How to use your air vents in your wood burner or multi-fuel stove?

How to use your vents

A wood-burner is controlled by adjusting the primary and secondary air supply. Manufacturer's’ manual regarding correct use of air controls should be observed but speaking in general, when new logs are put in the woodburner, they should be burned fiercely with both primary and secondary air vents fully open.

The primary air intake should only be closed off once the logs are mostly charred and the secondary air vent is then used to control the rate of combustion.

Correct burning minimises the amount of smoke, and therefore tar. Visible smoke emission from the chimney is a sign that the logs are being burnt inefficiently.

A stove should never be stocked up with logs for burning overnight. The fuel will burn slowly and inefficiently with deposits of tar forming in the chimney.

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Recommended article: Five reasons to book Jim as your Dorset chimney sweep?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

Dorset Chimney Sweeps General Safety Advice

General Safety

Adequate ventilation

Check the ventilation requirement for your stove and ensure existing vents are not blocked or covered. If you have double glazing install an air vent in the room.

Regular cleaning and sweeping

If burning coal, the ash pan should be

checked and emptied every day.

If burning wood leave a one inch layer of ash in the firebox after each burn.

The throat plate should be removed and cleaned each month.

The chimney should be swept quarterly when in use or as recommended by your chimney sweep.

Correct fuel

Use only well-seasoned good quality wood with a moisture content  below 20%.

Call Jim to book your Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset Chimney Sweep Today

Recommended article: Five reasons to book Jim as your Dorset chimney sweep?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

The Risk from burning Unseasoned Wood - Dorset Chimney Sweep Advice

The Risk from burning Unseasoned Wood!

Chimney fires and blockages:

Unburned particles combine with water vapour which rises as a dark smoke, this sticks to the flue in the form of stage 3 creosote which is a tar like substance that can be difficult for a chimney sweep to remove by normal sweeping methods. If left untreated, the chimney may become either blocked which can result in carbon monoxide poisoning or the chimney will become a fire risk as the volatile residue can ignite causing a dangerous chimney fire.

Corrosion:

If stage 3 creosote is left untreated in a flexible liner, its acidic nature can corrode metal liners which can lead to a soundness failure of the liner.

If stage 3 is left in a brick stack it can eat away at the mortar between the bricks making the flue unsound.

Call Jim to book your Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset Chimney Sweep Today

Recommended article: Five reasons to book Jim as your Dorset chimney sweep?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

Wood Moisture Vs Efficiency

Moisture Vs Efficiency

It is very inefficient to burn unseasoned wood. The heat produced must burn off the moisture contained within the logs first which reduces the heat output and results in a darker smoke with more soot.

It takes around three unseasoned logs to achieve the same heat output as one seasoned or kiln dried log.

Call Jim to book your Bournemouth, Poole & Dorset Chimney Sweep Today

Recommended article: Five reasons to book Jim as your Dorset chimney sweep?

______________________________

This article was written by Jim Chim-in-ey, 

An insurance approved chimney sweep 

JC sweeps all open fires, wood burners and stoves.

Covering Bournemouth, Poole, Blandford Forum and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!