When adding further wood to the fire once the initial bits of wood have burnt through, it’s good practice to place two or more logs at a time on the fire.
Should I install a wood or gas fireplace in my home?
While you won't get the sounds and aroma of a wood fire, gas fireplaces give any room ambience and often supply more warmth than a wood-burning fireplace. Plus, gas fireplaces start with a flip of a switch and they're easy to clean up and maintain. If you want to add a wood-burning fireplace, you need space above to get a chimney through the roof.
How to build a fire in an open fireplace?
An important aspect of building fires in any open fireplace is stacking wood in a way that helps to maximize the airflow through the wood, while also ensuring that the wood is close enough to be able to transfer the heat and flames between each other.
How long does it take to install a wood burning fireplace?
How to Add a Fireplace. You can install this type of fireplace on any exterior wall, and it will vent directly out the back. Installation usually takes only about a day or a day and a half. If you want to add a wood-burning fireplace, that's not impossible either. You just need space above to get a chimney up through the roof.
How long does it take to add wood to a stove?
So generally add wood and in about 3 hours add more wood. Yes, no totally happy with the stove for sure. I smell smoke or at least gases if I open the door to add wood before it is down to at least big coals or where you can break it up in coals.
How often should I add wood to my fireplace?
If you set up your fireplace with wood that has sufficient air spaces to let the fire spread from log to log, it would easily last 6 hours or more. Once you visibly notice the fire quenching, only then should you add more wood to it.
Can you put too much wood in a fireplace?
This is known as "over-firing." Burning things like paper trash (including wrapping paper) and construction lumber, or just overfilling the box with firewood creates extremely hot and large fires that will damage the containment box of smaller fireplaces over time.
How many pieces of wood should you put in a fireplace?
Depending on how you choose to build your fire, four to six logs should be sufficient in creating a warm, long-lasting fire in your fireplace. If your fireplace is tall, then you can stack more if there is room.
How do I maximize my fireplace heat?
Fortunately, there are several things homeowners can do to maximize fireplace heating efficiency:Install a Glass Fireplace Door. Installing a fireplace door is an effective and inexpensive solution to get more heat out of your fireplace. ... Use a Fireback. ... Upgrade Your Fireplace. ... Use the Damper to Turn Up the Heat.
How much firewood do you need for winter?
“The standard rule of thumb is that a 1,000-square-foot home will use three cords of wood for a season,” she says. “If your wood burning stove is super high-efficiency, or if you live in a more moderate climate, you may need less.” Firewood is measured in cords.
How do you know if wood is dry enough for a fire?
Here are a few suggestions:Color Test. As the moisture content in wood lessens, the wood becomes a lighter color. ... Smack Test. Wood with high moisture makes a thudding sound when two pieces are smacked together. ... Bark Test. When cordwood is dry and devoid of moisture, the bark starts falling off.
Why does my wood burn so fast in my fireplace?
The main reasons why a fire would continue to burn so fast in your fireplace can be that: The wood is too dry; Softwood logs are being burnt, or; There is too much air supply to the fire.
Does more wood make hotter fire?
The best way to ensure a hot fire is by using hardwoods. Hardwoods produce higher BTUs than softwoods and burn longer. Here are some of the hottest hardwoods per cord around: Osage Orange – 32.9 BTUs.
What wood causes the most creosote?
Softwoods like fir, pine and cedar make more smoke, and therefore more creosote.
What wood lasts the longest in a fireplace?
Hardwoods such as maple, oak, ash, birch, and most fruit trees are the best burning woods that will give you a hotter and longer burn time. These woods have the least pitch and sap and are generally cleaner to handle.
How much firewood do I need for 4 nights?
In general, you'll find that you need between 2 and 5 bundles of firewood per day for your campfire. However, you may need more wood if you plan to have a fire going for more than just a few hours each night.
Why does my fireplace not heat the room?
Check the damper in your fireplace to make sure that it's wide open to allow for maximum draw of air up the chimney, which in turn will increase the airflow to the fire. A damper is usually shut between fires to prevent the loss of warm air from your home.
Should you crack a window when having a fire?
If there aren't enough openings to make up for the air drawn up the chimney, it can cause negative pressure in the room, creating a partial vacuum. Air pressure forces air down the chimney to compensate, resulting in a smoky house. The solution is to crack a window near the fireplace to let air in [source: HGTV].
Does a fireplace really heat a room?
Can a Fireplace Really Heat Your Home? Absolutely! And many houses already have a fireplace. It's just a matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home.
Does firewood dry faster in winter?
Yes, but firewood dries slower in winter. Sunlight—one of the key ingredients for drying wood—is in short supply in winter. Though drier winter air helps extract some moisture from the firewood, the process is much slower than in warmer weather.
How long will a cord of wood last in a fireplace?
