Thumbs up if you want this guy to read you a bedtime story! 🤣👍🏻
@JustMrMak4 жыл бұрын
That's what I said LOL!
@janishani13 жыл бұрын
😄😄😄 About you finding matching comments to yours after reading the comment section.
@growlkitty Жыл бұрын
LOL He should do children's audio books for extra 💰?!
@philipcooper82975 жыл бұрын
One thing for the beginners, if you just got to your cabin and it's cold outside, before you start fire with wood, have a newspaper burning in the fireplace. If you don't do that, you'll have cold air in the chimney which will act like a lid and you'll get a lot of smoke inside your cabin.
@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe87833 жыл бұрын
Why is the paper burning, different from wood burning? Ty
@TandokuMotoVlogs3 жыл бұрын
@@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe8783 cause paper light's up instantly but wood doesn't also hot air going act's like a pathway for the rest of the air
@stephenkollath95362 жыл бұрын
The way I read it was: prime the flue with the paper. It has helped me so much with mine. Now I'm having a static issue.
@nova31337 Жыл бұрын
The way I understand it. The goal is to start with one small log and some kindling for the first 20-30 minutes to things acclimated then add more wood. Would that approach be similar to what you suggest?
@capt.stubing56043 жыл бұрын
After 20 years in the Woodstoves and fireplaces business I compliment your video. Just one suggestion, try reversing the ceiling fan to draw the cold air up to mix with the warmer air. This will also do a better job of bringing cold air from other rooms along the floor. It’s path there is less obstructed. This will give you a more even temperature throughout the home.
@BRAND0N...2 жыл бұрын
Why did you watch this at all?
@shimba25062 жыл бұрын
@@hellotheremyolfriend 😂😂😂😂😂😂👍
@motellion Жыл бұрын
@@BRAND0N... A wise master remains a student 👊🏽🙏🏽✌🏽
@BRAND0N... Жыл бұрын
That's why all ceiling fans have a reverse switch.
@BRAND0N... Жыл бұрын
@@motellion 👌👈🙋♀️💁♀️🧏♀️🙅🤦🙍♀️🙎🙇♀️😏🤫
@marzymarrz5172 Жыл бұрын
This is a good tutorial for a person who wants a source of wood heat but has only just begun the information gathering process. Thanks
@briandoyle61884 жыл бұрын
With the log fire and this guy's voice I was chilled out.....🔥🔥🔥🔥...simply yet beautifully explained...
@b4real892 жыл бұрын
Your voice is so calming. I can literally take a nap listening to this video
@magsan75ify2 жыл бұрын
Great explanation. I have a new home with a fireplace and know nothing about it. this helps a lot to understand how it works.
@kshenriques2 жыл бұрын
I love this video! My fireplace is an insert that doesn't have that fresh air vent. Sometimes I have to open the door slightly to get that air in to get the fire going. Also, Sometimes the wood we get from the local suppliers is "dryish" and we have to open the door to get air on it so it can burn. I've tried to start these logs with kindling but it doesn't work good in this Ashley Hearth insert unless the wood is dry like the desert. I cheat a little bit. Dip 3 cotton balls in some kerosene and place it in the middle between some crushed up newspaper....voila 🔥🔥🔥
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
Wax works too, shave some off a warm candle and keep it in a jar to put on the logs when you light a fire. Your insert must have an air control, but the incoming air may not directly hit the fire. Bring wood in the house at least a couple weeks or more before you burn it, and stack it loosely where there's some air flow to dry it well before burning it. Splitting it smaller will help it dry faster. The kindling needs to be very dry, preferably cedar.
@Ingot542 жыл бұрын
This video is exactly what I was searching for. Thank you your making it. I have a much better understanding of how my wood-fire heater is working.
@janishani13 жыл бұрын
Grateful, Sir! Super useful video. Also your voice is very pleasant and calming, the perfect one for audio books 🤗🤩👌🏽. Have splendid and peaceful days. Much love! 🧡
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the encouragement!
@zacpel14383 жыл бұрын
I find moving cool air towards the stove seems to be more comfortable than moving the hot air away. Put a box fan or small fan in bedroom doorways and blow the cold air out. Also easier than mounting it up high.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Yes, that works too. I prefer the fan up high where it's out of my way and I don't trip on it, though it took a few minutes to mount it there.
