I grew up with a woodburner for heat and never had any worries. I now have my own burner and I cant seem to get over the fear of going to bed with a stove full of wood. I always think that the glass will crack or one of the welds will give away and I'll have a runaway fire, all while I'm snug in my bed. I guess my question is, what is the probability of this happening with a relatively new stove.
overcoming fear
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If the stove is settled in and cruising at a nice steady temp the chances of those things happening are about the same as they are for a commercial airliner crashing directly into your house.
Load the stove like you would for an all night burn some Saturday or Sunday in the morning and get used to how the burn progresses through the cycle. It will give you more confidence in the stove burning after you go to bed. Your concern is something every wood burner goes through. Even the old timers when they get a new stove.
Load the stove like you would for an all night burn some Saturday or Sunday in the morning and get used to how the burn progresses through the cycle. It will give you more confidence in the stove burning after you go to bed. Your concern is something every wood burner goes through. Even the old timers when they get a new stove.
I had the same problems with not knowing it was safe to burn wood without being near it so in case something went wrong. I wouldn't leave my stove going if I left the house, but I got over it after a few burnings of the stove. I used mine for 15 years and never had a problem.
I made sure I cleaned the chimney every fall before start up and checked the stove in general. You will be fine once you get over the initial worries.
Shipper
I made sure I cleaned the chimney every fall before start up and checked the stove in general. You will be fine once you get over the initial worries.
Shipper
It does seem unnatural to have a camp fire burning in the living room. My wife had a short bout of this fear with our old coal burner in the basement. Now days is quite different. Before we went to bed last night she made sure I had the stove topped off.
I think BB has the best solution, and Shipper has dealt with it. It will become second nature to burn the stove all night for you as well.
For reassurance, do a search this forum with the lines of "my stove exploded last night", or "my stove came apart". You will be happy with how little comes up and it is usually irrelevant to your concerns.
I think BB has the best solution, and Shipper has dealt with it. It will become second nature to burn the stove all night for you as well.
For reassurance, do a search this forum with the lines of "my stove exploded last night", or "my stove came apart". You will be happy with how little comes up and it is usually irrelevant to your concerns.
greenergrass said:
The chances are slim, but the truth is there is no answer for irrational fear.
probally about the same as a jet plane falling out of the sky and hitting your house. Probally better chance of that happening .
Chances are slim just as with electrical fires and such,but just remember to have working smoke detectors and like others have said get used to how your stove works.
When I first got my stove I was intimidated by it and all the new sounds it makes ie the ocassional pop and creak sound now I dont even here them unless it sounds like a log rolling into the glass doors that gets my attention (dont do that) I just make sure I know where my air is set at and let it do its job.
I have complete confidence in my stoves. What I had to develop was confidence in myself. My scariest moment was lying in bed and thinking I was smelling smoke...got up and checked, sure enough, I was. I'd left my firewood supply way too close to the side of my loaded up and burning for the night old Lopi and the ends of some splits facing the stove had started to char. It's not the stove that'll kill me, it's me that'll kill me. Rick
Admittedly, I've made a few midnight trips to check that everything was going OK. Usually, some other noise wakes me up and I'm in the "did that noise come from the stove?" mode. Some things to think about:
The stove "glass" won't 'just crack' It's built for the heat and can stand incredible amounts of thermal shock: http://www.robaxglass.com/prop.htm The only way it would break is mechanical impact. So be careful how you stack your wood - try to put rounds on the bottom, not on top and there should be minimum (if not zero) chance of anything hitting the glass.
The welds - again, chances of one just splitting apart and a huge hole opening up on the stove are practically non existent. If anything, a small crack would open up over time and slowly get larger and larger. This still isn't much of a danger because if any crack does open up, the stove is under negative pressure, so it will just be pulling a little more air in and not letting fire out. So the only thing left is an overfire / chimney fire. You can reduce the chances of that to almost zero by keeping the flue clean.
