A New Way To Light Your Wood Burner

[@philipatkinson7039]

I had a lump in my throat watching this, not because of the stove but the staffy sat in front of the stove in the background because my old staffy used to do that in front of my old parkray fire years ago and she was the double of your dog. Thanks for the tip and give your dog a treat from me.

[@callybarlow4576]

I see the dog in the background has found the best place! I have lit my woodburner like this for ages!

[@ruadhagainagaidheal9398]

I bought a house in the summer that has a modern multi fuel burner. The previous owner apologised for the fact that it smokes badly. The first time of lighting, I used your ‘Top down ‘ method. No smoke in the room at all and 9 fire started very quickly. Good as gold - many thanks.

[@ateleskier7066]

I'm always impressed by someone who's willing to admit they have learned a better way of doing things. I live in northern Scotland, and it gets cold here. My smaller stove has a straight-up chimney and, in the frost, is basically a rod of cold heavy air; that's what sinks down and pushes the smoke into the room. The old-school method I use is a few sheets of _dry_ (60 seconds in the microwave) newspaper rolled up and poked through the baffle plate gap into the base of the chimney pipe. I light that and let the heat push the column of cold air out. I only need to do this when it's really chilly, -5C and below; the rest of the time it's fine. Top-down lighting really does work though, including for outdoor camping fires. Basically, the Scandinavians know all there is to know about burning wood so there's always more to learn from them. P.S. If you split your own wood and want a good maul, the Gransfors Bruks version is truly phenomenal. You'll never want to own anything else once you've had one of those. Happy burning - stay toasty!

[@stevepatch1809]

Just used this method this morning 10 degrees F and not one puff of smoke in the house

[@ianmackay6586]

I have always burned top down since moving to Austria six years ago. My fire lighter is on top of the kindling and it all burns top down, it’s counter intuitive, when I was in the UK was firlighter,kindling,logs. But it really works and the flue gets warmed very quickly! Clear video, good news the word is spreading!

[@JackAcid]

Great tips!! Thank you. Stopped the smoke in my living room. Let's hear it for the Scandinavian method!

[@aubreystyles2466]

Tried this over the Christmas in our stove down the country and it worked really well. Usually when the stove hasn't been lit for a few weeks it takes a long time to get going and smokes out the room. Great tip - thanks

[@stephenpennell9214]

I have been using this method for the last 4 years. It really does work. A hot fire very quickly. Thank you for sharing!!

[@motorbikemumblings]

Christmas day today, first light for ages and the easiest and light ever, zero smoke and massive flames almost form the go. Brilliant thank you.

[@larrykoz4009]

I tried it this morning and it worked just as you demonstrated. I have been struggling to get a good fire going till I watched your video. I think building the kindling cabin high is the key. Thank you!!

[@CS5663-z5q]

Thank you , love this new idea , I have had stoves most of my life this is absolutely the best way , just lit my stove the way you recommended and it was incredibly simple and effective. Just goes to show one is never too old to learn, today I am officially a pensioner and today has been a school day, thank you . Brilliant so impressed.🙂

[@petelock5266]

After read the instructions for our insert wood burner I've always set the fire this way. Never fails!

[@frankcouper9377]

That's the method I was shown by my stove installer back in 2014. If its cold outside, scrunch up a ball of newspaper and light it. A quick burst of heat will shift any cold air in the flue. This should be the first thing you do before attempting to light kindling etc.

[@nostep2262]

Tried your Scandinavian new way the other night half way up/down the the Troodos Mountain range on the island of Cyprus where I’ve lived and worked for the last twenty two years, despite rumours to the contrary Cyprus does have a winter it’s short sharp and can be absolutely freezing. The stove an old British Army stove built in the 1930’s presumably in a Tank factory with all sorts of adjustable baffles and additional air intakes has never fired up so quickly or efficiently despite me installing a new stainless steel double skin flue and keeping the flue almost entirely inside the building when I rebuilt the old house, the old single skin galvanised flue that I took out had scorched the roof beams! Plenty of wood around but it’s mostly pine so together with a neighbour we buy a container load of dried Central European Oak each year which for the first time has burnt really well. My neighbours tried your new Scandinavian way and has had a very good result as well. Thanks Pete from us both. and Regards to Fleet, I knew it well a long time ago.

[@gazwild1]

Just tried this new method for first time. Works incredibly well. Will be using this method in future now. See if I ever get a smoky lounge ever again!

