how do you start a fire with a starter log in a fireplace

To build a fire using the top-down method (without kindling):

• Place a layer of smaller sized logs at the base of the fireplace.
• Lay another layer of smaller logs on top, but at 90-degree angle to the way the logs below are facing.
• Put your fire starter, such as newspaper, on top of the logs.

Full Answer

How do you start a fire in a wood burning stove?

To build a fire using the top-down method (without kindling): Place a layer of smaller sized logs at the base of the fireplace. Lay another layer of smaller logs on top, but at 90-degree angle to the way the logs below are facing. Put your fire starter, such as newspaper, on top of the logs.

How to use a fire starter log?

To use a fire starter log, you need a fire starter log. This is the one I like to use, but I do a quick review of different kinds below. Item to start fire – You need something that starts the fire. Matches and lighters are good choices. I like to use these matches you can find on Amazon.

How to work a wood burning fireplace?

Small fireplace fires generate less smoke and create less creosote buildup. When building a fire, put the logs toward the rear of the wood-burning fireplace and be sure to use kindling, not flammable liquids, to start the fire. These tips are crucial in knowing how to work a fireplace. 9 / 10

What do you need to start a fire?

Fire Starter Log – OK, this is obvious. To use a fire starter log, you need a fire starter log. This is the one I like to use, but I do a quick review of different kinds below. Item to start fire – You need something that starts the fire. Matches and lighters are good choices.

How do you start a fireplace with starter logs?

Start by placing two pieces of firewood on the grate in your fireplace. Now crumple newspaper, which is your tinder, and place it between the firewood. Place the kindling on top. Add one or two more pieces of firewood on top of the other logs, and be sure to leave enough room for air to circulate around the logs.

How do you start a fire with fire starter wood?

STEP 1: Find small, dry materials for tinder. ... STEP 2: Locate dry sticks and twigs for kindling. ... STEP 3: Build the fire with fuel wood, kindling, and tinder. ... STEP 4: Ignite the tinder to start the fire. ... STEP 5: Monitor and maintain the fire. ... STEP 6: Extinguish the fire.

Can you use a starter log in indoor fireplace?

All you have to do is open the bag, place them into your fireplace and light up a match or lighter. The flames will instantly start burning on top of the log without any kindling required! Duraflame Fire Starter logs can be used in both indoor and outdoor fireplaces.

How do you use a log starter?

You'll need only a long-stemmed match or lighter to help you ignite your log lighter and start the flames. So no more fighting to start a fire using crumpled up pieces of paper, kindling and small pieces of wood. Simply turn on the gas supply, light a match and start the flames.

How do I build a fire in my fireplace?

OverviewStart with a safe fireplace and chimney with a spark screen and a grate.Gather the three essential fuels to prepare for ignition.Open the flue damper.Set up logs, kindling, and tinder using the upside-down fire method.Light the kindling; be on the watch for smoke spillage.More items...•

How do you light a wood burning fireplace?

So lets start the fire!Ensure that all air vents in the fireplace are open. Put the logs on the bottom of the fireplace. ... Add a layer of small logs of about 4 cm, and then one or two layers of kindling. Remember that air is important – approx. ... Put a couple of firelighters on top of the layer of kindling wood. ... Light it!

Are fire starters bad for chimneys?

Never use fire accelerants such as gasoline, grill starter fluid or kerosene to start a fire. These highly flammable liquids can cause a fire that quickly becomes too hot for your fireplace and chimney, putting the integrity of your chimney and your home at risk. It's best to keep these accelerants out of your home.

Can you mix Duraflame logs with regular wood?

The answer is yes, you can add wood to a duraflame log. However, adding wood to a duraflame log will not make it burn for longer. In fact, adding wood to a duraflame log may actually make it burn faster, because the added wood will create more heat.

Is Duraflame safe for indoor fireplace?

Some of the more common brands are Duraflame, Pine Mountain and Earthlog. These logs are designed to be used in open hearth, brick and mortar masonry systems or prefabricated fireplace systems; however, they cannot be used in freestanding stoves or fireplace inserts.

How do I start a fire in my fireplace with duraflame Firestart?

1:434:19duraflame Firestart Firelighters Review - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAlright so the way it says to use this is to take the fire starter here. And actually pull the sidesMoreAlright so the way it says to use this is to take the fire starter here. And actually pull the sides. Away a little bit place a log at the back of your fireplace.

How do you start a fire with a Duraflame log?

Simply create an airspace between the body of the firelog and the wrapper by carefully pulling outward on the package seam then light the two arrows on the seam. When ignited properly, the duraflame firelog should be fully aflame in five minutes or less.

