Chapter 2: Successful Fire Building

• Fire Safety
• How to Build a Fire
• Tools & Equipment
• Cleaning Up

The purpose of a stove or fireplace is to provide warmth, comfort, and atmosphere. The trick is to get those desired effect without the "undesirables," those being lots of smoke, foul odors, house fires, and so on.

First we will talk about fire safety, the obvious first consideration. Then we will discuss building a fire. Firebuilding is something that most people seem to think they know how to do. Those who claim that they can't build a fire are usually either unfamiliar with fireplaces and stoves, or just figure that someone else will do it if they plead ignorance.

In any case, lighting a fire in a stove or fireplace is not the same as lighting a campfire or firing up the barbecue. Even the most skilled pyrotechnic wizard runs the risk of a major flop by trying to light a fire in a stove or fireplace without knowing a little bit about the appliances and the right way to use them. Let's launch right in.

First thing's first:

Checklist: Things to do before you light a fire.

• Have the chimney checked by a chimney professional.

• Know how to operate the fireplace or stove.

• Have the right hearth tools and equipment.

• Check your home's fire safety equipment.

For the sake of fire safety, have your chimney checked at least once each year by a chimney professional. Your chimney professional will check to see if the chimney requires cleaning, and will also check for unsafe conditions in the chimney.

For details on having the chimney checked by a chimney professional, see "Checking a Chimney".

And while you are thinking about fire safety, check your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. Replace the batteries in smoke alarms regularly.

Many businesses are required to have their fire extinguishers inspected yearly. It is a good habit for homeowners, too. Local fire departments usually will inspect them for you, free of charge, or for a nominal fee. Make sure you have the right kind of extinguisher. It should be labeled with the types of fires it is designed for, but if you are not sure, ask your local fire department for more information. They also can generally provide you with information about establishing fire drill routines and exit routes for the safety of your family.

A little bit of preparation can prevent a lot more than a bad experience, and will put your mind at ease.

Here we will discuss building a fire in a fireplace. For wood stoves, the procedure is pretty much the same, except you need to know how to operate the stove once the fire is lit. (For more information, see Part 5, Wood Stoves, on page 42.)

After a quick tour of the things you need, I will describe the most common firebuilding technique (which is not to say it's the only way to do it.)

Seasoned Firewood. A good fire requires not only a functional appliance, but good fuel. For best results, use seasoned firewood – wood that has been stored covered for the better part of a year. Season your wood under cover, but with good air flow.

Unseasoned, or green wood has too high a moisture content, and doesn't burn well. Hard woods, like oak and maple, tend to be better than soft woods, like pine, since hardwoods have a higher BTU content, and will give a longer burn time and better performance.

A BTU is a "British Thermal Unit," the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.

While lower-quality wood will often burn acceptably in an open fireplace, most wood stoves call for more care in fuel selection.

Believe it or not, super-dry wood – like that pile that's been out in the shed since you bought the place in 1972 – isn't very good fire wood, either. It might work okay in an open fireplace (assuming it isn't rotten), but it will burn fast and furious, and might throw a lot of sparks.

And all three – green wood, soft woods, and super-dry wood – create bigger problems when burned in wood stoves. (See Tips for Wood Stove Users, page 52, for important details on fueling your stove.)

Lumber, Trash, & Other Things. You probably already know that you are not supposed to burn anything other than seasoned firewood. Burning treated lumber, painted wood, trash, and such, releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere (including your home!), and could cause other damage, as well. For example, a catalytic combustor in a wood stove can be destroyed by certain chemical agents found in these items.

Fireplaces and stoves aren't incinerators, and it is neither safe nor environmentally sound to use them as incinerators. So recycle your pizza boxes and plastic wrap. Stick with seasoned firewood for your hearth, and do yourself, your home, and our environment a favor.

Artificial Logs. If you don't want to deal with lugging and stacking firewood, or if you are out of wood and want to have a fire in your fireplace, you might try an artificial log. But be aware of the limitations. They are intended for use in open fireplaces, not in wood stoves; and they are designed to be used one at a time. If you have a factory- built fireplace, check the manufacturer's instructions and see if they recommend the use of artificial logs.

