Total Newbie Here: Stopping & Restarting Fires in the Stove

[jonross14]

Hi everyone -- first post here. I recently moved into a home with a wood stove insert (Travis Industries/Lopi Flush Wood Insert). I've never used one before, and I'm really excited to use it as a means to heat my home this season. The previous owner generously left us more than a cord of seasoned wood. I built my first fire tonight and it went great. FYI, the house is also fitted for natural gas heating.

This may sound like a really weird question, but I tried scouring the wikis and forums and couldn't find anything on this topic. My wife and I work long hours and are both out of the house 10-12 hours on weekdays. I was thinking due to our hours that I'd burn only in the evenings (and weekends when we're home) and let the fire burn out overnight. In the mornings when we're rushing, I plan to use the natural gas heating, then restart the fire when I get home from work.

My question is, I've seen so much on people who burn 24/7... is it OK to let the fire die overnight and restart each day? I know we can load it so that it burns all day but I'm a little wary of having a fire unattended and it seems like a waste of wood. Does anyone here do a similar schedule, and are there any suggestions on how to start up the fire again quickly to reduce the risk of creosote buildup?

Follow-up questions: If you do this regularly, what is the best/safest way to kill the fire? Is it just to let it burn out or to cover it with ash? Should the bypass be open or closed when letting the fire die?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[dh1989]

If your chimney and insert is installed properly it is no less safe than your gas heat running when you are away. If you are still concerned, I would just time it and play with the fuel load so that it burns out overnight.

If you get yourself a Sooteater like many of us use you can clean your chimney bottom up. I like to clean out the minimal creosote buildup once a month (takes 15 min) for peace of mind.

I wouldn't bother trying to smother the fire and would leave the bypass closed as the fire dies down.

Good luck.

 

[begreen]

There are many folks that burn nights and weekends, not 24/7. That's fine. Just let the fire burn out, no need to open the bypass.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

You might want to find your supply of wood for next year. You'll want it to lose as much water as possible and become "dry". Dry wood is often the difference between enjoying a woodstove and complete frustration. Often the guys who sell firewood have a different definition of dry than we do.

 

[firefighterjake]

^
l
l

Ditto to what these guys said.

 

[jonross14]

Thanks for your responses so far, folks, it's been most helpful. Anyone else with more two cents feel free to chime in...

dh1989 -- Thanks, I know I'll get more comfortable with having the wood stove fired without supervision the more I use it. It just seems like if I'm loading wood in before I leave for work, the stove will be heating the house for no one for 10 hours and then die out anyway. It seems like a waste of wood and fire. If there's an advantage to doing that though let me know. As for the sooteater, that sounds great, I'll look into it.

begreen -- Thanks! Last night the coals were still smoldering and the stove was in the "burn zone" when I went to bed and I kept the bypass closed, which I noticed kept the stove hot for several more hours.

EatenByLimestone -- That's a great idea.

 

[cre73]

The advantage of burning the fire while you are gone is to keep your furnace from running. Which is cheaper LP/NG or an armload of wood? Your furnace is running for no one. We always load up the stove before leaving.

 

[prezes13]

Yes cre73 is right. It's simply economics. Last year and the year before I was burning 24/7 this year if heating oil will stay below $2 a gallon I will be burning on weekends and days off.

 

[kennyp2339]

Check out bio bricks or compressed wood blocks to supplement you stove if you only have a cord of wood for the season, tractor supply sells them, by a couple packs to test and see if it works for, if you like them then wait for black Friday and by a ton (equivalent to a cord) also other dealers sell these products, my lumber yard sells them but there price increase last year was outrageous to me, but it might work for you to extend your stock pile. Good luck, get a stove top thermometer, ask questions, have a certified sweep come in before the winter to inspect and clean the unit / chimney so you can have a fresh start with piece of mind.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

What you are talking about doing is very common. In fact, I'll likely be doing the same this year since I prebought 800 gallons of propane at $1.49 a gallon in July.

Once your wood is really dry, i.e. 15-20% moisture, you'll find starting fires is easy and can pretty much be done without kindling. We burn from mid October through March typically and go through roughly 4 cubic feet of kindling. Most of that is my wife as she finds it easier to use kindling to get the fire going. Let your wood dry well, and keep it dry, and there will be no issues with starting a burn each day.

 

[English BoB]

Welcome to the forum fellow New Yorker. Lots of good advice here - keep asking. We love to help.

Bob

 

[jonross14]

Thanks everyone for your awesome advice!

cre73 & prezes13 - Definitely true that burning wood is cheaper than NG, but it does seem with the central heat we have more control. I can set the thermostat to 62 while we're out. I've now done the fire for two nights and it gets the house up to a nice 72 easily.

kennyp2339 - Awesome idea to supplement our wood that way. We have a stovetop thermometer, which has been awesome, and I did get it swept/inspected. Thanks!

CentralVAWoodHeat - Thanks for the tip, I think I will try starting the stove with less or without kindling next time!

EnglishBoB - Thanks, fellow NYer!