How do you put a Duraflame log in a fireplace?

Putting Out Duraflame Logs As you would with any fire, simply douse them carefully with water. Another option is to use sand, making sure the flames are completely covered. Finally, you can use a dry chemical fire extinguisher to put out a Duraflame log.

How can I light wood without lighter fluid?

A piece of newspaper soaked in vegetable oil will burn for a longer time than paper alone; this gives the wood ample time to light and stay lit. You can use either vegetable oil in a liquid or spray form, e.g., Pam. To start a fire, it typically takes about 10 balls of newspaper with oil.

How do you start a fire with charcoal and wood?

Step 1: Stack 3- to 4-inch chunks of wood over three sheets of crumpled newspaper or a starter stick. (Hickory is a dense wood that may require more paper or lighter fluid to start the fire.) Step 2: Open vents. Step 3: Light paper; let wood burn 15 to 20 minutes.

How do you start a fire with wood and paper?

While the chip kindling is burning, place light, dry wood on top to catch alight over the burning chips. Use newspaper. Roll five dry newspapers into a tight tube, tie the tube into a knot, and light the knot on fire. The tight paper will burn slowly, allowing more time for the wood to catch fire.

How do you start a fire without a lighter or matches?

Friction (the most common way): It requires you to rub wood together using a bow, plow, or a hand drill. Sparks: Using materials like rocks, flint, and a battery with wool is a standard way to create sparks that will start a fire.

How to keep embers from getting out of a fireplace?

To prevent hot embers from getting out, use a metal-mesh screen or glass fireplace doors. Don’t burn wood in your fireplace without a guard. Originally Published: February 10, 2021.

How long can you keep coals in a fireplace?

But you may want to keep a few ashes around to help build a fire in your fireplace. Be aware that coals can remain hot for up to three days, which can become a fire hazard if they come in contact with flammable materials.

What is a damper on a fireplace?

The damper is a movable plate that sits above the fireplace before the flue. Make sure the fireplace damper is working properly. There should be no debris preventing it from opening and closing. This is a critical step in understanding how to work a fireplace.

How to prevent smoke from pouring into your home?

Avoid smoke pouring into your home by priming the flue. You can do this by igniting a roll of newspaper and holding it up the damper for a few minutes to warm it up.

Where do you put the fire starter in a fireplace?

In order to overcome this problem and to start a fire in a fireplace without smoke, the fire starter needs to be placed at the top of the fire.

How to stop a fire from smoking in a fireplace?

Simply use the lever to open the damper fully before each and every fire in your fireplace. This will help to ensure that air is flowing freely up your chimney to help reduce the potential for a fire to smoke when started.

What is the best tool to use for a fireplace?

A moisture meter is an essential tool for your fireplace. If there was one thing that we could recommend for any fireplace it would be a moisture meter. It allows you to understand how well your wood is going to burn before you even use it, and can help you to start fires in your fireplace without smoke every time.

Why is it hard to burn wood on a fire?

As the moisture content of the wood goes above 20% it can become progressively harder for the wood to burn effectively on a fire. Burning wet wood can be the cause of many problems experienced with having fires in your home, and especially the cause of increased amounts of smoke at the start of the fire.

What is the movement of air up a chimney called?

The movement of air up your chimney is known as the draft. As warmer air moves up the chimney more air is sucked into the fireplace to replace it. To help you start fires in a fireplace without smoke you’ll need to be maximizing the draw on your fireplace to help feed the fire as much as oxygen as possible.

Why do you need to light a fire at the top?

This is thanks to lighting the fire at the top where there’s nothing preventing the fire starter and kindling from receiving as much air as they need.

Why does a fire produce more smoke than usual?

This means that the fire is having a hard time burning through the fuel, such as wood, and as a result the fire isn’t providing a clean burn and much of the byproducts from the fuel are being wasted in the form of smoke.

How to start a fire in a chimney?

Start with a safe fireplace and chimney with a spark screen and a grate. Gather the three essential fuels to prepare for ignition. Open the flue damper. Set up logs, kindling, and tinder using the upside-down fire method. Light the kindling; be on the watch for smoke spillage.

What is an operating fireplace?

An operating fireplace or woodstove is an ancient appliance that is often very self-sufficient, only occasionally needing to rearrange the logs, add wood or roast a marshmallow. Mindful wood burners stand watch, making sure smoke and flames stay in the fireplace and don’t spread into the home.

Why do we need a fireplace grate?

