How to Use Your Wood Burner with Primary and Secondary Vents

Ah, the crackling warmth of a wood burner on a chilly day. But for new wood burner owners, that warmth can be elusive without understanding those crucial air vents. Fear not! This guide will make you a wood-burning pro, explaining how to use primary and secondary vents to get the most heat and efficiency out of your fire.

Understanding the Two Vents

Your wood burner has two main air vents:

• Primary Air Vent: Located at the base of the firebox (often below the door), this vent controls the initial burst of air that gets the fire going.
• Secondary Air Vent: Usually found above the firebox door, this vent supplies air for a cleaner, more efficient burn.

The Art of the Fire: Lighting Up with Vents

Christchurch Chimney Sweeps view on legislation, wood burners and pollution

Are you worried about legislation, wood burners and pollution?

I think it's all down to education . . . Wood Storage, moisture content and an efficient stoves is key. I think it can only be a good thing if some customers with poor burning habits are encouraged to change their burning habits and I am all for new legislation that may helps promote positive burning.

If a customer is burning unseasoned wood with an in-efficient wood burner it can create a build up of poor quality soot within the chimney’s flue which in turn can cause a fire risk issues for the customer while also potentially having a negative effect on the environment.

Axe - Wood Cutting

If that customer acquired a Defra stove with 85% efficiency and only purchased and burned fully seasoned wood that was below 20% moisture level. Then they drastically reduce the risk of a chimney fire and they also drastically reduce the stoves emissions.

Looking for chimney sweep advice for good burning practice?
visit my advice and guidance page where I have written a ton of information about firewood and stove efficiency -  https://www.jimchimney.co/p/advice.html

For more information about whats being reviewed by the goverment here is a Guardian Article - Burning issue: Are wood-burning stoves going to get the chop?

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

Click above to Sign-Up for the FREE reminder service by Jim Chim-in-ey

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, Wimborne, Christchurch and Dorset.

Want to have your chimney swept?

Contact JC Today!

How to check for up draught in your stove, woodburner or multi-fuel?

Safety Match Test - Home up-draught test for your chimney

If you would like to check the performance of the stove yourself, this is a simple wood burner, stove or multi-fuel up-draught performance test that you can do with just a match.

What you will need . . . 

• A safety match (Preferably Extra long) such as - Bryant & May Extra Long Matches

How to perform the updraught test?

1. When the stove is cold, open the stove door to make with a tiny gap.
2. Hold a burning match just outside of the gap (about fifty millimeter / 2"). 
3. Watch and record the flames movement.

How to read the flame.

1. If the flame is drawn into stoves fire chamber, the flue system has up-draught. 
2. If the flame isn't drawn in, or it is pushed outward into the room then the flue may not have a up-draught or you maybe a down-draught issue.
3.  If the match is drawn in to the woodburner or multi-fuel so powerfully that it goes out, then you most likely have a good up-draught.

A note from a Dorset Chimney Sweep:
"Although this test does not replace a No.2 Smoke Test (up-draught test), it can be a useful tool to check the up-draught in between your regular chimney sweeps."

For information about how often you should get a chimney swept visit - http://www.jimchimney.co/p/chimney-sweeping-service-why-do-you.html

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!

Why slumbering your woodburner can cause a chimney fire?

Chimney sweep poster - jim chimney - chimney sweep Dorset

Did you know that shutting all the air vents to your woodburner increases your chance of a chimney fire?

This method is known as slumbering and the benefits of doing this over night is so the fire does not go out making it easier to start the fire again in the morning,

but the risk out ways the positives here as if your woodburner does not have enough oxygen to effectively burn the wood, the un-burnt particles climb as a dark smoke sticking to your flue in the form of stage three creosote.

Stage three creosote is flammable and is one of the fuels for a chimney fires.

So my advice to all my customers is always . . .
'Do not slumber your woodburner'

Jim Chimney - Dorset's Chimney Sweep Specialist

Recommended article: How Jim Chim-in-ey investigates a suspected birds nest in a chimney.

______________________________

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!

What optimum temperature should your wood burner or stove be at?

The Temperature Guide

Getting the right temperature in your wood burner or stove will help reduce the build up of soot and creosote in your chimney flue.

There are 3 main temperature zones that will effect your wood-burner or stove.

Zone One - The Creosote Zone - 0'c - 129'c
This is the cool temperature where creosote thrives, Tiny unburned particles in the smoke sticks to the inside of the liner causing a taring of the chimney flue. Once its on it can be difficult for a chimney sweep to remove.

Zone Two - The Optimum Zone - 130'c - 240'c
Time to relax and enjoy the warmth of your fire.

Zone Three - The Damage Zone - 241'c - 500'c
You could be damaging your stove. Your burning her to HOT which can result in the Discoloring of paint, warping of important components such as maintenance bolts. In some cases you may get the cracking of weld-joints which would result in your stove being unsafe.



You can pick up a stove pipe thermometer / temperature gauge for under £5.00 online!
Here is a couple of direct links I found from a quick UK search.

• Ebay option one - Stove pipe thermometer
• Amazon option two - Stove pipe thermometer

Remember: Always refer to your wood-burner or stoves manual as some stoves have a lower recommended temperature..

Recommended article: The best way to store your firewood!

______________________________

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!

______________________________
Please check your wood-burners manufactures instruction for recommended temperatures. The above article is just a generally speaking.