The main goal of a wood-burning stove is to burn wood more efficiently to produce more heat. But despite its intensity controls, it can become too hot and lead to an accidental fire. Some reasons why that happens to a wood stove and tips on preventing them include the following:
Problem #1: Too Much Wood
Although a large wood stove can hold more than a smaller one, you should only put in the amount of wood your particular model and size can hold.
Adding more wood to a big wood stove could cause the furnace to burn too hot. To avoid this, we like to burn small, medium-sized logs in our wood stove at one time and make sure not to put too much wood into the furnace.
Solutions:
- Ensure that the logs we burn do not exceed the height of the air vents at the back of our stove. These vents provide extra fresh air needed for secondary combustion, which helps us burn our fires more efficiently. If you keep too much wood on the fire, it could lead to overfiring, which happens when temperature levels inside the wood stove are higher than what it is designed for.
- Overfiring could cause damage to the components, particularly to the metal plate located near the top of the firebox. If you notice that your stove is burning too hot, ensure that there isn’t too much wood inside your stove or take out around two to three logs.
Problem #2: Wide-Open Air Vents
Wood stoves burn more efficiently if the air vents are closed down in stages as the fire progresses. When the fire is intense and lively, most of the air vents should remain open so that plenty of air can flow through.
However, when the fire burns low and smoulders, it needs to be fed with just enough oxygen to get it going again. In these instances, most air vents should be closed entirely so that the flames gently and steadily burn the wood.
This allows for an even more efficient burn because it prevents heated air from leaving the stove too quickly and keeps a low-temperature fire going. Prevent this from happening with the following solutions:
- If wood stove vents are left open by too much during a fire, your stove can be burning too much. With the vents fully open on a furnace, oxygen is being fed to the fire more abundantly, and the resulting flame will burn the wood faster. A speedier burning fire is a hotter burning stove.
- If the fire is too large, slide the air vents to half-open or even a quarter open to maintain proper fire levels.
Problem #3: Wood Stove Is Too Big
A wood stove’s biomass output depends on the heat needed to maintain a comfortable living environment. When a wood stove is too large, it can overheat a room.
If you find that your stove is overheating, you should:
- Open up whatever doors to the space or open any windows for better airflow.
- If a wood stove is too small, it may not be able to burn enough wood (biomass) to produce adequate heat. A fire that burns too slowly can be inefficient and produce more smoke.
- Increased smoke accumulation inside the flue due to inefficient burning can increase creosote buildup. Clean the flue more frequently or replace it when needed.
Conclusion
Wood stoves from Scotland require the same careful use as any home device. Purchase one with ample size to warm your house, place only enough wood to power the machine, and maintain proper air vent positions, so the wood stove remains efficient and safe for everyone to use.
Purchase a quality wood stove from Scotland at Stove Scotland! We carry top brands such as Merlin, Aduro, Pod, Askgard, TermaTech, and Burley throughout Scotland and the UK. No chimney? No problem! We’ll install your furnace anywhere! Get a free quote from us now!