A full cord of firewood can last as little as 5 or 6 weeks or as much as 10 or 12 weeks. If wood is the sole fuel-type you're using to heat your house in the wintertime (no gas or electric heaters helping reduce wood usage), you can expect a full cord of wood to last no more than six weeks.
Is 6 months long enough to season firewood?
How long does it take to season firewood? It can take 3-12 months or longer to season firewood. On average, it usually takes around 6-months to dry out the cut-firewood that you purchased from a store or supplier. Depending on the original timber's moisture content, it can take more or less time to season.
How can I speed up drying firewood?
6 Tips to Season Firewood QuicklyKnow the What Type of Wood You're Using. The type of wood you use matters. ... Prepare During the Right Time of Year. ... Cut, Split, & Size Your Wood Correctly. ... Keep It Outdoors. ... Correctly Stack the Wood. ... Properly Cover Your Firewood.
Will firewood dry if not split?
But does firewood need to be split to season? Firewood doesn't necessarily need to be split to season but splitting wood when it's green can help speed up the drying out process. If you're looking to season your wood as fast as possible be sure to cut the logs to length and split them prior to stacking.
How do you tell if your firewood is seasoned?
Seasoned wood will be darker in color than green wood, and may be cracking at the ends. Seasoned wood can also lighter in weight and the bark can be peeled off more easily than unseasoned wood. A moisture meter will be able to provide an accurate reading of whether firewood is fully seasoned or not.
Can you stack wood in a fireplace?
Stack as tightly as possible to make the fire burn more efficiently. Be sure that there is enough space for airflow between each piece of wood, otherwise, they will not burn properly and can cause a smoky fire. Place larger pieces with their sides touching smaller ones on top.
Can you have too much wood?
Unless you're going for the lodge look, it's possible to have too much wood in a room — no matter how skillful you are at mixing the finishes. Break up the woody look by adding other hard surfaces to your space.
What happens if you put too much wood in a wood stove?
Manufacturers of wood burning stoves recommended to only have a certain amount of wood in the stove at one time. Placing too much wood into a stove or allowing too much air flow to the fire can cause the stove to over fire.
How should wood be stacked in a fireplace?
Lean small twigs and wood in a teepee shape around it, placed vertically with the ends meeting in the center. Leave space between the pieces of wood, as well as a designated opening to light the kindling. This design will produce a flame quickly, and the logs will collapse when finished.
Why stack wood for a fireplace?
An important aspect of building fires in any open fireplace is stacking wood in a way that helps to maximize the airflow through the wood, while also ensuring that the wood is close enough to be able to transfer the heat and flames between each other.
Where do you put a fire starter in a fireplace?
The fire is started at the base of the fireplace, and the flames travel upwards as they burn through the kindling and logs. We use a fireplace grate when having fires in our living room open fireplace. The fire starter, such as newspaper or firelighters, can be placed either under the grate or at the base of the grate.
Why is wood so tightly packed together?
Wood that is too tightly packed together at the start of a fire can prevent sufficient airflow through the wood, potentially leading to a fire that goes out due to lack of oxygen. On the other hand stacking wood in a fireplace too far away from each other can prevent the fire from spreading effectively.
What is upside down fire?
In an upside down fire, the logs are placed first into a fireplace. The logs need to be stacked differently at the base of the fireplace compared to when they are placed on top of kindling in a conventional fire.
How should a wood kindling be laid?
The kindling should be laid in such a way that they are all interconnected but still provide enough space between the bits of wood to allow air to flow through.
How to arrange wood kindling?
Arrange the kindling in a crisscross formation so that the bits of wood are laid on top of each other while also allowing plenty of space between the bits of wood for airflow.
What is the traditional method of building a fire?
The traditional method of building a fire. The top-down fire method (also known as the upside down fire method) These two ways of building fireplace fires use the same materials (fire starter, kindling and logs) but order them differently within the fireplace. The methods of stacking wood in each type of fire are explained below.
What is the best way to heat a house in winter?
Orientation of the house can be important, too. A southern exposure with lots of solar gain in the wintertime can provide wonderful daytime heating. Conversely, if you have a spectacular view to the north, plan accordingly and invest in good windows!
How many square feet does a firebox heat?
But generally speaking, fireboxes of 1.6 cubic feet and smaller will heat up to 1000 square feet of space. Fireboxes up to 2.8 cubic feet will heat up to 2000 square feet and the largest fireboxes, over 2.9 cubic feet will heat up to 3000 square feet of well insulated space.
Is wood denser than softwood?
Difference types and species of wood will produce similar amounts of heat, pound for pound. Hardwoods are considerably denser than softwoods so they will burn for a much longer period of time. [SEE LINK: WHAT WOOD TO BURN IN MY FIREPLACE? ]
Can you heat your entire house in the winter?
