The Best Way to Light a Wood Burning Stove

For over 40 years I have used a wood burning stove for heating my home. I have tried many methods to start the fire quickly. Returning home from a weekend away to a cold home has taught me a few lessons, especially how to start a fire, and have the stove up to heating temperature in less than 30 minutes is invaluable.

From my experience, the best way to light a wood burning stove follows. Using a small propane torch, ignite very dry kindling wood, on top of existing coals. This will quickly start a fire in a wood burning stove.

There are several factors that must be observed when starting a fire in a home. Not filling your home with smoke is pretty important! Not burning the house down is right up there also. I have included some information and tip to keep from doing either of these.

Camping

My dad took our family camping on almost every summer vacation I can remember growing up. He always said, “If you don’t start the fire with one match and no paper, you don’t know how to start a fire correctly!” We would cook supper on the campfire every night! Now I wanted to eat, so I learned to start the fire quickly and efficiently with no paper and one match.

This was outdoors, and a little smoke was always normal in a campground. There is going to be some smoke when lighting a wood burner also, but we want it to go up the chimney and out of the house. How can this be efficiently accomplished?

  1. Never use paper or cardboard to start a fire in a wood burner or fireplace! The flash of fire from the paper burn off can and does cause chimney fires. The burning ashes that are carried up the chimney can also escape the chimney cap and catch other things on fire (roof, trees, mulch, none of it good).
  2. Always make sure the damper is open if you have one. Some stoves have a damper (which we will discuss later), and a fireplace always has one. Open it fully to light the stove.
  3. Before lighting the stove send some heat up the direction of the chimney. Point the torch in the direction of the chimney just to start the heat going up and out. The heat wants to rise naturally, just start the process. Do not let the flames start any creosote buildup burning on the walls of the stove.
  4. Light the kindling! We will discuss this more in a moment.

Types of Wood Burning Stoves

If you are not starting a fireplace, you are probably starting a wood burning stove of some kind. There are two types of wood burning stoves manufactured in the United States since the EPA has started regulating stoves, catalytic and non-catalytic.

There is a slight difference in the way a catalytic stove must be started. The reason will be clear as I describe the differences between them.

Catalytic

Catalytic wood burning stoves are one method the manufacturers have developed to reduce the amount of PM (Particulate Matter) that a stove exhausts into the atmosphere. The EPA regulates this amount and has continually reduced the output (similar to car emissions) since 1988.

In a catalytic stove, the smoke from the fire must pass through a device similar to a catalytic converter on a car. The PM is re-burned in this device, and the amount of PM’s is reduced in this process. Unfortunately, the catalytic device does not work until the stove reaches a prescribed temperature.

For a catalytic stove to work properly, it must have a by-pass for the catalytic device. When opened, the smoke will by-pass the catalytic device and go directly out the chimney.

This device, internal on the stove, is, in essence, a damper. It must be opened to light the fire and bring the stove to the desired temperature. Then the by-pass damper must be closed, sending the smoke through the catalytic device.

Non-Catalytic

A non-catalytic stove obviously does not have a catalytic device and consequently does not have a by-pass damper. So you would not have to open a damper (unless the chimney pipe has a damper) and remember to close it when the fire reaches a set temperature.

A non-catalytic stove does have a secondary air source that must be introduced to the smoke as it re-burns above a baffle in the top of the stove. The air in this section of the stove must be hot enough for this secondary combustion of the gas to take place.

This air vent can be left open but does draw warm air out of the home if left open all the time. It is more efficient (a favorite term of mine) to leave it closed until the stove reaches the desired temperature. This is similar to operating the by-pass on a catalytic stove but only controls air flow.

There is a new temperature sensor that can make this process easier and more efficient. The new TempSure temperature sensor will send accurate temperature readings to your smartphone (or computer), so you can know when to open and close dampers and air flow.

Leave Some Coals

When cleaning my stove, I always leave some coals in the bottom of the firebox. The fine ashes are removed, but there is always a pile of coals remaining. This is the base for the next fire. Even in the spring, when I finish burning, some coals are left in the stove for a quick lighting procedure in the fall.

Kindling

Small dry kindling wood is the next step to a fast lighting procedure. If you are cutting and splitting your own wood, there are always small pieces left by the log splitter or ax and wood pile. Do not discard this wood or burn it in a campfire. Save these pieces and store them in a dry location for fire starting.

If you purchase your wood, cut and split, you may need to purchase a supply of dry hardwood for starting. Some suggestions for dry kindling will be to inquire at a lumber supply if they have cut offs they are discarding. I have picked up kindling from pallet factories that discard cut-offs and lumber mills that shave the bark (and generally some wood that is ideal for kindling).

Be aware of the type of wood you get from a lumber supply company or another source. You do not want to burn pine in most stoves as the sap from pine, and most other softwoods will cause creosote build-up in the stove and chimney. Also, treated lumber (especially new lumber) burns off a gas that is not good to breath and is also harmful to catalytic devices in wood burning stoves.

Packaged fire logs for sale that are typically meant for a fireplace can cause issues for wood burning stoves. The chemicals that bond the fireplace loges together are not meant to be burnt in a wood burning stove, especially if it has a catalytic device.

Campers have developed some great homebrew fire starters for campfires. These also are not meant to be burnt in a wood burning stove as the chemicals are not designed for catalytic devices and chimneys.

Propane Torches

The primary item mentioned in the answer at the beginning of the article was a propane torch. Why a torch and not all the other items listed so far:

  • The right torch can be lit with the click of a button.
  • A fire needs three things to burn:
    • Fuel (kindling wood)
    • Air (the wood stove doors are open)
    • And Heat
  • A propane torch will reach 1800 degrees F in a few seconds. This is the fast heat for quick fire starting.
  • You can aim the torch at the cold spots in the wood and make them hot.
  • A propane torch can be turned off in a matter of seconds.

A propane torch would be cheating to my dad. I can accept that when I need a fire in my home and it is 10 degrees F outside. I (and more importantly – my wife) would prefer my house to be 72 degrees in the next hour or two. It could be accomplished with one match and no paper. I choose the faster method.

Additional Questions

Is it safe to clean my wood burning stove with hot coals still in the firebox? The answer is yes; there is a safe method to clean a wood burning stove with hot coals still in the firebox. The correct tools are required to do this safely.

How often should a chimney be cleaned when burning wood? A chimney should be inspected (by the owner) at least every month during the burning season and cleaned as required. If you are not able or comfortable inspecting a chimney yourself, a professional chimney cleaner should be consulted for this.