@Mr51Caveman5 жыл бұрын
I always love seeing someone cutting kindling with their FINGERS in the cut stroke!!!
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
@@Mr51Caveman Other than a few slivers, I've never hurt myself splitting kindling. I should really wear gloves, but don't usually think of it.
@gmail34195 жыл бұрын
A truly first class video. Well explained, well paced, no silly music, just good information. Greetings from Patagonia, Argentina
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I make an effort to give all the essential information without wasting viewers' time, at a relaxed pace. Glad you appreciate it.
@cassetteo3 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead I would have mentioned a difference between ceramic and tempered glass...
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
@@cassetteo Yes, I will do that in my next video.
@victoreous6266 жыл бұрын
Alder is my favorite wood. It is native to the creeks and streams nearby. Smells great with little ash and decent heat production. Burns evenly too.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
We burn both alder and maple - they get about 100' tall here, and burn very well, plus cherry, vine maple and whatever I prune off the fruit and nut trees.
@safetyfirstintexas2 жыл бұрын
Started this season with a lopi dual door insert ive ducted outside "make up" air with dryer vent hose and a custom intake transition. Got to keep those center slide knobs accessable.😎 It rocks 84> in < 34 out. Be well.
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
I looked up Lopi and it sounds like they are excellent quality and efficient. Nice to hear you figured out a way to duct in outside air for the intake.
@safetyfirstintexas2 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead 2x 11/4 " square tube on each side of the air controll rods with bottom plain cut out. 3x 11/4" square tube running side to side below heater base line ,end capped with top plain cut out to interface with above tube bottom cut out. And dryer hose circle cut out of bottom tube.with corresponding sized thimble glued and screwed to bottom. Air comes thru hose to bottom 1 1/4" bottom tubes , moves right and left then up into upper tubes where it goes from front to back into origional stove air intake. only way i saw to keep startup air and airwash air control rods operating correctly and have outside air too. Got er dunn
@Lugnut_932 жыл бұрын
This guy's voice cures constipation; it soothes my hemorrhoid burn...
@spenceryelinek36716 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Forest Gump.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
You're welcome. Forest and I are probably both borderline Asperger's, so we just tell it like it is. After all, life is like a box of chocolates, we get whatever nut is inside.
@zakzoghbi6 жыл бұрын
Thank you
@connorbolthouse2578 Жыл бұрын
Very well done, informative and succinct!
@michaelg.49119 ай бұрын
thanks makes sense, this will help me not freeze, sitting a house with wood oven only :)D
@WOMPITUS3 жыл бұрын
I like your insert. Very simple.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Thank you. It's not actually an insert, it's a heatilator, which is built into the bricks, and I added custom glass doors when we bought the house. It's a reasonably good system, but a modern insert would likely be better. It does have the advantage of larger glass doors.
@jasonhorse38946 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your video, really useful.
@davidbasset75576 жыл бұрын
i learned so much, great video!
@100ampscurrent3 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Good video. And very pleasant English for my ears
@JM-io4vb2 жыл бұрын
Your video mentions having fans near the fireplace to help circulate the heat. What if you have central air - could you just turn on the fan? In theory, wouldn't that pull the warm air from the room with the fireplace and circulate it throughout the house?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
Fans do 2 things, they extract more heat from the fireplace or stove which would otherwise be going up the chimney, and they circulate it around the house. So yes, turning on the central heating fan would circulate the heat throughout the house, but also having a fan blowing air directly across the hot fireplace or stove will pick up more heat in the first place that you can then circulate.
@robertm596911 ай бұрын
Yes
@RESTORED_REPUBLIQ6 жыл бұрын
very quality video thanks alot!
@Swerve7445 жыл бұрын
Thanks for posting. Very informative.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
You're welcome! I love sharing things I've learned with others. Check out my other videos. Thanks for your comment!
@whiteknightcat2 жыл бұрын
I just use twigs and dry leaves for kindling. Works flawlessly.
@LisaMurphy4 жыл бұрын
I'm not throwing scrap wood in the garbage, I have a fireplace! You can use that stuff for kindling, and use your junk mail too. I don't throw wood in the garbage unless it's painted or stained or chemically treated.
