If you have a wood stove, you likely enjoy cozy, efficient heat whenever you like. Wood stoves are fairly simple to use and are comprised of a basic system that allows for the burning of wood. Understanding the parts of your wood stove will help you to keep it in good working order. It will also ensure your safety during the use of your stove.
Important Considerations for Safety
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Never operate a wood stove if you do not know what you are doing. It's imperative that you read the user manual before getting started with your wood stove.
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In addition, keep children and pets away from your wood stove. If they must be nearby, instruct children about fire and burn hazards. Wear fireproof gloves and use proper tools when loading wood or stoking the fire. Never leave a wood stove unattended.
Parts of a Wood Stove
The parts of a wood heater or stove are likely to be outlined in your owner's manual. Since wood stove design varies slightly by manufacturer, it is best to start there for a primer on your appliances.
The first part of the stove you're likely to encounter is the door into the wood-holding chamber, also called a firebox. Most such doors are on hinges and have handles for easy opening. You'll need to be sure that the doors are closed at all times during use. In addition, perform regular maintenance to ensure the gasket surrounding the door is intact, as this impacts the heat available from the stove.
The handles on the door are likely heat-proof, but you should still proceed with caution when opening and closing doors to stoke the fire or add wood. In most cases, these handles are shaped like a corkscrew, which prevents additional heat absorption.
Other Wood Stove Parts
The chamber just inside the wood stove doors will hold the wood and the fire. This chamber is then connected to the exhaust pipes on your stove. Smoke should leave the chamber and go through the pipes, then be channeled outside. It's important to maintain the pipes and verify they are not leaching smoke into your home.
A blower fan will help to move smoke from within the wood burning chamber to the pipes. If your unit has one, it will require electricity since the fan must be powered on to work. You'll need to perform regular maintenance on the stove and inspect the fan and its cord to be sure it is in good working order.
Your stove may or may not have a damper built into its pipe. Our Service Company explains that a damper is a mechanical device in the pipes or chimney that works to regulate airflow. Your damper can be opened to help stoke the flames of your fire. Once you're able to get the fire going, you should close the damper.
Parts for Ash Regulation
Chimneys states the ash regulation process is explained in detail. Wood stoves generate a lot of waste in the form of ash. Some stoves have a repository located under the firebox to collect this ash. If your stove has such a collection area, you should clean it regularly to cut down on the risk of house fires.
Some stoves also have an air wash function that keeps the glass doors of the wood stove clean of ash and other residues. This works by forcing combustion air via a small opening along the back of the glass to reduce condensation and keep the door clean.