Firestarters. There are many types of firestarters firestarters you can buy for use in open fireplaces, including impregnated chunks of composition material, wax-and-wood- shavings blocks, and oil-soaked ceramic starters. These usually take the place of the newspaper and small kindling, but you will probably still need some small splits of wood.

Read the instructions on the package, and be especially careful if you use an oil- type starter. Never use charcoal lighter fluid, gasoline, or anything else that's not specifically designed as a firestarter for fireplaces. For wood stove users: check your owner's manual before you burn anything with chemicals in or on it.

Newspaper. Newspapers are great for starting fires, but they aren't a replacement for fire wood. Use enough to start the fire, and recycle the rest of the stack. And don't use the sections with color print, especially the color glossy sections, which contain chemicals that are unsafe to burn. Use the plain, black-and-white parts.

Setting the Fire. Put down a layer of crumpled newspapers, snug, but not crammed tightly together. You want space for air to get in, or you'll have a smoldering pile of papers and an unimpressive result. In a fireplace, put the paper under the grate.

Next, put down a couple of handfuls of small, dry kindling: twigs and very small branches are fine, or very small splits of wood. Criss-cross them in a few layers, to allow air circulation. Don't be stingy with the kindling. It is the key to a one-start fire.

Note: You can use fire starters in place of the paper and small kindling, but read about it first, on page 16)

Then add a few larger splits, and top it off with a couple of small logs. That's it. Your fire is set and ready.

Wait! Don't strike that match yet!

If you're not sure, skip to "Smoky Startups" on page 26, for important advice.

Once you are sure you are ready, light 'er up. Wait a few minutes, until the larger splits and the small logs are well lit, and add another log on top.

Then sit back and enjoy.

Go to your hearth products retailer and pick out a good set of tools. You'll be happy later on if you spend a little extra for a good set. Flimsy tools, and tools with handles that unscrew easily or fall off, will drive you crazy and take away from the relaxation and enjoyment of the fire.

If you are using a fireplace, a spark screen is a must. If you have young children, you need a safety screen around a wood stove, as well.

Woodburner's gloves will help you feed the fire, and avoid burning your hands. With good quality gloves, you can literally reach into the fire and move a log in emergencies.

To help in the task of lugging the wood from the wood pile to the living room, you will want a wood carrier. It is a wide fabric or leather sling with handles, that allows you to carry an armload without dropping logs or scattering wood chips everywhere. Some are designed like wide tote bags, for extra cleanliness. A sturdy wood rack by the hearth will keep your indoor wood supply safe and neat.

Don't forget to have a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case. Another type of safety device is a chimney fire extinguisher. This looks like a large road flare. If you have a chimney fire, you strike it and place it in the firebox, and it emits a huge quantity of smoke, which stifles the chimney fire. Ask for details at your local stove shop, or ask your chimney professional.

For fireplaces: Some fireplaces have a small, cast iron door called an ash dump door inside the fireplace in the center of the fireplace floor, or inner hearth. This door leads to the ash pit, an open cavity below the fireplace. If you have an ash dump door, you probably also have a cleanout door in the cellar or outside, at the base of the chimney.

Once the ashes are completely cold – which can take well over 24 hours – you can push them down into the ash pit, saving you the hassle of carting them over the white Persian rug. Later, if you feel so inclined, you can open the cleanout door and shovel out the ash pit.

Note: This is a very dusty job. Wear a respirator. Or better yet, hire your chimney professional to do the job, using a high- powered vacuum designed to filter out very small particles. And since the average ash pit is big enough that you can dump ashes down there for decades without filling it, don't feel that you have to rush to clean it out.

Don't shovel live coals into the ash pit, as combustible materials like plywood and 2x4's are often left in the ash pit during construction of the house.

For Fireplaces with no ash pit, and For Wood Stoves:

Carry the ashes outside in a metal container, and store them in a metal can with a tight lid, on a non-combustible surface (like dirt or concrete). Many home fires are caused each year by hot ashes left on the back porch or in the garage – even if they are in a metal can! Ashes stay hot for an incredibly long time. So store them outside, away from anything combustible.