If you’re planning to heat the entire house, you will need to size the equipment for the worst-case weather scenario in the winter. Are you in northern Minnesota or southern Missouri? The northeast or the Pacific northwest? Obviously, your address will make a huge difference in product selection. Use our BTU CALCULATOR to help with this process.
Is EPA certified wood burning equipment good?
The efficiency of today’s EPA certified wood burning equipment is extremely solid. There’s lots of great equipment on the market. The manufacturers that your nearby WE LOVE FIRE dealer represent are the best in the industry.
Is a wood burner a recreational appliance?
Maybe you’re more of a “recreational” wood burner? That is, one who wants to enjoy an occasional fire on weekends or while entertaining. It’s likely that a smaller appliance will nicely suit your needs.
What type of fireplace produces the most heat?
High heat output: Typical open masonry fireplaces send the majority of the heat they produce up the chimney.
Can you install a gas insert in a fireplace?
After selecting your new appliance, you should only work with licensed, professional contractors who are experienced in fireplace installations. It’s critical that gas lines are properly connected and that the unit combusts fuel and drafts gases efficiently. If an insert isn’t installed correctly, there is the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning to people and pets within the home.
Can a gas fireplace be built with a chimney?
No chimney construction: Vented gas inserts use their own vent system that comes with the appliance. The venting pulls air in from the outside, circulates it, and then expels air back outside the home. Your insert vent pipe runs through your existing chimney.
Can you put a gas fireplace insert in a masonry fireplace?
If you’re tired of the extra work that comes with running a wood-burning fireplace and think life would be much simpler with a gas appliance, making the transition is easier than you think. A new gas fireplace insert is built to fit right into the firebox of your masonry fireplace and will bring you many welcomed benefits.
Where Should I Put My Fireplace?
If you want to get the most use out of your fireplace, plan to put the new fireplace in the most-used room in the house other than the kitchen, such as the family room or living room. For heating practicality, it makes sense to put it in a smaller, easy-to-heat room such as a master bedroom, office, or spare bedroom. No matter which room you decide on, make sure its floor joists are reinforced. You should also factor in the dimensions and thickness of the firebox, the size of the damper opening, and the type of chimney and liner used. Refer to your local building codes to get detailed specifications for each of these considerations as well as for the minimum distance between a fireplace and combustive materials. Some building codes require that the house framing be modified to accommodate the increased weight of the fireplace addition.
How Much Does It Cost to Put in a Fireplace?
According to HomeGuide, on average, a new metal prefabricated gas or wood-burning fireplace costs $2,900 installed, while an electric fireplace costs about $1,200. A masonry fireplace costs an average of $4,900 installed in an existing home with a 12-foot chimney.
What are the three categories of fireplaces?
Fireplaces generally fall into one of three categories: gas, masonry, and zero-clearance (also known as prefabricated or manufactured fireplaces).
How much space does a fireplace need?
In two-story houses, choices for placing the fireplace might be more limited, but often you can find the 12- to 14-inch space the chimney requires by enclosing a corner of a room or a spare closet. This is the kind of fireplace that comes to mind for most people and it's the most expensive. It's made of a brick or stone firebox, a brick ...
How long does it take to install a gas fireplace?
Installation usually takes about a day or a day and a half. While you won't get the sounds and aroma of a wood fire, gas fireplaces give any room ambience and often supply more warmth than a wood-burning fireplace. Plus, gas fireplaces start with a flip of a switch and they're easy to clean up and maintain.
Is a fireplace good for selling a home?
However, should you choose to sell your home, a fireplace could increase your home’s appeal to prospective buyers. A recent report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says that the overall number of prospective homebuyers who find gas fireplaces to be desirable or essential has been increasing since 2003, rising from 44% to 55% in 2018. The same report also says that 55% of home buyers rate gas fireplaces as desirable or essential and 48% of home buyers rate wood-burning fireplaces as desirable or essential.
Can you install a zero clearance fireplace?
If you're looking for an inexpensive fireplace option, consider a zero-clearance or factory-built fireplace. These are lightweight fireplaces often with linear designs to fit more modern tastes. In comparison with masonry fireplaces, they're easier to install and require significantly less construction work. Since their firebox enclosures always remain cool, zero-clearance fireplaces can be installed in any room—even directly over hardwood floors and within a few inches of existing walls.
How to whitewash a fireplace?
To achieve a whitewashed effect, Tasha from Kaleidoscope Living cut the white paint with water to thin it out. She then rolled it on with a textured nap roller cover, followed by brushwork. A wood stove inserted in the fireplace solves the problem of wood-burning fireplaces' energy inefficiency. Now, this ethereal fireplace is a beautiful focal point for the room instead of being an eyesore.
What size is Rachel Moore's fireplace?
