HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE
Sounds easy but you would not believe the amount of people that struggle. We go some places to instal and they haven't even got any kindling in or they will have a box of damp twigs in a shed somewhere.
Lighting a fire can sometimes be difficult. Those of us who have a stove, know that there are many different ways to get the fire going. However, this is a trusted procedure that makes lighting the fire easy. Also, this procedure is better for the environment. The experts often talk about top down and bottom up lighting. You either start lighting from the top or from the bottom. We prefer top down .
This method produces less soot and ashes, ensures better air supply and makes the first wood load last longer.
Anyway, in order to light the fire on the first try, you will need:
A couple of larger logs of wood
8 to 12 pieces of kindling
Firelighters or newspaper
Matches
STEP 1 AIR AND LOGS OF WOOD Ensure that all air vents in the fireplace are open. Put the logs on the bottom of the fireplace. It is important that the wood is cleft and dry. The logs may be as thick as a fist or thicker.
STEP 2 KINDLING WOOD Add a layer of small logs of about 4 cm, and then one or two layers of kindling. Remember that air is important – approx. 1 cm between the pieces of wood is the perfect spacing.
STEP 3 FIRE BRIQUETTES Put a couple of fire firelighters on top of the layer of kindling wood or use some newspaper. Be aware that newspaper produces unnecessary amounts of ashes and contributes to more soot.
STEP 4 LIGHT IT! The last step is easy, just light it and close the door! Some chimneys take more time to create good draught than others. If the draught is insufficient, it might be an idea to open the door to the wood stove slightly until it is properly burning. If the house or cabin is "too" insulated, you might want to open a window. The same applies if the kitchen ventilator is on.
SOME CLOSING COMMENTS As the wood gradually catches fire, the amount of smoke gases emitting from the wood, will also increase. Some Wood stoves are cleanburning wood stoves. This means that the combustion chamber is designed to burn flue gases before they enter the flue pipe and in this way reduce polluting emissions. When the chimney heats up, you will discover that the draught increases. That's why it can be a good idea to reduce the air supply when the fire is increasing. If you follow these instructions and light the fire with a couple of large logs, the first wood load will last for about an hour. When this has turned into charcoal, you can gently open the door and add more wood. A good tip is to keep the door ajar for a few seconds before you open it completely. In this way, the draught in the chimney will ensure that the flue gases are removed from the combustion chamber and you avoid smoke flowing into the room.
Do not use cardboard, makes so much mess, so much smoke and no heat. Remember a chimney is full of cold air, the smoke does not travel through this, it has to be lifted by heat. Cardboard and newspaper give no heat, they will just smolder and smoke will come out from your stove.