The last thing I do is make sure the smoke detector and CO detector have good batteries and fully functioning. On the very slim chance something does go bad with the stove (or more likely some other source in the house) - you've got all the warning bells and whistles ready to go. Over all, when properly burned and maintained, I'd have to think a stove is just as safe as any other heating appliance.
The stove "glass" won't 'just crack' It's built for the heat and can stand incredible amounts of thermal shock: http://www.robaxglass.com/prop.htm The only way it would break is mechanical impact. So be careful how you stack your wood - try to put rounds on the bottom, not on top and there should be minimum (if not zero) chance of anything hitting the glass.
The welds - again, chances of one just splitting apart and a huge hole opening up on the stove are practically non existent. If anything, a small crack would open up over time and slowly get larger and larger. This still isn't much of a danger because if any crack does open up, the stove is under negative pressure, so it will just be pulling a little more air in and not letting fire out. So the only thing left is an overfire / chimney fire. You can reduce the chances of that to almost zero by keeping the flue clean.
The last thing I do is make sure the smoke detector and CO detector have good batteries and fully functioning. On the very slim chance something does go bad with the stove (or more likely some other source in the house) - you've got all the warning bells and whistles ready to go. Over all, when properly burned and maintained, I'd have to think a stove is just as safe as any other heating appliance.
Your biggest fear should not be the stove itself, but the installation. As long as you're confident that your flue meets code, your hearth/stove meets clearances, and you keep combustibles like drying clothes etc. clear of the stove, then you should have no problems. Likewise with stove maintenance....clean and inspect the flue every year, inspect the stove gaskets etc. every seaon.
Most fires seem to result from improper installation of the stove and flue.
Most fires seem to result from improper installation of the stove and flue.
Tension can make our minds race when we're trying to fall asleep and keep us worrying about any and all things. Far too many years, I let it ruin my chances at a good night's sleep, which isn't healthy. I'd suggest you try some relaxation exercises at least 30 minutes before bedtime and have a nice cup of warm milk, maybe laced with a teaspoon of honey. It may help to keep your mind from focusing on these thoughts. (I had never owned a house with a wood stove before leaving the east coast. I never really have had concerns about a fire breaking out due to the stove, even with the old smoke dragon. If you're burning correctly and clean and check your stove and chimney regularly, you shouldn't have any more concerns with the stove than with any other heating system. Frankly, this is the first time I've lived in a rural area and had to deal with propane. The propane furnace (pilot light) worries me more than the wood stove, but I'm not losing sleep over it.) Just relax (if you don't have one--get a carbon monoxide detector--that, along with your smoke detector should help ensure your family's safety should there ever be a failure of any of your heating systems.)
I will still go check on my stove esp if I think i smell smoke and I have been burning about 25 years now as my sole source of heat. I also view these false alarms as a reason to stand in front of the stove and get really warm then crawl in to bed 
I have never had a stove come apart on me that quick and I have burned some really scary stuff in the past like Barrel stoves.
I have never had a stove come apart on me that quick and I have burned some really scary stuff in the past like Barrel stoves.
Well just don't load up at night...cause there's no substitute for a good nights sleep. For one thing it's no like you need a lot of heat to sleep and you've already saved enough coin to run the back up at night. Let the stove peter out till you get comfortable with it...it's no big deal. Peace of mind is more important imo.
I second what fossil said about human error being more of a risk than the stove itself. I once let my stove get to about 900 unintentionally by leaving the ash pan door open after I cleaned out ashes. Now and then when I leave for a long period of time while the stove's crankin' I trick myself into thinking I left the ash pan door open. Not so good for the blood pressure.
Or, you can heat with oil or gas and worry about that terrible fire that is in the furnace. Same thing...almost. With the furnace, you are depending upon electronics. Oh my! What happens when electricity sparks? Oil or gas might explode! So, now you have the fire and heat closer to you but you shouldn't worry any more. Just know that you have full control of what you put in and how you adjust the stove. The only way to overcome fear is to do the thing you fear. In this case, learn the workings of the stove and how fuel burns...and go to sleep at night so you'll be sharp the next day.