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Yes, I keep a box in the garage for scrap wood, to split up and burn, unless like you say, it's painted, stained or pressure treated.
@GwaiRide4 жыл бұрын
My recycling bin hasn't seen paper products in years haha
@leepearce22852 жыл бұрын
Excellent advice ,thankyou 👌👍
@craigsmith40845 жыл бұрын
Miss living in the Northwest! Don’t forget to have your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
I shouldn't really say this, but in 35 years of burning wood for heat, we've never had our chimney cleaned. When I put a new cap on the top, there wasn't much creosote buildup. We have a brick chimney with a masonry liner, and a half inch air space between them, which acts somewhat as an insulator. So the creosote doesn't condense on the chimney as much as it would with a metal pipe or single wall masonry. We burn dry maple, alder and cherry, with enough air to keep it burning hot, so the fire never smolders. The one time we had a brief chimney fire was because I made the mistake of burning cardboard in the fireplace, and it went out when I closed the doors and shut off the air supply. I suppose we should get it inspected at some point though.
@johnellison1072 Жыл бұрын
Great video and I love your fireplace nice job
@michaelmongeon97376 жыл бұрын
I've been burning wood all my life. I have a woodstove. Hickory firewood is the hottest BTU wood in the southeast. Split in the spring stack it in a sunny spot. It will burn hotter than hell by winter.
@indianasquatchunters5 жыл бұрын
Michael Mongeon is Osage orange ( also called hedgeapple) available were you live? I think it has the highest BTU value as far as North American trees. You’re right tho, Hickory packs more heat than white oak!
@Brookside9755 жыл бұрын
@@indianasquatchunters Hedge apple does burn hot, but it sparks a lot too.
@vthammerman5 жыл бұрын
That is interesting! Northern Vermont here and we burn mostly Beech and Maple.
@kinnish52675 жыл бұрын
this helps me as I just got a new stove -- thanks
@dylanreischling41516 жыл бұрын
Our house is older so we have no insulation. The fireplace is older so it has a indoor air intake. It’s a insert with a circulation fan. Best investment ever. It was rated at around 15k BTus but it heats our entire house. We sweep the chimney every year. For backup we have a toyotomi kerosene heater and electric heat for backup too. We go through a lot of wood just because our house is older. Probably depending on the winter 2-5 cords a year of wood. It heats good. We haven’t had any issues. We’ve been using wood for a few years now. Before the insert er could have the fire going and not heat the room up one degree. Now we have to crack windows to keep it under 78.
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
Yay for the insert! If you own the house, have you considered options for insulating it? If the walls are truly empty, drilling holes and having it blown in would likely be the best. If it's a ceiling with an attic, that can be easy to do, whatever you can get to. Our house, built in the 1950's, had single pane aluminum windows, and adding 2 layers of mylar with storm windows I built myself cut our wood burning in half and the house was warmer. The walls had less than 3" of rockwool insulation, maybe about R7, so in one bedroom that got moldy in the corners, we tore out the sheetrock, shimmed the walls out 2" with styrofoam strips and 1x2's, and put in R23 insulation. No more mold. It was a pretty big job though, with re-sheetrocking. Our ceiling was the same thin rockwool, we raised it to R46, 11" thick fiberglass. It's November and we haven't lit a fire yet, except to make a crackling fire video. I have my feet on an electric hot pad though, and briefly turned on the electric heat a few times.
@dylanreischling41516 жыл бұрын
Hartz Homestead our house was built in 1952 and we have found some funky thinks in it so we don’t know what is in them. The windows used to be single pane but we replaced them with double pane. The attic has R30. Over the summer we added new blinds that are a insulated type they added about R5 to the windows. With our insert we can put a load of wood in at 9 am and get home around 2:30 with it still going. If it’s super dry wood it doesn’t last as long. We’ve thought about having it blown in too. Thanks for the reply
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
R5 blinds would make a big difference. I've replaced our windows with double pane, but am still planning to use our 2 layer mylar storm windows, and am planning to make some insulated blinds too. Studies have found a super insulated house only needs about $20 a month worth of heat. We never burn a fire unless we're home. With our big fireplace I need to push the logs together or add wood about every 30 minutes to keep it burning hot. Otherwise it would fizzle out and start making a lot of smoke. A smaller firebox holds the wood together better. Really dry wood may not last as long, but it does burn cleaner.
