12 steps for lighting your wood burning stove

Well, the nights are certainly cooler now and we lit our wood burner for the first time in six months. So, here are 12 steps to help you with lighting your stove.

1. Only use firewood that has been stored in an airy place under a roof during the summer.

2. Place two slightly larger logs at the bottom and three layers of finely chopped wood across on top.

3. Place the firelighter in the middle of the kindling.

4. Light and leave the door slightly ajar until the smaller pieces of wood are burning well.

5. Leave for 15 minutes.

6. Once the fire has got going nicely, close the door (It might not burn so intensely when the door is shut).

7. When you have a fire in your stove, the chimney acts like an engine. When the chimney is hot enough, there will be a constant flow of air through the stove.

8. The draft in the chimney depends on the type of chimney. A steel chimney heats up faster than a masonry chimney.

9. When the flames have died down, it is time to add two normal-sized logs.

10. Open the door carefully and slowly to allow the pressure inside the stove to equalise before opening the door fully.

11. Place the logs crosswise on top of each other so there is space between them for air circulation.

12. Reduce the air supply to about half once the logs are burning.

Now, you can sit back and enjoy the warmth of your stove...