It’s that time of the year when lighting up the fireplace is a good idea, especially to keep everyone warm and comfortable inside the home. You light up your wood-burning stove, and you’re about to sit back and relax when you see nothing but thick smoke from the fire. Sure, it’s obvious that fire produces smoke, but it shouldn’t be too smoky!
If you have ever experienced a wood-burning stove that produces too much smoke, then there could be something wrong with the quality of wood you used. Keep in mind that fires in your stove are meant to be beautiful and a great source of warmth and comfort, as mentioned, and not something that will make people’s eyes burn.
4 Reasons Your Wood-Burning Stove Fire Is Too Smoky
If your wood-burning stove is giving out too much smoke, here are four common reasons it happens:
1. Using Wet Wood
Wet wood will create smokier fires due to several reasons. For one, the moisture in the wood will burn off and turn into steam. The steam will then mix with the burning wood smoke and make it thicker. Wet wood also makes it difficult for the wood to burn as hot as possible. The best way to prevent this is by getting only quality dry firewood.
2. Burning Wood With Mold Or Fungus
Leaving seasoned firewood or wood that has been outside for too long is prone to grow mould or fungus. However, a common mistake is burning off wood infested with mould or fungus thinking that it will solve the issue. Indeed, it will eliminate the mould, but it will create a lot of smoke at the same time! Moreover, the smell of mould is not what you want to be released into the air, especially when your loved ones are around. For this reason, before you burn off your firewood, make sure you first inspect the wood.
3. Not Letting Your Fire Breathe
When you stack your logs too tightly together, it will reduce the available oxygen that could make it difficult for the fire to get going. Because of this, it can snuff the flames out even before it starts and can cause it to smoulder instead of burn. Keep in mind that when wood smoulders, it will produce more smoke. What you can do is stack the logs in a way that they’re close enough to share heat, but there’s still ample amount of space for each to allow them to breathe so that the fire doesn’t “suffocate.”
4. Burning Yard Debris
Many homeowners have the habit of starting a fire using leaves, pinecones, and other debris. Sure, they can create a quick flame, but they will also generate lots of smoke. This is because most of the time, the pieces of debris are still a bit wet, and the moisture will contribute to the smoke. Additionally, yard debris can reduce oxygen flow and make it harder for the fire to heat up and burn well.
Conclusion
Avoiding smoky fire is important, especially if you’re hosting an event at home. It all comes down to the quality of firewood you use, meaning that you need to ensure you’re getting the best type of wood for your wood-burning fire stove. If you encounter a smoky fire, listed above are the possible reasons that you can use to figure out a solution to solve the problem!
Are you looking for a wood stove in Scotland that you can use for those cold nights at home? We have a wide selection of wood stoves you can choose from, and our experts can also install and maintain them for you. Get in touch with us today for a free quote!