@dylanreischling41515 жыл бұрын
Hartz Homestead sorry for the late reply. The blinds have made a big difference. We sweep our chimney every year because during winter we often burn 24/7. We have 3 sources of heat, electric, kerosene, and wood. We use the kerosene furnace as a backup or when we go traveling. The electric we normally only use if kerosene gets really expensive, if our tank is low, or if the kerosene furnace isn’t working. Have a good holidays
@williamschroeder40854 жыл бұрын
I love this guys advice
@handymanjourney6 жыл бұрын
Great wood thanks!
@Bliss_soul_1115 жыл бұрын
Thanks ..good explanation 🙏🏻
@mannya97003 жыл бұрын
informative video thanks for making this! 👍
@Gollammeister5 жыл бұрын
I'd love a wood stove in winter in my council flat
@dimsun30393 жыл бұрын
Super helpful
@brianeddy416 жыл бұрын
Helpful. Thank you.
@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe87833 жыл бұрын
Starting a fire free with junk mail is my tip unless that's a bad idea, still you can use it for outside fires.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
I recycle the envelopes with plastic windows and glossy junk mail, because it doesn't burn very well, but burning is a great way to get rid of anything with personal information on it. Newspapers actually light easier, they're thinner.
@EvanWharton5 жыл бұрын
I just realized you mention that your glass doors were custom made out of Pyrex! We'd love to replace the current door on our old wood stove with a glass one--did you make it yourself?
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
A local fireplace shop custom made the doors for me 35 years ago, for $300. I measured the fireplace opening, and they gave me a choice of tempered, Pyrex or ceramic glass. There are screws that hold it tightly in place, with fiberglass insulation to seal between the frame and bricks. The doors can be lifted off, and there's a gasket holding each piece of glass in a slot, and a gasket around each door to seal when you open and close. I've replaced the gasket once - very easy to do. Well worth the investment.
@craigdailey9472 жыл бұрын
Fireplace Doors were manufactured by Custom Firescreen (sold thru Kirkland Fireplace, Brand X Manufacturing back when he purchased), The Pyrex option is no longer used as ceramic (NeoCeram or PyroCeram) are less expensive than Pyrex now and stronger verses the heat. But note as of this posting (2021) you will pay about $400 - $500 just for the Ceramic glass, not including the doors which will likely cost $1000+, so consider an insert when pricing out this option.
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
@@craigdailey947 That was also my conclusion, that you can't buy decent fireplace doors for under $1000, so it's better to just get an insert, which will cost more than that, but also be much more efficient.
@shellcrackerlover58894 жыл бұрын
Nice presentation but seems complex. I just wanted a fire.
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Feel free to light a fire however you want to. It's only complex if you're trying to heat your house efficiently with it.
@PaulHolness5 жыл бұрын
Thanks!! Very informative
@dmnguye696 жыл бұрын
After my wood stove. ....nothing else can compare 😀
@theinternets75166 жыл бұрын
If you dry wood inside the firebox it's no different than burning wet wood. You are still losing heat through the energy required to dry the wood and you are still creating creosote build up as the water vapor travels up the chimney with the smoke. You should also be cutting your wood in the fall so that it gets a full year to season. Overall a good video though.
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
Our winters are so wet here in Western Washington that I don't think wood dries much from November to February, except the occasional dry freezing spell. I do cut trees while the sap is down (or already dead trees) and stack it loosely in full sun under cover through the summer, which seems to get the wood quite dry in about 8 months. Also bringing it into the house a few weeks before burning helps. We only resorted to drying wood inside our firebox a few times when driest wood ran out. It's hard to get a hot fire going with damp wood, but after drying it inside the firebox it burned very well. Not sure about the creosote. It seems a hot fire with a little added moisture will make less creosote than a smoldering fire. It isn't really worth the trouble though, so in that situation again, I'd just turn on the electric heat. I see you also have a channel, which I have subscribed to, and you're welcome to subscribe to mine. I'm working toward the new 1000 subscriber requirement for ad revenue, so I appreciate every new subscriber.
