Fire Safety

One of the great misunderstandings in the world of woodstoves is how creosote fits into the picture. Contrary to popular belief, creosote is not an inevitable product of wood burning. Creosote forms when wood is burned incompletely, and is an indication of improper use, poor installation, or a poor wood stove design.

Sometimes it seems that the stove just isn’t working as well as it used to. If there is no obvious problem, such as smoking, catalyst malfunction, etc., but it just doesn’t seem to be doing the job it used to, consider the possibilities in this article.

If your stove has a catalytic combustor, it is critical that it be in good working condition, as the efficiency of the stove depends almost entirely on the cat. ?  In general, If you have followed the instructions for lighting the stove, waited until it is up to the correct temperature, and engaged the cat, within a few minutes the stove should be burning steadily, with little or no visible smoke exiting the chimney.

The metal plates on the inside of the stove are there to protect the outside of the stove from damage. If any of the burn plates becomes cracked or badly warped, replace it. It is a lot cheaper than replacing the whole stove down the road!

There are lots of accessories for wood stoves, some for the purpose of improved performance, others for atmosphere or decoration. Here we will cover the basics from Ash Vacuum to Warming Shelves for use with a woodstove.

Since there are countless different stove models in the field, each with its unique characteristics, it is beyond the scope of this book to cover the fine points of wood stove operation. But here are some general tips for all wood burners. A continuation of the Tips: 4 - 7

Since there are countless different stove models in the field, each with its unique characteristics, it is beyond the scope of this book to cover the fine points of wood stove operation. But here are some general tips for all wood burners. Tips #1 - 3

Here is a simple guide to the types of new, EPA-certified stoves you will see in your local stove shop, and how they work. An understanding of these basic categories will simplify your stove shopping.

Since EPA-certified stoves are a recent phenomenon, there are lots of older, pre-EPA stoves in use including Franklin woodstoves, non-airtight stoves and some that are airtight.