To dispel the gloom of her fireplace, Rachel Moore traded out that one thing she hated the one most, the dark hearth, for a more cheerful marble-look porcelain tile in 20-inch by 20-inch format. Wood covers the brick for a cleaner, more traditional look. Her reworked fireplace is now as warm and cozy as she always dreamed it could be.
What did Rachel do with her old fireplace?
In a creative fireplace transformation that is nothing short of stunning, Rachel completely turned around the look of her old fireplace . She created beautiful open shelving to physically and visually attach the fireplace to the house. And for another bit of lagniappe, she now has loads of storage space. Next, she added thin cut brick with an intentionally messy mortar job for a classic, antique look.
Who owns the fireplace in Maison de Pax?
With the standalone fireplace craze long in the past, this one, owned by Rachel at Maison de Pax, still stood like a sentinel to the 1990s. Rachel had two problems. First, the fireplace was uninteresting. Second and most problematic, how do you connect this fireplace with the rest of the house?
proper drafting
For fire to burn, fuel, heat and oxygen are required. You’ve got the fuel (logs) and heat (initial fire), but you may not have sufficient oxygen (air). Sluggish fires often are caused by a home that’s too air-tight. Solve this by cracking a window.
Annual Chimney Sweep
Annual chimney sweep services will keep your chimney free of excess creosote buildup and any obstructions such as leaves, twigs, excess dust, small-animal nests and anything else that could impede drafting. Chimney cleaning also greatly reduces the chances of a chimney fire.
Use dry wood
You’ve probably seen campfires, fireplace fires or other fires that produce huge amounts of smoke. This is because the wood being used has yet to fully dry out. Don’t make this mistake in your home fireplace. Use only dry (seasoned) wood, which burns more thoroughly and creates less smoke and therefore adds less creosote to your flue.
The right type of wood
Maple, hickory, beech and other hardwoods burn longer and hotter than softer varieties like pine, redwood and cedar. If you’re burning all day during the dead of winter, hardwoods are best. For shorter fires during an evening of entertainment, go with softwoods.
Starting the fire
The optimal way to start a fire is this: stack your logs, add wood-based kindling (small scraps of wood) on top of the stack, then place tinder (crumpled-up newspaper is good) on top of the kindling. Light the tinder and let the fire progress downward for the most efficient fires.
How not to start a fire
Wood-based products are the only things that should burn in your fireplace – and not all wood-based products. Here is a list of things never to use in starting or maintaining a fire:
Give the logs breathing room
Don’t jam-pack your firebox with logs. Fire needs air to start well and burn properly. When stacking logs, leave some breathing room for air to circulate.
Can you beat a gas fireplace?
Even many wood-burning fireplaces will burn with lower amounts of toxins and less smoke, but you can’t beat gas when it comes to environmental friendliness.
Do you need a fireplace for a home?
While the vast majority of modern homes will not need to use a fireplace as a primary heating source, there’s no denying the extra bit of comfort it provides on chilly evenings, when the ground is covered in snow and you’re holed up at home for the night.
Can you add an outdoor fireplace to your home?
Add to your exterior: There are also outdoor fireplaces you can add—different than fire pits, these are actual built-in fireplaces on the exterior of your home. They make for great socialization areas in cooler weather, especially in the spring and autumn, and can be a great talking point, as they’re not particularly common.
What is the best wood for a fireplace?
1. Soft Wood. Soft wood is not the best option for your fireplace. Species like pines, cypress, and firs burn very fast, which means you will not enjoy your fire for too long. When burned, these species produce a lot of smoke, which will fill up your chimney with black residue (soot) quite fast.
How long does it take for a fireplace to burn?
Ideally, you should only burn seasoned wood in your fireplace. Depending on the type of tree, it may take up to 12 months before green wood is ready to be burned.
Why is green wood hard to ignite?
Because it contains so much moisture, green wood is hard to ignite, produces a lot of smoke , and results in creosote build-up. All wood produces creosote, but green wood makes much more. As it accumulates in the chimney, creosote becomes a fire hazard. Those small particles can ignite and cause a fire in your chimney. To prevent a fire, you would have to clean your chimney more frequently, which is costly.
Why is buying local wood important?
You are supporting the local economy and your community, and you are protecting nature because transporting goods long-distance burns a lot of fuel. But buying non-local wood has a more significant risk; you may be transporting tree-killing bugs with your wood.
Can you burn wood in a chimney?
While you should avoid burning soft wood in your chimney, it is ok to burn it outside in fire pits.
Can you inhale wood glue?
When burned, these strong adhesives produce various toxic chemicals, which you shouldn’t inhale . Unlike soft wood, treated wood, including plywood, should even be avoided for outside firepits.
Is it bad to burn painted wood?
From lung issues to cancer, the consequences can be devastating. It may seem that burning some old furniture pieces is a good idea, but you should not do it.