 

[Woody Stover]

I can set the thermostat to 62 while we're out.

In that case, I would let the backup handle it during the day and start a fire when you get home. You can throw in a few more splits before you go to bed and that would hold house temp in the morning for a while until it gets warmer outside. But chances are good that you'll get hooked like most of the rest of us did on the wood-burning thing and end up firing 24/7. Once you learn your stove, you can fire it in the morning while you are doing other stuff. But use the timer in your phone so you don't get distracted and over-fire your stove.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

Hey man, I was born and raised in Rockland (Concklin Rd in Pomona.) Believe it or not I still drive up once a month to volunteer with Spring Hill EMS in Spring Valley.

Anyway, I burn on the opposite schedule. I start a fire when I get home from work and then stuff the stove full when I got to bed. I let it die overnight and rely on the furnace to kick in and keep the pipes from freezing during the day while we're at work. If we're home on the weekend I'll keep the fire going, but if not, I just let it die out, and start it back up when we get back.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Thanks everyone for your awesome advice!

cre73 & prezes13 - Definitely true that burning wood is cheaper than NG, but it does seem with the central heat we have more control. I can set the thermostat to 62 while we're out. I've now done the fire for two nights and it gets the house up to a nice 72 easily.

kennyp2339 - Awesome idea to supplement our wood that way. We have a stovetop thermometer, which has been awesome, and I did get it swept/inspected. Thanks!

CentralVAWoodHeat - Thanks for the tip, I think I will try starting the stove with less or without kindling next time!

EnglishBoB - Thanks, fellow NYer!

Sounds good. A few tips on making fire without kindling:

Wood must be dry. 20% or below at center, preferably in the 15-18% range.
Keep your wood piles mixed with all types of wood, hardwoods, pines, tulip, everything.
Split your wood to different sizes. This way, you'll naturally grab some smaller and larger pieces with each load.
Start your fire with a good, stable verticals crosshatch of wood with plenty of room for air, damper wide open.

 

[jonross14]

Sounds good. A few tips on making fire without kindling:

Wood must be dry. 20% or below at center, preferably in the 15-18% range.
Keep your wood piles mixed with all types of wood, hardwoods, pines, tulip, everything.
Split your wood to different sizes. This way, you'll naturally grab some smaller and larger pieces with each load.
Start your fire with a good, stable verticals crosshatch of wood with plenty of room for air, damper wide open.

Your suggestions are superb, thank you!!

 

[CheapBassTurd]

We burn "24/7" but the quote marks are there for a reason.
The morning burn is just to keep the furnace from kicking on while we're out.
It's more like making a fire just big enough to keep our electric furnace from turning on (set @ 64 deg).
First person home fires us up for the afternoon and evening heat. The overnighter
is 4-6 splits on the evening hotbed of coals.

It's not TRUE 24/7 keeping it 80 degrees in the stoveroom. I think the 24/7 phrase alludes
more to a building using wood as the primary heat source and it being in use. We still need to cycle
down daily for a short time, at least in this house. Never long enuff for the previously used system to kick on.
That 3800w element and blower really spin the Kw/hr meter!! LOL That ain't happenin' when our
wood is free. Winter electric bills of $500-700 are now a hundred bux.

CheapMark

 

[St. Coemgen]

is it OK to let the fire die overnight and restart each day?

Yes. This is how I do it. Let the fire die each night, and start fresh each morning.

In fact, many wood stoves are actually not designed to burn 24/7.

Some are. Others are not.

So first, before you do anything, check the manufacturer recommendations of your stove. But do be aware, that the North American market to burn 24/7 makes some stove manufacturer market their stoves differently from their international recommendations due to local market pressure since "everyone else markets this way". For example, see the "(broken link removed to http://jotul.com/int/guides/eight-tips-for-burning-wood)" from Jotul, especially tip #5:

Overnight heating
Very few wood stoves can burn longer than two to three hours on one wood load. The old way of closing the air supply so that the coals will smoulder overnight is a source of pollution and creates the risk of a chimney fire. In addition, the heat benefit is poor as the gases are not combusted and the energy is not utilised. The last wood load in the evening should be some bigger hardwood logs that burn as normal with the air vents open. Even if the fire dies out, the insulation in the house will keep the heat in. The stove and chimney will still be warm in the morning and it is no problem to get the fire going again.​

Note the phrase "the old way". In other words, if you can heat all day with hot well aired burns (which it seems you can not) do so, then let the fire die at night. Then the house insulation should retain the heat over night enough to then get recharged the next day.

Burning 24/7 to me normally indicates a lack of proper insulation in the house. Better idea to correct the insulation issue than burning a smoldering fire all night or all day.

Do note, I have my share of critiques here for having this view from the 24/7 burners.

I know we can load it so that it burns all day but I'm a little wary of having a fire unattended and it seems like a waste of wood. Does anyone here do a similar schedule, and are there any suggestions on how to start up the fire again quickly to reduce the risk of creosote buildup?

