How to Start a Wood Fire Cleanly

Using a wood-burning stove is not as simple as it seems. They can be dirty, hard to start and dangerous if not maintained properly. There are simple tricks that can make your wood burning stove more efficient. To start and burn wood cleanly, proper air intake is necessary. Low air causes wood to smolder, creating buildup on the inside of the chimney and stove. It also causes smoke to come out of the stove door.

• 1

  Open a window about 1 inch. It should be in the same room as the stove.

• 2

  Reach up and find the draft control on the chimney pipe. It should be located above the stove at about eye level. It looks like a spring attached to a small shaft that penetrates the stove pipe. Turn it so that the handle is parallel to the stove pipe in the open position.

• 3

  Open the air intake valve on the front of the stove door as wide as it will open.

• 4

  Open the stove door and place two small logs or two split log pieces on the floor of the stove parallel with each other. Lightly crumple up five sheets of newspaper and stuff them in between the logs.

• 5

  Place a handful of dry kindling on top of the newspaper. Place a few pieces perpendicular to the others. The kindling should be about 3/4 inch thick and should be between 2 and 16 inches long.

• 6

  Light the newspaper at the bottom. When the newspaper is completely engulfed in flames, shut the stove door. Close the window.