I'm trying to recall the testing procedures for the stove glass. It's something like it needs to withstand the drop of a one pound steel ball from chest height onto it. You can also build a fire on top of the stuff and it will be fine. I guess you really have to TRY to break the stuff. Accidents are few and far between with it. (Just watch out for those splits that are just a bit too long.)
Ah, things sure are different when you're a kid or teen-ager in a house with a woodstove vs. being a homeowner in a house with a woodstove. When you're a kid you worry whether your sister will beat you to that new box of Lucky Charms and end up with the prize or whether or not you will get a bike for Christmas . . . and when you're a teen-ager you worry whether you'll get a date for the dance or whether anyone will realize that you're wearing Lee jeans vs. Levi jeans.
As a homeowner you worry about all kinds of other things . . . like the woodstove suddenly imploding on itself in middle of the night (even though it was built to high standards), the chimney suddenly being blocked by a sudden build-up of creosote (even though you faithfully check and sweep it every month and only burn seasoned wood) and of course your deep seated fear of clowns and those bulbous red noses that they seem to really love. 
As others have said, if it's any consolation . . . we've all been where you are . . . and most of us have been able to move on. I would wager that many of us have actually slept in the same room of the stove for a night or two . . . even though I sleep so soundly that I doubt I would have woke up to anything short of a nuclear melt-down occuring in stove. Many of us kept checking the thermometer every five minutes . . . ready to slam the air control lever shut, call 911 and grab the women, children and dog (or cats in my case) should the temp approach that red-colored 700 degree temp on the dial.
All I can say is that the fear will pass . . . more importantly . . . I like to think that this isn't a fear that you have of the stove . . . but rather a healthy respect for the woodstove and fire . . . and this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Respecting the damage that a fire can create from an improperly installed, maintained or operated woodstove is in my own opinion the not-so-secret secret in running a woodstove in a home safely.
The folks who don't read the instruction manuals for floor protection, clearances, operating instructions, etc. are the ones who worry me. These are the ones who we (the FD) will eventually meet in time . . . and we will be the ones who will have to tell them that saving a bit of money by not installing floor protection, or running a single wall chimney through a wall or two, or installing the stove a mere foot away from combustibles when the manufacturer suggested 2 feet are the ones who worry me.
The folks who never check or clean their chimney worry me. The folks who dump their hot ashes in a cardboard box, paperbag or plastic bucket and then place that container on their front porch, back sunroom or in their garage worry me.
The folks who insist on using gasoline to start the fire because the unseasoned wood they have just isn't lighting worries me.
What doesn't worry me . . . knowing that the woodstove I bought has come from a reputable dealer and manufacturer with years of experience making and selling stoves . . . knowing that the professional chimney sweep I paid to install my chimney followed the installation instructions to the T . . . knowing that I have read and re-read everything I can about operating and maintaining the stove.
As mentioned . . . the ceramic glass is designed to take a lot of heat and stress. The stoves are designed to also take a lot of heat and stress. As also mentioned, I am often more worried not about the stove having issues, but rather with me and my own personal issues . . . such as trying to stuff one final split into the firebox and then realizing that it has caught on fire and will not fit (and no this hasn't happened yet . . . I caught myself right before I tried to wedge the split into the firebox) . . . or leaving the firebox door open ajar as I light that first fire and then wandering off and forgetting about it (never happened since I make a conscious decision to sit right there in front of the stove) . . . or . . . well you get the idea.
There has been a lot of good advice in this thread . . . ranging from running the stove on a weekend to see how the burn process develops, to making sure you have working smoke detectors and CO detectors, to paying attention to one's actions in regards to the doors (fire door and ash door), air control, etc.
