Set up

If you have previously been using your stove, it’s important to keep the ash bed in the stove. The ash helps retain the heat, keeps it running efficiently and keeps the logs burning evenly. You can start the initial lighting of the fire without the ash, however it does help having a bed there to begin with.

Creating the fuel bed

A good demonstration from Eco Fires and Stoves shows how to set up kindling evenly for your logs to rest on.

Firstly, you want to space two pieces of wood vertically adjacent to one another. Secondly, place your fire lighter in the middle – remembering to leave space in between. Thirdly, horizontally stack two more pieces of wood across the pieces you have just placed down. And then repeat this process again next to the fuel bed stack you have just made.

Placing your logs

Place your logs diagonally on top of your fuel bed – remembering to leave an air gap between the logs.

Control

Make sure the control is fully open (to the right) on the stove. This is what’s known as ‘open to primary air’ which basically feeds air into the stove.

Lighting

Carefully light your match and locate your firelighters to ignite them. Then close the door too so more air can rush through to help get the fire established. Leave it like this for at least 5 minutes before proceeding to fully close the door – leaving the control fully open – and let the stove get up to temperature.

Building Temperature

Allow the stove to build up the temperature until it’s ready to take another log. Keep building the temperature by adding more logs when necessary until the fire is glowing and up to temperature. You can then start to adjust the controls.

Controlling the air

Reducing the air for the stove will allow the logs in the stove to burn for longer. However, before adjusting the controls you may want to add another fresh log to maintain the longevity of the fire/heat in the stove. If you don’t plan on having the stove on for a long period of time then you can skip adding another log.

Now proceed to turning the controls all the way down (to the left) and you’re done.

Remember: Please ensure you are wearing a heat proof glove when slowly opening your stove door once lit. This prepares you to throw any loose logs that may fall out back into the fire quickly.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm

If you haven’t already, ensure you have a CO alarm in the same room as your stove. As you can’t see or smell carbon monoxide it’s imperative to have an alarm to pick up any signs of it as soon as possible.

Carbon Monoxide can be present if you have accidentally left the door open or have a faulty seal which is allowing CO to emit from cooling down ash after the fire has burnt out.

You can learn more about the dangers of carbon monoxide here.

For brand new stoves and spares, call us on 01902 790900

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