@markbrinton67906 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead I just subscribed, I liked your video. Ignore the morons who name call and leave mean comments(I'm not saying it was the guy in this thread).
@geraldmoore62574 жыл бұрын
I'm a retired chemist and although no expert researcher in the area of wood burning, I do understand the physics and chemistry involved. I agree, that drying the wood inside the firebox would retain all the negative aspects of burins wet wood. The only difference being that when it comes time to actually burn the wood you wouldn't have trouble getting it to burn or maintaining the burn. So, dry your wood outside the stove.
@syedarmaghanhassan46524 жыл бұрын
hey.. thanks for sharing.. what tight fitting glass doors... certified inserts... smoke mechanism and rules... opening the window to balance the pressure.. where does the air come in from, where is it going out.. these are very technical subjects which you are touching very casually. you are a knowledgeable person. Please elaborate in layman terms from the beginning and in details, how does this work. This is why we are watching the video. Please share more content. Thank you very much again!
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the feedback. Read my video description for more details, and some good inserts you can order. A lot depends on where you live, and if you have a local fireplace shop that can recommend the best insert for your particular fireplace and budget. I'd recommend an insert over glass doors, and unless you are very handy, you may want it professionally installed. I am planning another video on the subject, I will try to be more specific.
@trentcoyle93935 жыл бұрын
Also a damp paper towel dipped in the ashes will clean your glass like new! You're welcome.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
It's true, I've done that. I still takes some scrubbing, but the ashes are free and readily available. For a really thick coat of soot on the glass, scraping it off with a razor scraper gets most of it, then the damp paper towel & ash finishes it off.
@paulatwood97945 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead using a razor blade Marine metal scraping material we'll put my new scratches in the glass and eventually make it hard to see through. I'm a shell used wet wood ash misted with white vinegar.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
@@paulatwood9794 I assume your not-so-smart phone wrote some of that for you? I gather you're saying I'll scratch the glass, but keeping the razor blade flat against the glass, in 35 years I don't think I've scratched it any. I worry more that scrubbing it a lot would scratch it. I hadn't thought of using vinegar with the ashes though, so I'll try that - thanks for the suggestion!
@paulatwood97945 жыл бұрын
Yes that was my smart phone talking for me due my arthritis in my extremities. I've had good luck with using the white vinegar for my stove glass It also makes the brass look new after removing any tarnish. (I finger typed this time,LoL!)
@JustMrMak4 жыл бұрын
Great video, have you ever thought about narrating bed time stories? Calming indeed :)
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Yes, I'm working on how to do the audio and video for that. I've done closed eye processes for workshops before, I'd like it to all be original.
@mazman83436 жыл бұрын
Great stove 👍
@boostjunkieMike5 жыл бұрын
Great video👍🏿👍🏿
@Jamba-wl8ez3 жыл бұрын
Great video! Can I ask if you have ceramic glass on those doors? My doors came with the option for ceramic but that was $800 more. I'm considering doing the upgrade myself and it seems like I can get the glass for $400 but I'm not sure if it's absolutely necessary...
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
These doors were custom welded by a fireplace shop, and they gave us the option of either tempered, Pyrex, or ceramic glass. We chose Pyrex, and we've had some very hot fires without them breaking. You might look into the price of Pyrex, but ceramic is even better. The glass on ours is just held in with a gasket, so it would be easy to change. I once had a pane shatter that I'm guessing was tempered, with a very hot fire of cardboard with flames right against the glass, so it can happen.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Ideally you want to burn a very hot fire from start to finish to reduce the amount of air pollution the fire creates. If your glass is tempered, there is some risk of it breaking with a very hot fire, so I think it's worth upgrading to either Pyrex or ceramic.
@Jamba-wl8ez3 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead thank you! I am probably going to upgrade to ceramic... I got custom fireplace doors from Stoll that is built like a tank and I can't wait to have a slow burning hot fire in it.
