Best Woodstove Fire-Starters?

[Gearhead]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

You highlighted the word "safe". Most woodstove fires come from 2 main causes: Either an improper installation (too close to combustable surface, improper chimney installation including wall pass throughs and chimney linings; or chimney fires from improper maintenance and cleaning.

I'm still a little leery about leaving a lit fire in my house all day with no one home. We had a Vermont Castings Vigilant stove, which I would leave on low most of the day or night and it would soot up in two months. We always burned hardwood but I would see creosote peeling off the inside of the flue by the end of the season. I grew up cutting, splitting and burning wood and love the work of it but one night in November many years ago I had to scurry up the roof to put out a roaring chimney fire. I put in a cooler-burning, safer pellet stove shortly thereafter. It was the second time I experienced one; the first time was when I was a child and I'll never forget that either.

I was once told that VC made good stoves, but in both cases there was a VC stove burning. The Vigilant had a 8" pipe. I always thought that was strange.

[HellRaZoR004]

I have a Jotul Firelight woodstove that we use when we are at the house over the propane furnace. That thing has a massive burnbox and can put out lots of heat.

The problem I find with most people is they put the wood in and damper it down too quickly, causing the temperature of the fire to burn lower than it should. This is what leads to creosote buildup.

What I can't seem to figure out is how some people get the long burn times they report...let alone there definition. Some people stop the timer at the last flame, other when there are enough coals in the box to start the fire again.

[loony]

Laconia Daily Sun or the Weirs Times, and some kindling. Both are plentiful and free.

[fatlazyless]

....as long as we are talking wood stoves...this seems appropriate....for just $3.94 each, both the Gilford and Plymouth Wal-Marts carry a real nice looking smoke alarm that includes a 9v-battery....made in China...sold by Kidde Alarm...measures about 4" diameter x 1 1/4" deep...comes packaged in a light cardboard box as opposed to a blister-pak....


....so for twenty-dollars....you could get five alarms with batteries and install them all throughout the residence....and then maybe six months from now when the dying battery starts to beep....go get a quality 9v like a Duracell or something....just a thought?



....even at this low price of 3.94, battery included, it looks and sounds like a reliable quality product and is designed to be functional for ten years from the date printed on the back....an ionization design smoke alarm...