[@MichaelThomson-lx4gu]

Fabulous. I’ve spent ages trying to figure out a way to light a fire. This is the way I’ll do it from now on. Worked first time. Warm as Toast within twenty minutes. Thanks

[@jameskrug9938]

I use "top down" AND "bottom up" simultaneously to start my home-made wood burner. I ignite the top only, to allow the chimney to heat up and as the embers fall through the stack of kindling then the bottom ignites. This method gives me a completely smoke free fire very quickly, with the door closed. Of course the fire starter stack, I call it, is surrounded by large dry logs that will burn for at least 90 minutes or more before adding more fuel.

[@cory5510]

Works good thanks. If your wood is dry enough you could use far less kindling. What also helps is adding some airflow underneath the wood on the bottom by propping up some or all of the base layer wood with some kindling or a fire brick or whatever.

[@Rabauke2.0]

Nice mate. My chimney sweeper showed me the exact same method and since then, I am only lighting my fires that way. It works very well.

[@jamesetal7088]

That bit of advice at the end about the cold plug of air was amazing! Thanks,

[@dan46fish]

This method is awesome! I have been struggling with a new EPA rated stove for about a week and one fire start with this method and I am sold! Works great!

[@bizzybee38]

Thank you so much. I was looking for a way to reduce smoke when trying to start a fire and this did the trick. My stove is soooo much older than the one in the video, but it still worked. So glad I came across this video

[@JB12132]

Thanks for posting this and one of the others you did. Game changers. Owned a wood burner for just a few months now and this has changed and tuned my approach. Last night the stove was running like a peach. Your video thought of everything and has totally upped things this end for me. Thank you.

[@petehillier9848]

Thank you for your comments Jonathan

[@trickystank]

Hi buddy. I have a bbq hut and tried this today. Game changer! Ive shared with two communities. Thank you! 👍

[@darcylemieuxponies]

Just bought a new house with a log burner and this is a great tip as will be our first time using one - thanks for the video

[@TheBroz]

Same reason I’m here :)

[@Michael-xz1nk]

Been doing this for years. Keeping the door ajar works great!!

[@MrEurominx]

Thanks for this. Gonna try it in my first log burner in a few weeks time.

[@terrycousins3015]

Been using this method in my Clearview stove for many years now,never fails .

[@ReferenceFidelityComponents]

Great tip, thank you. I've always just used news paper and plenty of kindling to start off with but will give this a go.

[@neillong1274]

Never to old to learn!!! Brilliant thanks a lot!!!

[@mildredhighcock7333]

in that case you won't mind learning the difference between to and too!!

[@a2zpaul766]

Great video. Very clearly explained method.

[@robertwaltz1040]

Thank you Pete, as newbies to log burner stoves we will certainly follw your advice.

[@dkerlee]

I've heard of top down before, but this is a good demo. I'll give it a spin!

[@JamesLoudon]

Thats a great demo, well explained. Going to try that tonight, thanks.

[@MrSydoo]

Just tried this and it worked a treat 👍 exactly as described. The fan was working in less than 4 minutes and 15 minutes later I have beautiful glowing embers! Thank you!

[@willshaughnessy8515]

From the Rocky Mountains here at 8k ft.. thanks for the in depth info.. We have 2 Stoves.. I use only the main in the open living area.. I see your Cat loves the fire.. cheers

[@julies2276]

Thanks so much Pete! We had a new log burner 2 yrs ago, and hated the cost and hassle for a stove which lit properly only about 50%of the time. We had been smoked out the room several times, and the installer came back and ‘showed’ us, how embarrassing and still didn’t help (of course it worked the day they were here but not after!). But they didn’t show us this method! We are now lighting no problems! No smoke and much quicker heat. We also open a window and the room door to crate a draught at the start, we think it helps on a still day.

[@SeanByrne-vo1kf]

Top tip thank you, often had a room full of smoke, this has helped a lot.

[@arifrafique1439]

Thanks for a great vid. Im new to this, i tried this step by step. The issue i had was the two logs on the grate did not catch fire properly and fizzled out. The logs were dry. Il keep trying 👍

[@briantraskowskie5396]

Tried this new method. Works a treat. Thank you...

[@ayladakora]

Wish our wood and kindling was all neat and perfect cut like that. We use hand chopped wood and the sticks for kindling.

[@OldSchoolDad]

I've been doing this for 15 years. It works great. I do it with camp fires too. Smoke is unburned fuel that results from trying to burn too much fuel with too little heat. This method lets the fire burn down into the wood at the right rate, and only burns what the fire can consume. I do use brown paper grocery bags to make paper knots, which I placed on top of the kindling and light with a single match. I never get smoke in the house doing this.