@adiliqbal27774 жыл бұрын
Great video! I have a wood burning fireplace with glass doors as well with a dampner, ash box on the bottom back of the fireplace. I'm having trouble with the heat coming into the house with the doors closed. I feel like it all just goes right up the dampner. Any suggestions? The fireplace doors have vents all around it as well
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
It helps if the glass doors are clean, so you get radiant heat. Have you tried pointing a fan at the fireplace, to extract heat and blow it around the room? Also helps if the doors seal tightly, so you're not losing a lot of air from the room. If it has gaskets that are not sealing, you can replace them. If the vents you mention are a heatilator like mine that circulate air behind the firebox and back into the room, find a way to add fans to blow more air through them. If they are in the door itself, and letting air into the fireplace, you'd be better off closing them if the glass can take the heat of a hot fire. Also a short, hot fire is better than a slow, smoldering one.
@adiliqbal27774 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for your expertise. I'll def try the fan technique. What I dont understand is why my glass door frame has vents all around its frame. Initially I thought it was for heat to exit and come into the room but after letting the fire burn for a half hour I noticed it was not emitting heat rather likely taking air in from the room and feeding it to the fire. Yes I do believe it is a heatilator just like you have on the bottom of your fireplace too that gets air flowing around and behind the firebox. Would you suggest I seal the vents on the frame of the door?
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
@@adiliqbal2777 If you can figure out a way to blow air into the bottom vent, you could see if hot air comes out the top. It depends on if glass doors with vents were added later. If the vents are built into the fireplace, like a heatilator, you should be able to feel air going in the bottom and heat coming out the top vents after a hot fire has been burning for a while. An insert will have also have vents, but also usually a fan to blow air through and hot air would be coming out the top. If the purpose of the vents are just to keep the glass cool, blocking them off could cause the glass to break if you have a really hot fire. I had too hot of a fire once with some cheap bifold glass doors, and one shattered. Cheaper doors are just made with tempered glass, while high quality air tight doors and inserts are made with pyrex or ceramic glass.
@davidmcneil93404 жыл бұрын
Splitting the wood with your hand directly under the axe.. 🤔
@josuer.72004 жыл бұрын
Well at the time of the video still have the 5 fingers and the hand so... I think his sight is really good...
@trumanbarney37554 жыл бұрын
27 years as a Navajo on the reservation and that's how I've always done it. Isn't hard, we even use the nail puller on a hammer to split wood as well.
@edinfific25763 жыл бұрын
He is making fairly short and well-controlled swings with only enough energy to crack the wood, and even if he misses there is a very, very low chance he will hit his hand, and even then a low chance of sufficient force on impact to cause a serious injury. Although perhaps placing the axe head upside-down and slamming the wood over it could get the job done with less risk.
@denverbasshead11 ай бұрын
Who cares? Let people suffer the consequences of their actions
@rajivrao47722 жыл бұрын
When I start my fireplace the area immediately outside the fireplace is nice and toasty, but we have high ceilings and can't feel the warmth from the rest of the room. We tried the ceiling fan and I think that worked (or it could be in my head). Does aiming a second fan directly at the fireplace actually help distribute the heat? How far away should this fan be? And should I set it to low speed?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
The ceiling fan should help, try it in both directions on high speed and which works the best. You'll get the most heat circulated with the fan just a few feet away on high speed pointed directly at the fireplace (assuming you have glass doors on your fireplace). Turn the fans down if it's too windy or too loud. I burn a hot fire for just a couple hours, then turn the fans off when the fire goes out.
@rajivrao47722 жыл бұрын
Just so I understand correctly, I should keep my sliding glass doors closed when operating the fireplace? I read online these doors should be fully open when the fire is burning (however the metal curtain should be closed to contain any sparks it burning embers)
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
@@rajivrao4772 If you have cheaper bi-fold doors with tempered glass, it's possible a very hot fire could shatter the glass, so to be safe, it's usually recommended to leave them open, or burn smaller fires, away from the glass. If you leave the doors open, most of your heat will go up the chimney, and it will barely heat your house at all. Higher quality glass doors (which cost about $1,000) are ceramic or Pyrex glass, which can take very high heat, so you should always keep them closed when burning a fire. That's the only way it will warm the house. It's much better to install a fireplace insert (about $2,000) or use another type of heat.