Fireplace grates help in other ways too. By elevating our wood logs, air can easily enter the combustion zone and travel upward through the fuel, making our logs burn easier .

Why do you need to sweep your chimney?

Getting your chimney swept and inspected is often the forgotten step toward safe, successful fires in the fireplace. Why? A flue that is coated with creosote and soot will not draw air into the fireplace to keep the combustion going. Creosote is a danger, as well as it is a common cause of hazardous chimney flue fires. Which severely damages flue tiles inside chimneys and often spreads to the roof and home.

What is the number to call if you can't use a fireplace in Kansas City?

CALL 913-642-6171.

Why do you need a spark screen for a fireplace?

Because burning wood produces flying sparks and embers , a spark screen for your fireplace opening is needed. Keeping the flames contained in the firebox protects your home surroundings from accidentally igniting. It may even protect the floor beyond the outer hearth.

Why are fireplaces seldom enjoyed?

In many homes, fireplaces are seldom enjoyed, because getting a delightful wood blaze going can be a challenge. As we see above, there are a few steps to prepare the fireplace, chimney, and firewood, that if taken, make this task easier.

What do you need to start a fire?

Item to start fire – You need something that starts the fire. Matches and lighters are good choices. I like to use these matches you can find on Amazon. They’re affordable and can be lit by striking them anywhere.

Why do fire starters work?

The reason fire starter logs work so well is that they’re treated with chemicals that let them catch fire easily even when damp. These chemicals can be dangerous to breathe in directly or to cook food over. As long as you wait until it’s burned up, you should be fine.

What is Pine Mountain starter logg?

Pine Mountain Starter Logg – This brand also comes in a 24 pack at a really affordable price. Made from condensed hardwood, this is a cleaner starter to burn.

How to keep fire embers from catching on fire?

If you have a fire ring to use or there’s already one at your site, just put it there. Fire rings and fire pits keep the embers contained better and provide shelter from the wind.

Can you put kindling on a fire starter?

Finally, I place kindling of varying sizes so they’re leaning on the fire starter log and against the fuel logs. Be careful not to put so much kindling that you block the airflow to the fire starter log.

How to make a firewood match?

Matches. Place two pieces of firewood in a cleared area or fireplace, away from any flammable objects. Position the pieces of firewood parallel to each other and 4 to 5 inches apart. Crumple five or six pages of newspaper into compact balls and insert them between the two pieces of firewood.

What to put in the space between firewood and newspaper?

On top of the newspaper, fill the remainder of the space between the firewood with kindling, or small dry pieces of wood.

What to do when newspaper and kindling start to burn?

Once the newspaper and kindling have started to burn, add more firewood as needed to keep the fire going.

How to start a fire with a log lighter?

Just set the logs on the wood grate over the log lighter, turn the key to open the gas line, toss in a lit match, and the fire lights around your logs. After the logs have caught on fire, turn the valve key to close the gas line, and enjoy the crackling wood fire before you.

What happens when you light a gas fire starter?

With a longer fire starter that is running on the same amount of pressure as the smaller pipe, once the gas reaches the end of the pipe farthest from your fuel connection, it gradually decreases. When you light the gas, you'll notice a smaller and more uneven flame pattern than you are used to seeing.

How wide should a log grate be?

This means that the width of the log grate is up to the homeowner's personal preference. If their masonry fireplace opening is 37 inches wide, the homeowner may have a grate that is 36 inches wide, and it is perfectly acceptable to have a gas log lighter that is 36 inches long.

Why do you need a fireplace grate?

A fireplace grate is needed to hold your logs above your fire starter, preventing the logs from damaging it. Pro #3: Using Your Fire Starter Pipe. Lighting fires the old way could take a long time. Just when you'd think your fire was finally lit, it would fizzle out and you'd have to start over again.

What is a thermocouple on a fireplace?

Thermocouples are sensors that are used to measure temperature and are consistent with gas logs, fire pit burners, and other continuous running gas devices.

How to open gas line on logs?

Just set the logs on the wood grate over the log lighter, turn the key to open the gas line, toss in a lit match, and the fire lights around your logs. After the logs have caught on fire, turn the valve key to close the gas line, and enjoy the crackling wood fire before you.

Can you use a log lighter as a fireplace starter?

Misuse of this product - by using it as a gas burner instead of a fire starter, can cause permanent damage to a zero clearance fireplace. It is unsafe to use the log lighter as a fireplace burner. It is intended to only be used for a short period of time - creating the flames needed to fully light the logs in your fireplace.

Buildfires Using The Top-Down Method

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