[@ForViewingOnly]

Thank you for your videos, they've really helped with a problem we had with the smoke coming back into the room on cold, damp, still days. Good to see that 4 years on from the original video, the same dog still has its place by the fire in the background :)

[@APCD-lw7xc]

I watched for his/her reappearance too! beautiful grey muzzle now :)

[@KenHarrington32]

Hello Pete, great tip there for a new way of lighting the fire. Question? I have the same stove as demonstrated there and would like to ask "What size rope do I need to replace the door seal please"?.....................Great video bye the way.

[@guysubmarinerguy9387]

This is great- but the best bit is the cute dog getting comfy in front of the stove in the background 😂👍🏻

[@borjastick]

I'll try this tomorrow morning. I might get a different result because I have a horizontal rear flue which then goes outside and up the outside of the house in an Inox chimney, this means it is very cold for most of the chimney tube. Worth a try though.

[@jacquesblaque7728]

Been lighting off top-down for decades in my Morso stoves. Cold objects above the nascent fire serve to quench (stop) the flames, generating serious pollution for those downwind. Infrared radiation rapidly propagates the fire down into the rest of the startup batch. Of course, it's good that such batch be of very low MC (moisture content), something you check with a meter. That process helps to rapidly heat up the flue, minimizing accumulation of poo that can feed your next chimney fire. Stay safe and warm.

[@johngreen8693]

Thanks Pete, these are really useful and informed videos.

[@andrewwyborn2263]

Just tried and O M G the heat is incredible and it's the hottest it's ever been. Also due to no smoke it appears that we won't have to keep cleaning the glass which we have had to do in the past.

[@richardupton9400]

I’ve been top down burning for years, I found that it uses less wood / burns longer, One good load can keep the fire going all evening and heat 10 radiators by using this method.

[@danholtbk7008]

I live in Minnesota and when it’s -20 in the shade (lol) I use a blow torch to heat up the flue before I light the fire. Never have a problem with smoke.

[@stevengrice3105]

Always glad to see different ways to start off the fire. I be trying this way the next time I start up the stove.

[@andrewbazeley6057]

It’s important to use dry logs and kindling too. The “smoke” that was referenced in the video is mostly water vapour and CO2, both of which are used to extinguish fires. Less moisture in the fuel = less water vapour and CO2 = efficient burn.

[@assifkhan3803]

i am impressed. pete your a proffesor of log fires ..i know your are good .i can tell your are a professional.if your werent youd being sounding like rod stewart.the rusty version

[@altomar718]

What a superb video ! - Thanks for taking the time to upload it .... we had a woodburner for some years, and sometimes would have to open all the doors and windows to le the smoke !! - We have now moved and are just having another fitted and will be using this method in the new one

[@rogersmith5167]

Threw out a badly installed multi fuel (lucky to be alive) and replaced it with a wood burner I followed your method to the letter and the glass never blacks just a slight brown band along the bottom of the glass about 3/4 inch due to the airwash being deflected by the grate after 45mins almost shut the primary vent and the stove is glowing hot, it is a 6kw Invicta Samara, I am living in France at the moment, my sitting room 5 x 7 meters is like an oven.I just hesitate a second when I open the door place a log and the draw keeps all smoke and dust going up the flu good advice. People do say you don't light a wood burner like that,I just say try it, it never fails

[@markm8188]

An alternative method for a box wider than deep: 1. Shovel out ashes if more than an inch in the bottom, 2. Place two short kindling, 90deg to the opening, about 4-6" apart, 3. Place two main logs on top, 90deg to kindling, 3. Place choice of firestarter between those logs, but not falling thru, 4. Place 2 larger pcs kindling on top, slightly angled to main logs. 5. Close door but leave open a crack, 6. Light match and check draft. If okay, open door and put match to firestarter.

[@Chester12345]

Wow. Last night I couldn’t get my stove going. Just tried with the same wood this morning and I’ve got a nice fire going. Gosh!

[@grahamkutner-simon8272]

Very helpful video which got me started when we bought our stove. Can you tell me: What stove fan is featured in the video? Ours is pretty noisy

[@clivesquire6463]

great idea thanks for this tip can i apply the same method for starting my stove with coal we have a woodburner at home and a stove on our narrowboat just wondered about coal top down cheers

[@davidradtke5166]

I'm a German stove builder. I'd lay the logs with the bark away of the fire, because the bark is the natural protection from fire for trees. As igniter I use only woodwool drenched in wax and small dry conifer wood pieces. Ignite the wool on the logs and then put the small wood pieces on the igniter. Full airflow and ajar stove door until it burns well.