@rajivrao47722 жыл бұрын
That's interesting I thought keeping the doors closed would push the heat up through the fireplace while leaving them open would allow the heat to come inside the house. I'm not too sure what kind of doors we have we just recently moved into this house, however I do know there is an insert
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
@@rajivrao4772 If you wash the glass doors then look very closely in the corner it might be printed what kind of glass it is. Usually tempered glass doors are more loose fitting, ceramic glass will be more air tight with a gasket around to seal it when they are closed. You do get more radiant heat with the doors open, but if the glass is clean you get it when they are closed too. The problem is if you leave the doors open it sucks a lot of warm air from the room up the chimney. Try it both ways and see.
@stateniland6 жыл бұрын
splitting the cedar like that will eventually have you feeding the fire a few fingers..
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
One time I scraped my fingers a bit with the blade and wished I'd been wearing gloves, but in 40 years I've never really hurt myself. I have gotten a few slivers with cedar and old growth fir.
@stateniland6 жыл бұрын
lol. best to bury hatchet in top of cedar Then come down on it to complete split ...No fingers in harms way of blade ;)
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
I do that quite a bit too - works good. I also use an old fro with a vine maple mallet for splitting big chunks into slabs, then to kindling.
@zazarays5 жыл бұрын
i chopped off both my hands by mistake that way. I don't start the fires anymore
@Vbnzzdbb5 жыл бұрын
He is not hitting that hard.
@davideaggugiaro98462 жыл бұрын
if I can recommend the new cold air not below but on the sides of the flame because it tends to cool
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
I have heard that cold air can lower the fire temperature, but I notice my fire really takes off and gets hot with a fine stream of fast air coming right into the flame. Ideally the air should be pre-warmed, but that also uses energy, so I'm not sure if it really matters either way.
@darkbee23592 жыл бұрын
Do you have any experience of the "self-powered" metal fans that sit atop a metal stove or fireplace insert? I have a built in electric fan for my fireplace insert but it's loud and of course it uses electricity. I'm wondering if those metal fans would be good enough to at least get some air circulating.
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
I haven't used them myself, but I expect they move some air. I do have my fans on a variable speed control, because they are a bit loud on high. Some fans are much quieter than others.
@lynnedinsdale50092 жыл бұрын
Just got one im uk worth it r great
@dangerdavefreestyle6 жыл бұрын
That looks so great and cozy, i would sleep in front of it like a bear
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
If you want 2 hours of a crackling fire, I posted one at kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJawhqyAr7WVack
@john849ww2 жыл бұрын
My fireplace has a damper with 3 settings. The "handle" is inside and up out of view so changing it with the fire lit is something i haven't figured out yet. Anyone else have something like this and know what to do?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
Usually you shouldn't need to change the damper when the fire is going. I leave mine open all the time because the glass doors keep warm air in the room from going up the chimney. If you don't have glass doors, you still can't close the damper all the way until the fire is completely out or you'll get smoke in the room. If it works to burn a fire with it part way open, you could set it there before lighting the fire, as long as the draw is good enough to avoid smoke in the room. The best solution is to have an insert or air tight glass doors.
@rickbino57924 жыл бұрын
Could you please compare the cost of operating a wood stove system to a gas fp system to heat a house..?
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Heating with wood is cheaper than gas, as long as you have an efficient wood stove, and especially if you cut your own firewood. But gas is clean and takes almost no time to operate, while burning wood can be time consuming, messy, and creates much more air pollution. There are so many variables it's hard to give exact numbers.
@raybarber98372 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed listening to this, do you do voice-overs? We are about to move into a bungalow that has a log burner in the chimney, that rises between the lounge and our bedroom. Could I put a vent between from the lounge to the bedroom to bring some warmth in?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
I just do voice overs on my own videos. Since I don't sit and talk to the camera like some creators, I edit all the video, then record a voice over narrative, and sometimes a guitar track. I'm not sure what you mean by a log burner in the chimney. You can always put a vent between 2 rooms, but if they are on the same level, you might need a fan to actually move any air, and also sound will travel through the vent. If one room is above the other, heat will always rise, so you'd want a damper to control how much heat comes up.
@raybarber98372 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead Well it sounds good. The number of times I've aborted a video at the beginning because the narration is so bad.
@gloriaviktorija5 жыл бұрын
thank you, very useful to us,, :)
@ss_whole4 жыл бұрын
You have a fire going with the doors closed, how is the heat going to get into the room with the door closed?
