When you go to bed you want to ensure your fire goes out consistently and over a period of time. Don't shut off the air vents completely but close them right down as this will limit the amount of air that gets into the chamber so the fire will slowly die out.
You shall allow the wood burning to end properly
Let the air vent be open until all the fuel is completely burnt. If there are bits of charcoal left, you can keep these for the next fire. But do remove the ashes. When the stove is not in operation, close the air vents to avoid heat loss through the chimney.
Airflow is a critical factor in controlling how long your wood stove burns. Once the fire is established, close the damper partially to reduce the oxygen supply. This slows down the burn rate while maintaining enough airflow to keep the fire alive.
With the door closed, your stove is up to 60% more efficient than if you have the door open. That means more heat in the room and less expense for you.
To get the most heat out of a wood stove, ensure proper airflow by keeping the air vents open as needed, use seasoned hardwood for burning, maintain a clean stove, and utilize a stove fan to distribute heat. Proper installation and regular maintenance are also key to maximizing efficiency.
Using the air control valves on your stove
Most wood burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves have a bottom air vent and a top air vent. Wood burns best with a good bed of ash laid down in the bottom of the stove and an air supply from the top. When lighting your stove, open both air vents fully.
What you may not already know is your stove has a damper whose job it is to control the amount of air you're letting in to feed the fire. Depending on how far open or shut you have the damper, your fire will be smaller and cooler (and burn for longer), or larger and hotter (and burn more quickly).
Using a fan to circulate heat
It's one of those immutable laws of the universe, but that doesn't mean you can't move it around. A fan sits on top of your wood burning stove and the heat from your stove will cause the fan to spin (no need to plug anything in!) and subsequently move the heat around the room.
Using your stove correctly
The primary air control is used for solid fuel as solid fuel requires air from underneath the grate to burn effectively, this is achieved with the grate in the open position ( if you have a mechanical grate) so the air can pass through to the fuel.
The handle to open and close the damper should be above the fireplace opening. To open it, slide it to the right. To create fires that produce more heat, open the damper as wide as possible when lighting a fire. A wide-open damper will increase the amount of air reaching the fire and improve combustion.
The damper and flue are two different parts, but they are related and involved in the same function. The flue is the inside tunnel of your chimney that brings gases from your fireplace out of your home, while the damper closes or opens the access to the flue.
Make sure your log burner has an adequate source of fresh air, such as an air vent. Some log burners come with an integrated external air connection, feeding them air for combustion directly from outside your property. Also, check the air control settings on your stove to ensure they are not restricting the airflow.
Lean in under your chimney just outside of your wood burning stove. You should find a metal device just within the chimney or flue opening. The damper is open if you can see through the damper up to your chimney. If you only see a metal plate, the damper is in a closed position.
Overloading your stove with wood provides an excess of fuel, creating a runaway burn that becomes uncontrollably hot whilst also potentially blocking the tertiary air vents and preventing the secondary burn of gases. Too much airflow feeds your fire too much oxygen, causing it to burn excessively.
Keep your flue ways clean and clear
A dirty stove and flue will not burn as efficiently as a clean one. Make sure you clean your wood-burning stove regularly, including the flue. A build-up of soot will reduce air flow which will can reduce the heat output of your stove and also increase the risk of a fire.
Conclusion: To maximise the efficiency and performance of your stove, it is crucial to keep the doors closed during operation. The controlled airflow and heat retention provided by closed doors ensure that your stove operates as intended.
Even if you are using kiln dried logs which can burn for a few hours, the high level of air getting into the fire will cause it to burn through in no time. Once your fire catches and the kindling is burning, you can reduce the air flow into your wood burner by closing the vents slightly.
A fire will burn too quickly if there is an excessive air supply. If you find that this is the case please check that the door is closed properly, and that all vents and seals on the stove. Door seals on stoves do need to be replaced on stoves due to wear.
By not creating an airtight seal, these dampers minimize the strain on the system. In summer, you can close the dampers downstairs so cooler air reaches upstairs rooms. But in winter, closing upstairs vents halfway allows heat to rise.
Light the firelighters open the air vent to maximum (to the right) and close the door to the first latch so there is an air gap around it. Leave it like this for at least 20 minutes and then add a further 1 logs.
Control the Air Flows
This plays an important part in how to maximise heat from a log burner. You'll need to keep the primary air vent open to get the fire going. Once the fire is burning nicely, you can slowly close the primary air vent and use the secondary air vent to control the air flow.
If placed inside a proper enclosure within the envelope of the home, venting systems for wood-burning units can be routed through the ceiling. Another way to do this is to use a purpose-built chimney envelope or chase secured to the exterior of the home.