Owning a wood burning system can be a safe, efficient and enjoyable way to heat your home. It may take some time, but with practice and perseverance you can master the techniques that are necessary to use your system efficiently. Proper usage will help you to reduce the amount of wood you burn to heat your home, decrease the smoke pollution both outside and inside, and increase the overall enjoyment of using a wood burning unit.
Here are 7 ways to tell if you are burning wood properly:
- When wood burns it should be flaming until only charcoal remains. If there are no flames, something is wrong.
- If there are firebricks in the firebox, they should be tan in colour, never black.
- Steel or cast iron parts in the firebox should be light to dark brown, never black and shiny.
- With seasoned wood, correct air settings, and proper loading arrangement, you should expect almost instant ignition of a new load of wood.
- If the appliance has a glass door with air wash, it should be clear.
- If the appliance has a glass door without air wash, it will be hazy, but should never be black.
- The exhaust coming from the top of the chimney should be clear or white. A plume of blue or grey smoke indicates smouldering, poor combustion, air pollution and probably low system operating temperatures.