Perhaps the best advice I can give you is to trust yourself . . .
As a homeowner you worry about all kinds of other things . . . like the woodstove suddenly imploding on itself in middle of the night (even though it was built to high standards), the chimney suddenly being blocked by a sudden build-up of creosote (even though you faithfully check and sweep it every month and only burn seasoned wood) and of course your deep seated fear of clowns and those bulbous red noses that they seem to really love.
As others have said, if it's any consolation . . . we've all been where you are . . . and most of us have been able to move on. I would wager that many of us have actually slept in the same room of the stove for a night or two . . . even though I sleep so soundly that I doubt I would have woke up to anything short of a nuclear melt-down occuring in stove. Many of us kept checking the thermometer every five minutes . . . ready to slam the air control lever shut, call 911 and grab the women, children and dog (or cats in my case) should the temp approach that red-colored 700 degree temp on the dial.
All I can say is that the fear will pass . . . more importantly . . . I like to think that this isn't a fear that you have of the stove . . . but rather a healthy respect for the woodstove and fire . . . and this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Respecting the damage that a fire can create from an improperly installed, maintained or operated woodstove is in my own opinion the not-so-secret secret in running a woodstove in a home safely.
The folks who don't read the instruction manuals for floor protection, clearances, operating instructions, etc. are the ones who worry me. These are the ones who we (the FD) will eventually meet in time . . . and we will be the ones who will have to tell them that saving a bit of money by not installing floor protection, or running a single wall chimney through a wall or two, or installing the stove a mere foot away from combustibles when the manufacturer suggested 2 feet are the ones who worry me.
The folks who never check or clean their chimney worry me. The folks who dump their hot ashes in a cardboard box, paperbag or plastic bucket and then place that container on their front porch, back sunroom or in their garage worry me.
The folks who insist on using gasoline to start the fire because the unseasoned wood they have just isn't lighting worries me.
What doesn't worry me . . . knowing that the woodstove I bought has come from a reputable dealer and manufacturer with years of experience making and selling stoves . . . knowing that the professional chimney sweep I paid to install my chimney followed the installation instructions to the T . . . knowing that I have read and re-read everything I can about operating and maintaining the stove.
As mentioned . . . the ceramic glass is designed to take a lot of heat and stress. The stoves are designed to also take a lot of heat and stress. As also mentioned, I am often more worried not about the stove having issues, but rather with me and my own personal issues . . . such as trying to stuff one final split into the firebox and then realizing that it has caught on fire and will not fit (and no this hasn't happened yet . . . I caught myself right before I tried to wedge the split into the firebox) . . . or leaving the firebox door open ajar as I light that first fire and then wandering off and forgetting about it (never happened since I make a conscious decision to sit right there in front of the stove) . . . or . . . well you get the idea.
There has been a lot of good advice in this thread . . . ranging from running the stove on a weekend to see how the burn process develops, to making sure you have working smoke detectors and CO detectors, to paying attention to one's actions in regards to the doors (fire door and ash door), air control, etc.
Perhaps the best advice I can give you is to trust yourself . . .
If safety is a concern, put a few smoke detectors in there and have a couple powerful fire extinguishers standing by. Now your emotional fears won't bug you. You'll be prepared for the worst. Listen to your fears, and prepare. Doing so will make fear into your friend.
Thank you firefighterjake.
I am one of the nervous ones- I didn't sleep in the same room as the fire for a few nights. I did it for an entire season.
I am a bit more comfortable now, but it still scares me.
The thought that a stupid human error could cause me harm is daunting. That it could damage my home or harm my family (or to be honest- my pets) is bone chillingly terrifying.
I do everything I am supposed to do, yet I am just terrified of a chimney fire.
I did have a home burn to the ground in 1977, and I comfort myself by remembering that the odds of it happening to me twice are miniscule.
But posts like yours help a great deal and I may even print it out and put it up by the insert.