[@franks551]

Thank you for the help from Visalia CA.

[@michaellutherdavies]

I have been doing the same for years but I use a bed of kindling then add the logs then the kindling on top The bed of kindling creates air flow under the logs. Try it out.

[@Alexi7666]

I stuff a couple crumpled up sheets of newspaper up the base of the flue/top of the woodstove and light them to warm up the flue/chimney. On very cold days, the initial blast of hot air starts to upward flow of smoke.

[@chris-non-voter]

For folks who want a stove occasionally for evenings and weekends, burn times, number of logs average size would be really useful ie how much would (roughly) you need for an evening - say 6pm to 11pm. Or 12 noon to 11pm. I accept there are variables and uncertainties involved here but someone who uses stoves a lot should have a good idea and that would be really useful.

[@realtorladyjune]

3:00 😊

[@realtorladyjune]

New user

[@GraceEagle5]

Worked great - my fire was smoke free and started fast!

[@richardtod1661]

Thank you for a very interesting video. Interested in your thoughts on 'Stove Fans' ? Are they really good on circulting warm air around and through an enclosure ? Stating once again with a wood burning stove and wonder if the use of a flue-pipe thermometer can aid in getting timing(i.e. Temperature of flue) right before closing down Primary/Secondary air controls ? Any experience of Cat Stoves worth passing on ?

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

The fan is spinning so quickly, it's impressive. Makes me wonder and think it must be effective, a little at least?

[@Massivehero1]

They are efficient for blowing hot air into the room and certainly heat the room faster. Good for starting but if you have any sort of stone or wood lintel above the burner it stops them absorbing as much heat and negates the radiator effect they have for hours after the fire has gone out. Hope this helps!

[@nazi2221]

Hi, thank you for the video, we’ve just moved into a house with log burner which I’ve never used before. Should I wait till it gets to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then start to close the vent and should I close the primary air vent completely or leave it half open and then leave the air wash fully open.

[@johnschuster9192]

Before starting the fire I cut my kindling finer down to 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticks 16 inches long.Then I fire up my Bernz a matic torch and light it.Im lazy and don't want to wait 30 min. to get a fire going.I am still using the same small bottle of fuel from 2 years ago..Fire starters are expensive. One other way to get a jump on the lighting is to take a sharp knife ,then cut in at slight angles towards the ends.Make about 6 cuts shaving thin slivers on one or both ends and it makes great torches for starting fires.It doesn't cost anything but time.Dad used to do it while watching tv in the evenings,shaving an arm load of little torches..Dry pine,fir and cedar work best. PS I also lay in two small chunks of wood down just like in the video ,kindling,and when it lights off I lay in up to 3 small chunks of wood that are as big around as a 50 cent piece..Woo hoo look out, fire at its finest...

[@stevedowber7105]

Great technique! Will definitely be trying this. Thanks for the good video, will subscribe.

[@petehillier9848]

Thank you steve and good luck

[@robking4437]

will give this a go tomorrow (we used to live in ch.crookham and have been to you many times ,now live in central france)...oh what fun we used to have with our smoke filled room...till our neighbour told us the reason ....a really hot fire to push the cold air up our chimney(-11 to -20 outside )we use broken up wooden veggie/fruit boxes and then oak..works a treat...though 1/2 an hour of full heat ...your stovax temp gauge was already at 250C...would you not be getting into the too hot area?

[@albanysmitty]

This is great, can't wait to try it. Thank you!

[@davec.3198]

I use newspapers and no kindling. Just smaller dry logs. Works well.

[@kristinasmith7102]

Hi EcoFires. I’ve just come across your page for the first time! I’m a neighbour in Basingstoke! I recently moved into a house with a log burner… I’m so nervous and apprehensive starting up my first fire. Will it smell my house out of fire? Will the smell linger. Quick Tips on what to use and must have’s for starting a fire? Thank you! 😊

[@kristinasmith7102]

It’s been serviced and chimney swept and ready to use… I’ve got children in the house who suffer with asthma, will this affect them?

[@jwdeakin]

Just tried this today. Works a great 👍

[@f58677]

Hi Pete, just wondering if you can give us some advice on how to keep our wood from burning too quickly. We have a stovac stove and feel like it burns through wood too quickly

[@maninavan.2043]

Hi, great vblog. Can you recommend a smokeless coal, as I am I a converted transit van and have a small log burner.