From the comment above, same answer. Starving the stove of air may be the worst you can do. Long burns, while popular, are not necessarily ideal or efficient. But, and again, it depends on your stove (check your manufacturer's burn instructions), but mostly I would say to avoid long, air starved burns to gain ideal efficiency and reduce pollution or damage to your chimney or stove.

what is the best/safest way to kill the fire? Is it just to let it burn out or to cover it with ash? Should the bypass be open or closed when letting the fire die?

Just let the fire die out.

 

[jonross14]

Overnight heating
Very few wood stoves can burn longer than two to three hours on one wood load. The old way of closing the air supply so that the coals will smoulder overnight is a source of pollution and creates the risk of a chimney fire. In addition, the heat benefit is poor as the gases are not combusted and the energy is not utilised. The last wood load in the evening should be some bigger hardwood logs that burn as normal with the air vents open. Even if the fire dies out, the insulation in the house will keep the heat in. The stove and chimney will still be warm in the morning and it is no problem to get the fire going again.​

That's super interesting... in the directions on my stove (Travis Industries Flush Wood Insert, manual: (broken link removed to http://www.lopistoves.com/TravisDocs/100-01157.pdf)) it recommends air control closed for a slow burn. "In the morning the stove should still be hot, with embers in the coal bed. Stir the coals and load small pieces of wood to re-ignite the fire, if desired."

 

[St. Coemgen]

That's super interesting... in the directions on my stove (Travis Industries Flush Wood Insert, manual: (broken link removed to http://www.lopistoves.com/TravisDocs/100-01157.pdf)) it recommends air control closed for a slow burn. "In the morning the stove should still be hot, with embers in the coal bed. Stir the coals and load small pieces of wood to re-ignite the fire, if desired."

Which is why I said to, at the core, to follow the manufactures instructions. Different stoves (inserts) have different designs and tolerances.

If you can load the stove (insert) in the morning to these specs, then do so.

However, these specs are from 2007, and this may still be marketing to the North American "24/7" ideal or "old way" thinking. I can not otherwise say, one way or another, of its actual efficiency rating when this is done.

 

[jonross14]

However, these specs are from 2007, and this may still be marketing to the North American "24/7" ideal or "old way" thinking. I can not otherwise say, one way or another, of its actual efficiency rating when this is done.

Very true... We just moved into this house and I think the stove was installed around that time. I think I'll try our first overnight burn tonight as we're expecting temps in the low 40s and see how things look in the morning with the coals and on the thermometer. If it looks like it spent some time in the creosote zone we'll know it probably is a more hazardous method than killing it quickly with the air control open. Thanks for the tip!

 

[vixster]

Howdy Neighbor, I am burning for the first time this season. However, it's the "break in" burn. Have you read the manual to see if you first need to do a "break in" burn? Break it burn is a small low heat fire, so the metal has a chance to expand slowly as to not to crack the stove. I am not sure about inserts.

 

[JA600L]

You will find that constantly restarting the stove is a lot more work than keeping it going. If you do an overnight burn, simply open the air in the morning, rake the coals a bit, and reload. Set the air control before you leave for the day. Bring wood in the night before so it makes the process easier.

Also, you will waste a lot of wood bringing a cold stove back up to temperature. You will go through a lot of kindling restarting it every day. It's simply easier and more efficient to keep it running. I personally keep the house much warmer with the stove than I ever would with central heat. It's nice wearing shirts and t shirts.

If you insist on doing the restarts, use the top down fire method. Load the stove full and put lots of kindling on the top layer. Light the kindling and it will be a smoke free start and bring the stove top temperature up. The kindling will eventually trickle down and ignite the wood load. Once everything is up to temperature adjust your air control and walk away. No need to open the door again.

 

[brad wilton]

I burn 24/7 and its forr heat old stone house no insulation -45 degrees in winter once u learn stove and feel the heat u might not go back to the gas,warms the bones lol

 

[venator260]

You will find that constantly restarting the stove is a lot more work than keeping it going. If you do an overnight burn, simply open the air in the morning, rake the coals a bit, and reload. Set the air control before you leave for the day. Bring wood in the night before so it makes the process easier.

Also, you will waste a lot of wood bringing a cold stove back up to temperature. You will go through a lot of kindling restarting it every day. It's simply easier and more efficient to keep it running. I personally keep the house much warmer with the stove than I ever would with central heat. It's nice wearing shirts and t shirts.

If you insist on doing the restarts, use the top down fire method. Load the stove full and put lots of kindling on the top layer. Light the kindling and it will be a smoke free start and bring the stove top temperature up. The kindling will eventually trickle down and ignite the wood load. Once everything is up to temperature adjust your air control and walk away. No need to open the door again.

This is pretty much what I do. I turned jamming my old stove full into an art form. The new stove will hold a good amount t of coals without and special treatment. I put a full load in, adjust so I still have secondary flames, and it's been full of coals and about 300 degrees in the morning. Unlike the old stove, burning this low results in almost no smoke from the chimney.

Starting from that situation takes about half the time as starting a new fire. I'll get it going in the morning, and repeat after work. Once it goes down below about 40, I'm never without a fire.