Outside recommended clearances, of course.
I am one of the nervous ones- I didn't sleep in the same room as the fire for a few nights. I did it for an entire season.
I am a bit more comfortable now, but it still scares me.
The thought that a stupid human error could cause me harm is daunting. That it could damage my home or harm my family (or to be honest- my pets) is bone chillingly terrifying.
I do everything I am supposed to do, yet I am just terrified of a chimney fire.
I did have a home burn to the ground in 1977, and I comfort myself by remembering that the odds of it happening to me twice are miniscule.
But posts like yours help a great deal and I may even print it out and put it up by the insert.
Outside recommended clearances, of course.
I had the glass crack and this is what happened..........nothing. I tried to put in a big log in a roaring stove and quickly shut the door before it fell out. The log stuck out when I closed it and the log cracked the glass in the middle....actually several cracks. I had a good fire going so I decided to keep my eye on it while the game was on so I could see what would happen......Nothing happened. The fire burned normally, no smoke leakage, and the crack occasionlly got bigger from the heat. After a couple hours of nothing I shoveled everything out, waited for it to cool completely, and got online and ordered new glass. I just left the glass in, no fires of course, and put in the new glass a week later........what your going through is normal.....................Paul
greenergrass said:
Load it sensibly, and no worries. Most on this forum will say the biggest log at the back loaded east/west. Not what I do, =biggest split at the front-middle = medium splits and a nice LARGE WHOLE log at the back. This may not be the most productive, but sure as heck gives piece of mind. By the time most is burned, there is nothing for the "whole log" to roll forward on? Nothing!! It still burns last, but also settles while doing so. Can`t roll forward without the other stuff to roll over and tumble?
Logs rolling onto the glass and cracking it ain`t gonna burn your house down. Just gonna cost you some loot that ya probably can`t afford. Best you practise during the daytime and see what gives you the best piece of mind?
i also recommend having a backup smoke detector. if you are worried about not hearing it then install the type able to be linked together so that if one goes off it can trip another one somewhere else (not expensive at all but they do need to have a wire linking them together). don't link too many together in a small area as they will be so loud you won't be able to think straight. learned that when i had 4 going off within 20 feet once in my upstairs.
the one middle of the night scare i had last year was when the door on my Intrepid somehow came unlocked and cracked open about 1/2 inch in the middle of the night. puffs of smoke escaping tripped the smoke alarm launching me out of bed like a rocket. it shook me up pretty good.
large fire extingushers are good too in easy to access areas.
my overall level of confidence though has probably tripled though since getting modern very controllable stoves as compared to burning 30+ year old designs with poor air control allowing runaway stove temps and windows which could unlatch far too easily.
the one middle of the night scare i had last year was when the door on my Intrepid somehow came unlocked and cracked open about 1/2 inch in the middle of the night. puffs of smoke escaping tripped the smoke alarm launching me out of bed like a rocket. it shook me up pretty good.
large fire extingushers are good too in easy to access areas.
my overall level of confidence though has probably tripled though since getting modern very controllable stoves as compared to burning 30+ year old designs with poor air control allowing runaway stove temps and windows which could unlatch far too easily.
Cearbhaill said:
You're quite welcome . . . and I'm honored.
Final thought . . . in terms of fire and fire prevention . . . the two groups of people that I have found usually have the most respect (note I didn't say fear . . . rather respect) of fire and what fire can do are firefighters and folks who have been through a fire of their own.
Firefigthers see too often how fire behaves and can affect folks' lives . . . literally in a matter of minutes a person's life can be changed (or ended) forever.
And folks who have experienced a fire . . . they know too well how devastating a fire can be.
Again, the same advice applies . . . respect the fire, trust in yourself.
kwburn said:
Not quite true . . . true in most cases though.
First Alert and some other manufacturers now have interconnected smoke detectors using wireless tech.
(broken link removed to http://www.firstalert.com/onelink_wireless.php)
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