[@Tokumei9]

Regarding the draw at the bottom that allows air to pull in. Ideally, how long would you leave that open?

[@bobnelson2623]

Thank you . I Will follow your advice in future.

[@thebikerepairshopformby]

Very interesting, thanks for posting 👍

[@patrickdaly2121]

Great tip. All makes logic sense. Thanks.

[@kwsbike]

when starting a stove from "cold iron" I use newspaper to get the cold air out of the outlet pipe, with the door cracked open and the window open to max the airflow into the stove. After the fire gets going, close the window and then when the stove is going well, shut the stove's door.

[@darreldugan1917]

I just strike a match and break wind gets them burning like a charm everytime! Eternal blue flame 🔥

[@PushOnRecordings]

Great tip. Looking forward to trying it.

[@lesleyrigby5648]

This the second of your videos I’ve watched, just one question with this new way of lighting do we retain the ash bed as previously indicated ? Thanks

[@redstone5149]

Great info. Thanks for sharing.👍

[@samc12345]

Can you tell me about that fan? I'm assuming the up draft through the chimney drives it. Does it blow warm air into the room? Great video, I'm only down the road in Farnborough 👍

[@aaronlaw718]

I have a fan similar to that one shown in the video. The one I have is made by Ecofan in Canada. They generate electricity from the heat of the stove, which in turn drives the fan to circulate the heat. It works very well and is nearly silent. I see they have a UK website so presumably you can buy them there.

[@ronigordon2042]

Hadn't seen that before - we'll give it a try in our new stove

[@englishlion100]

I use the fluff from the filter from my dryer. It’s a fantastic fire starter free too

[@josevelasco3245]

Top down is the best but I also put newspaper within the kindling layer. Fire up top works it’s way down and kills any smoke, which is what you want to avoid.

[@kenny4141]

Thank you Pete! We've just bought a house with a log burner and weren't having much success, this method works brilliantly and is, apparently, idiot proof! P.s. a really good way of presenting, learning a lot without feeling patronised.

[@romanduncan6230]

i dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I stupidly lost my account password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me.

[@noeltrace3899]

@Roman Duncan instablaster :)

[@stephensmith799]

I use top down lighting on my coal fired 7 1/4” gauge steam locomotive. In my case coal in first kindling on top with finest kindling last on top. I get to full working boiler pressure in 50 minutes, more quickly than the alternative (old way) of doing it, but with much less smoke (smoke indicating wasted chemical energy). I’ll be modifying the ashpan to cope with more ash and then go to wood burning only. It’s quite a big loco (based on a narrow gauge prototype), capable of hauling about fifteen passengers… but maybe I’m digressing!

[@edbarrow9655]

Hi Pete, I have a Morsø 4043. When you say you need a good bed of ash to keep the heat in, I try this but a lot of the ash seems to drop through the grate into the tray. Is there a way to get around this? Cheers

[@TheOnlyleroy]

Good job Pete cheers

[@joshuabensusan2580]

Hi there, I have an eco Hobbit Log Burner, and I'm struggling to generate a lot of heat out of it. What would you suggest in terms of vents, should i keep them open or closed and at what points!?

[@vicpugh3685]

Hi, can you use this method with sawdust eco logs or just regular logs?

[@obi-wan-cod-obi6692]

How long do you typically keep the door slightly open before shutting

[@dgbucko]

It doesn't matter which way up you do it. Air is the key and the lattice creates the air. My stove lights first match with a bit of paper and card, no kindling, and smaller pieces at the bottom supporting the large log(s) at the top. Door shut in one minute, primary air off in three minutes. Every time. Lattice and air.

[@alanjenkinson7812]

I’d only heard of lightning a burner this was the other day and it worked well when i tried it. My main problem is keeping the fire going, i always get in a muddle with the two vents 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

I'm a novice but I think the idea is warm air rises, and a fire needs fresh air/oxygen to burn well. So the warm air is the Top Down. And fresh air is coming from the bottom vent and the door being left open a small tiny bit just for air. I think that makes an Air Flow. Fresh air comes in the bottom of the fire and rises, gets warmer as it burns, and rises out of the chimney. The constant flow of warm during air up the chimney creates suction, that sucks in fresh air through the bottom vent.

[@davidbate3453]

Hi , I use a layer of newspaper half a fire lighter a little bit of kindling and then I fully load the woodburner with logs and it takes less than a minute for the fire to be raging