How long should logs burn for on a wood burning stove?
Discussion
We have an 8KW wood burning stove, fully lined chimney (6" flue) which even when fully closed down really seems to burn through wood quickly.
I guess there are lots of variables at play here, but how long will your stove burn seasoned wood for before having to put another log on?
My parents have a 5KW Arrow stove and when closed down, the flames barely move, they are literally as smooth as a candle gently flickering away. Our stove however, when fully closed down still seems to burn quite aggressively and in 30 mins you're looking to put another log on it. They have a smaller (and better) fire and flue, the firebox is smaller, yet the trade-off doesn't seem relational. A log on their fire seems to last for hours and hours where as a considerably bigger log in our fire gets turns in to a red glowy thing in no time and 30 - 45 mins later and you're looking to put another on.
The controls work fine. If the fire has nearly died down and you're left with a few glowing embers, if you put a log on and open the vents up, it glows bright red and will produce flames in no time. When ignited, moving the controls shows immediate effects in the firebox, it roars or dies down. It does however still seems to get through wood too quickly. When the flue liner was installed, they did a smoke test on it so fairly happy there aren't any leaks.
I guess being a bigger stove it requires more fuel, but in my opinion it just doesn't seem right that even when all the vents are closed it would still burn so quickly and aggressively. It wasn't an expensive stove but due to the basic nature of a fire, I wouldn't expect the price and quality to make this big a difference so am assuming that there's a problem somewhere!
I guess there are lots of variables at play here, but how long will your stove burn seasoned wood for before having to put another log on?
My parents have a 5KW Arrow stove and when closed down, the flames barely move, they are literally as smooth as a candle gently flickering away. Our stove however, when fully closed down still seems to burn quite aggressively and in 30 mins you're looking to put another log on it. They have a smaller (and better) fire and flue, the firebox is smaller, yet the trade-off doesn't seem relational. A log on their fire seems to last for hours and hours where as a considerably bigger log in our fire gets turns in to a red glowy thing in no time and 30 - 45 mins later and you're looking to put another on.
The controls work fine. If the fire has nearly died down and you're left with a few glowing embers, if you put a log on and open the vents up, it glows bright red and will produce flames in no time. When ignited, moving the controls shows immediate effects in the firebox, it roars or dies down. It does however still seems to get through wood too quickly. When the flue liner was installed, they did a smoke test on it so fairly happy there aren't any leaks.
I guess being a bigger stove it requires more fuel, but in my opinion it just doesn't seem right that even when all the vents are closed it would still burn so quickly and aggressively. It wasn't an expensive stove but due to the basic nature of a fire, I wouldn't expect the price and quality to make this big a difference so am assuming that there's a problem somewhere!
It may be related to the size difference in the stoves....we run a Harmony 33 at full blast all the time, whispy flames so running properly. We tend to put at least 2 logs on at a time often they are both gone in an hour. We tend to run the thing like the boiler of the Titanic tho.
If you put a single log on that is quite damp the stove will run for hours but the heat output won't be much or efficient. For the description the OP seems to be like us, running properly with dry wood so it will get thru fuel quicker.
If you put a single log on that is quite damp the stove will run for hours but the heat output won't be much or efficient. For the description the OP seems to be like us, running properly with dry wood so it will get thru fuel quicker.
You may have an air leak into the stove. Renew the rope seals round the doors and glazing and make sure the vents really do seal when they are closed. Renewing decayed or missing firebricks if your has them helps too as that keeps the combustion temperature up. Few quids worth of rope and new bricks made a huge difference to log burn times and heat output to ours.
As said above it seems your stove is getting to much air when closed down. How old is the stove? It may need all the fire rope/seals replaced around the door and any other areas.
A cowel on the chimney perhaps to limit the pull. But I would recommend getting in an expert for that advice.
Is the flue exit the stove the same size as the flue or is there an adapter fitted. You can go from small to bigger but not the other way round I believe.v
A flue damper may need to be installed. Not a big job.
A cowel on the chimney perhaps to limit the pull. But I would recommend getting in an expert for that advice.
Is the flue exit the stove the same size as the flue or is there an adapter fitted. You can go from small to bigger but not the other way round I believe.v
A flue damper may need to be installed. Not a big job.
MrCheese said:
It may be related to the size difference in the stoves....we run a Harmony 33 at full blast all the time, whispy flames so running properly. We tend to put at least 2 logs on at a time often they are both gone in an hour. We tend to run the thing like the boiler of the Titanic tho.
If you put a single log on that is quite damp the stove will run for hours but the heat output won't be much or efficient. For the description the OP seems to be like us, running properly with dry wood so it will get thru fuel quicker.
Your comment about the Titanic did make me laugh. We only use seasoned hardwood so should burn efficiently as far as the fuel is concerned.If you put a single log on that is quite damp the stove will run for hours but the heat output won't be much or efficient. For the description the OP seems to be like us, running properly with dry wood so it will get thru fuel quicker.
magooagain said:
As said above it seems your stove is getting to much air when closed down. How old is the stove? It may need all the fire rope/seals replaced around the door and any other areas.
A cowel on the chimney perhaps to limit the pull. But I would recommend getting in an expert for that advice.
Is the flue exit the stove the same size as the flue or is there an adapter fitted. You can go from small to bigger but not the other way round I believe.v
A flue damper may need to be installed. Not a big job.
I bought the stove last year and was installed around March / April 2015 and then not really used until November. As it's new and not done much work, I'd assume that ropes / seals are all in good condition still. As I said earlier, it's not an expensive model by any means so may not be as well put together as a more expensive brand so will take a look and see if they can be improved on. WHen the door is closed, it feels like a tight fit, but if the room is quiet, even with all the vents switched off you can really hear it drawing.A cowel on the chimney perhaps to limit the pull. But I would recommend getting in an expert for that advice.
Is the flue exit the stove the same size as the flue or is there an adapter fitted. You can go from small to bigger but not the other way round I believe.v
A flue damper may need to be installed. Not a big job.
Thank for all the replies. It certainly seems like there's too much air in there. The stove uses a 6" liner which goes on to the Pipe / collar which is of the same size, so there's no adaptors inline at all.
There is also a cowell fitted on the chimney so again would restrict air a little bit.
When the fire is well stacked and has the dampers all closed off, it burns so hot that the paint on the mantelpiece starts to smell really bad! If you have a smaller fire with a single log, it doesn't really kick out much heat so wondering if it needs a flue damper (thanks for the suggestion, done some reading!) as a small fire doesn't really register any heat in the room.
From the behaviour of the stove and the comments here, I think I can conclude what I sort of suspected in that even when the fire is closed right down it STILL has too much air in there. I read a few things on Flue Dampers and as I can really hear the fire drawing when closed down, I think there's too much updraft so will investigate this option further.
Thank you all!
There is also a cowell fitted on the chimney so again would restrict air a little bit.
When the fire is well stacked and has the dampers all closed off, it burns so hot that the paint on the mantelpiece starts to smell really bad! If you have a smaller fire with a single log, it doesn't really kick out much heat so wondering if it needs a flue damper (thanks for the suggestion, done some reading!) as a small fire doesn't really register any heat in the room.
From the behaviour of the stove and the comments here, I think I can conclude what I sort of suspected in that even when the fire is closed right down it STILL has too much air in there. I read a few things on Flue Dampers and as I can really hear the fire drawing when closed down, I think there's too much updraft so will investigate this option further.
Thank you all!
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