Hearthstone web site? It is all I use now with mine...fyi.

 

[Stu02]

I have not but because our technique works super well we will stick with it a while. Ill try top down in a month or two
Thanks

 

[begreen]

No but worth thinking about.

By the description, the house is tight enough that the stove is not getting sufficient combustion air unless a nearby window is open a bit. This indicates that an outside air kit is needed.

 

[cabinwarmer]

I read right past the OP (window statement). Woooops.