Fire Building 101
Easy Tips for Starting Your Fire
- Open the damper! You would be surprised how often people forget this step.
- You’ll need tinder (something that starts burning quickly, like crumpled newspaper, small twigs, or pine cones); kindling (something a little bigger, which will start burning with a little effort and stay burning for a while, such as large twigs, small branches, and small logs about 1/4″ to 1″ thick); and of course fuel (the logs we all associate with wood burning fireplaces).
- Arrange a couple of smaller logs parallel on the grate of your fireplace (or on the floor of your stove). Place some tinder between the logs. Then cover the tinder with kindling. Be generous with the kindling — that’s what will get the logs started. Finally, place some more logs on top of the pile, at right angles to the first two logs. Leave some space around everything for air circulation.
- In some fireplaces, you may wish to warm up the flue by holding a piece of burning, rolled-up newspaper near the (open) damper for 10-15 seconds. This warms up the column of air in the flue and can help promote a good draw, reducing smoking.
- Now light the tinder! Your fire should start right up!
Don’t start your fire with charcoal lighter fluid or other flammable liquid. Commercial gel fire starters are available which are much safer.
Efficient Burning Techniques
These tips will help reduce buildup of creosote, and help you get the most out of your woodburning appliance.
- Burn small, hot fires.
- Burn seasoned hardwood which has been kept dry.
- Don’t burn trash, treated wood, coal, or anything other than seasoned hardwood in your wood stove or fireplace.
- Keep fires burning hot, with flames, not smoldering with a lot of smoke.
- Don’t add too much firewood. In a fireplace, try to keep the top of the flames visible.
- Add small loads of wood more often rather than trying to fill the firebox with wood to get an all-day burn.
- In a fireplace with glass doors, keep the doors wide open (with the screen closed to corral errant embers) for about 30 minutes after starting the fire. After the fire gets going properly, you can close the doors and adjust draft controls.
When you’re ready to put out the fire, separate the logs and spread out the ashes on the bottom of the firebox to cool down the fire. With a fireplace, close the screen or glass doors tightly, but don’t close the damper until you’re certain the fire is out and the ashes are cool. With a wood stove, spread the ashes a bit and close the damper; it will help the fire to go out.
Last but certainly not least, have your chimney cleaned regularly! National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 recommends having your chimney inspected (and swept, if needed) at least yearly.
