Fire Craft
Take three things
Dry Paper. Dry Wood. A good Air Draw, then add flame. It's pretty simple to create a good fire, and it's been so for forever. The tinder or paper part varies, but fundamentally it's the same principle
How-To-Light
Here's a video How-To-Light your woodfire stove. This principle can be adapted to light any fire. It's presented by Tim the stove guy, from Jotul he's very American and very thorough, plus he cheers me up no end on a gloomy day
youtu.be/p6szOKsnorQ
Once you're up and running, Tim shows you in video II how to maintain your stove, for an extended burn time
Enjoy!
youtu.be/xjaqKJBFfmM
Some other things to note
Safety First
Make sure to keep your chimney swept during the season as a chimney fire can damage the chimney liner.
Use a Fireguard
When out of the room or going to bed put the fireguard firmly in place.Even seasoned wood can spit unexpectedly.
Storing
Bring as much wood & kindling into the house as you can, it takes the chill off it for the following
days.
On icy roads and paths.
Sprinkle fine fire place ash to get vehicles out of ice. When sprinkling a handful about 1 foot in front of the tires that have power. You can drive right out of trouble like you were on dry road.
Pure wood-ash.
Is good for many things. It can Ph-balance acid soils, so save some for the spring-season.
Garden Pests.
Spread ash evenly around garden beds, ash repels slugs and snails.
Enrich compost.
Before the organic compost gets applied to soil, enhance its nutrients by sprinkling in a few ashes, Adding too much though, ruins the mix.
NOTES ABOUT FIRES & SAFETY
- Never burn rubbish, plastics, cardboard, glossy paper or polystyrene.
- Never burn wood that has been taken from salt water. Chlorine combines with the smoke to produce dioxins and furans, which are dangerous carcinogens.
- Never burn treated or painted wood, particulate-board or plywood.
- Store logs outside, off the ground and covered. Bringing green wood indoors to dry can promote the growth of allergy-causing mould spores circulating indoors.
- Have the systems installed by a professional and have it inspected and cleaned every year.
- Make sure the woodburner, fire or stove is getting enough air - check that the air inlet is open wide enough to keep the fire burning, resulting in complete combustion and less smoke. Chimney fans with adjustable speed control have the added advantage of improving the efficiency of the appliance by creating exactly the right amount of draught at all times. Excessive draught causes the wood to burn faster.
Sweet Chestnut.
PERFECT IN A WOOD STOVE
BUT DO NOT BURN ON AN OPEN FIRE
Look out for fiberous or flakey bark
It also smells sweet, hence the name
Please don't burn on an open fire-It can spit hot embers
But don't be deterred by this - it's a valuable and sustainable fuel.
This is a good British Hardwood to burn in a sealed glass door stove
* note - the downgraded status on the general rating scale is because it's judged on open & closed fire performance
This sustainable wood, which is used to make gate posts and fencing for farms, is also a valuable resource for the future. Its supply is incredibly well managed
We convert the by-product from the Fence & Gate making industry into wood fuel. Little to nothing is wasted, even the Chipping's get burnt in a Bio-mass boiler at the yard
These well seasoned Logs are part of the future sustainability of our British Woodlands
It will also support the wood-as-fuel supply businesses like ours too, specially when we are faced with restrictions or diseases like Ash-Die-Back.
Along with the hikes in other fuel cost due to their scarceness, we need to be considerate conservators of our resources
British Woodlands managed well can produce efficient fuel, like Sweet Chestnut, with Ash and Oak and other valuable species included in that mix
Mark
