How to Light a Good Fire
If you are interested in getting the best performance out of your wood heater, than keep reading.... Imagine being able to get 17% MORE VALUE from your wood load. Wouldn't that be great? Or what if you could REDUCE SMOKE emissions by up to 54% from your wood heater. How would you feel if you could do this?
Well it truly is possible but you need to know how! Good operation of a wood heater can reduce smoke to one-hundredth the emissions from a carelessly operated heater. The knowledge and skills needed to operate a heater effectively needs to be learned and practiced to get them right.
Follow these guidelines to ensure you burn smartly and get maximum heat and minimum pollution from your wood heater.
• Start out Right - Only use clean, dry firewood and purchase from a reputable wood re seller. Freshly cut wood needs to be stored in a criss-cross fashion to allow air to circulate for at least 12 months before using.
• Burn Correctly- Use plenty of dry kindling and paper to establish a good fire quickly. Use small-medium logs rather than large logs to establish the fire and stack them loosely so air can circulate around them. Run your heater on a high burn rate (air vents completely open) for the first 20 minutes at start up and after reloading with more wood.
• Burn it Bright - Wait for the fire to become established before adding extra fuel and keep the flame lively and bright.
• Maintain your Heater and Flue- A build- up of creosote in your chimney will reduce the fires effectiveness and cause chimney fires. Ensure your flue is inspected annually by a professional chimney sweep.
• Add a SmartBurn - The SmartBurn device is a combustion enhancer for wood heaters. The vapours released from SmartBurn work directly on the gases coming off the woods heated surface and ignite these more efficiently ensuring you get 17% More Value from your wood and up to 54% Less Smoke. Simply place the canister in your firebox and it will go to work immediately!
• Insulate your Home- Ensure ceilings are insulated and close any doors to any rooms you do not wish to heat. Installing thick curtains and draft proofing around doors can limit draft and keep your home warm too.