When lighting a fireplace, you should always remember that a good-natured warming friend can become a dangerous enemy if you are negligent in its operation. In this article, we will consider several rules that should be followed at all stages of using the device. Then safety and comfort in the house are ensured.
In some measure, maintaining a fire and lighting it in the fireplace can be considered an art. There is a certain set of rules, but there is also something consisting of personal preferences and intuitive actions that are difficult to describe. Mysterious, isn't it? Owners who are constantly engaged in lighting do not always realize such moments.
Let's start with kindling
You can't do this quickly, it is better not to rush. If the firewood is dry enough, then a few thin chips and newspaper will be enough to light a fire. The fire will quickly catch and will please the eye. This is the ideal option.
Often the firewood is far from dry and when kindled, it darkens and smokes. It does not have enough heat. To light slightly damp firewood, you need to prepare more chips and splinters, let them burn out so that they form coals that emit heat. Then put the damp logs and watch them dry out, hissing and smoking. Over time, they will begin to catch fire and burn.
When one side of the logs is scorched and covered with a layer of gray-white color, you need to carefully turn them over and move them apart a little so that there is a distance of a couple of centimeters between them. If everything is done correctly, the firewood will begin to burn fully and quite picturesquely.
The stoking process
Even when the flame has flared up well, you should not throw in an excessive amount of firewood. The flame, of course, will be gorgeous and will burn effectively. But this way you can overheat the fireplace too much, and useful heat will go up the chimney. Overheating threatens cracks and burst bricks up to repairs with re-laying.
You need to throw in small batches of firewood so that it burns slowly, and the flame is calm and soothing. The flames should not go beyond the top of the portal. It is by such a cozy fireplace that it is pleasant to sit in the evenings, sip a hot drink and chat with loved ones.
If the heat from the fireplace is not enough, most likely, you need another heating device.
For example, my fireplace has doors, and when leaving, it is better to close them. And the draft can be adjusted with blowers in the doors. You can also use a damper in the chimney, but you should not close it more than a third.
When the fireplace warms up for several hours, it gradually begins to radiate the most pleasant and useful heat, penetrating the body. This way you can warm a sore back, joints and other ailments. And just enjoy frosty evenings.
This is an important stage, in which there are mandatory requirements.
Do not leave even a piece of unburned wood in the fireplace unattended, even if it does not seem to be burning at all! This is dangerous, especially if you have also closed the doors. The temperature in the firebox will inevitably rise and a fire will break out.
After the firebox is finished, you must close the damper, so we block the outlet for the furnace gases, including dangerous carbon monoxide. It can be distinguished by blue flames, they should not be at the end of the firebox. If there is a simple stove damper in the pipe (there is a small gap in it), then it is permissible to leave a small number of red coals, which should be stirred up with a poker.
Rarely, fireplaces have a damper - this is a special flap in the chimney, which can be either open or closed, there are no other positions. Its advantage is that it closes tightly! This design allows you to save more heat when using the fireplace than a regular stove damper. If you have a damper, you can't leave even small red coals in the firebox.
When it's time to sleep, I close the fireplace doors with some sadness and say goodbye to my friend. We will definitely meet the next evening and spend a few pleasant hours together again.
If you have any questions or need advice, write in the comments! 😊