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
With the doors closed, the glass and metal of the doors plus the bricks of the fireplace get hot and radiate heat into the room. I can only sit in front of the doors for a few minutes before getting too hot. Plus, our fireplace has a heatilator with fans, so the air circulates behind the metal firebox and blows hot air out the grate above the fireplace. Even with a moderate fire the air coming out is 270 F. If the doors are open, large amounts of air from the room will go up the chimney, and it won't heat the house much.
@marcellebaudry57862 жыл бұрын
bravo
@Cheese_Boi19863 жыл бұрын
im about to buy a sweep and try to clean mine out dont think its been used for 40+ years
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
As you clean it, look at what condition it's in. Have a fire extinguisher on hand, and gradually build up the fire, watching the chimney inside and outside the house. It should be fine if it hasn't been damaged in any way.
@Cheese_Boi19863 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead thanks for the advice its protected from the elements as it has a cover on it that comes off :)
@dinamikasanluis5 жыл бұрын
Thanks friend !!
@ttsrg2 жыл бұрын
Thank you, but I've bought it w closed combustion chamber and can't set near the chamber w open door
@Plastik135 жыл бұрын
Why you close the door ? Can not you let it opened while the wood is burning ?
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
If you leave the fireplace doors open while it's burning, the air in the room will go up the chimney and suck cold air in from outdoors into your house, so you lose most of the heat created by the fire. It's OK if you really want to sit in front of an open fire, but not if you are trying to heat the house.
@sim7409 Жыл бұрын
exciting & fascinating 😂
@redbootshomestead5585 жыл бұрын
Well explained thank you! Any suggestions how to heat to more rules is it possible to have a wood-burning stove and to let the pipes of the main wood burning stove run into the other rooms?
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
It would be easier to blow the heated air with fans into other rooms (or pipe it through ducts) than to try to re-route the chimney pipe, unless you build your own Rocket Mass Heater. A horizontal run in a chimney pipe would likely not draft well, and could be a fire hazard. But you could collect heat near the ceiling above a wood stove and duct it through the house with a fan. Our chimney is in the middle of our house, so the bricks get warm upstairs too with a hot fire.
@robertm596911 ай бұрын
Some modern fireplaces allow for built in B vents which allow you to directly pipe in hot air to different rooms or floors. If you've got central air and the return is near the fireplace, you could put it in fan only mode and have it pull the hot air from the fireplace and dump it in every room. Our fireplace already heats our house evenly as the blower goes directly to the central living space and up the 2nd floor staircase.
@Gollammeister5 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately local council removed fire places probably yrs ago be great to have a multifuel stove
@glennalan6 ай бұрын
Two or three logs for the whole day?!! I go through about 15 to 20 per day. I must be doing something wrong. Thanks for your video
@HartzHomestead6 ай бұрын
We do live in a mild climate, with average winter temperatures in the 30's and 40's. We have R42 in the roof, R11 to 21 in the walls, and 4 to 5 layers of glazing on all windows. If I light more than 1 fire a day, my wife says it's too hot in here.
@EJR202 жыл бұрын
Can I use this to cook my pasta?
@bbikermama2 жыл бұрын
Is there a way to add fans to circulate the hot air back into the home?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
Lots of ways. It depends on your fireplace or stove. I use about 3 fans.
@bbikermama2 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead could you make a video?? I have a home build 24 years ago, fireplace has no insert, glass doors…
@MrHunterseeker5 жыл бұрын
I didn't know the ash pit could be used that way.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
Works really well for me.
@ncsuwolfpack04 жыл бұрын
He almost sounds like Tom Hanks lol
@EmpoweredPercussion2 жыл бұрын
Very helpful. We just bought a new house here in Minnesota and I think the current temperature is -10° at the moment. We have a wood-burning stove in the fireplace and I am trying to learn if it is good enough to offset some of my healing expense. The furnace is turning on often at 68°. I noticed I don’t have a fan pushing air out of the chimney area and I might consider mounting a midsize fan back there into the wall that surrounds the fireplace. I wish I could send a picture. The prayer homeowner had for 6 x 6” squares cut at the bottom and top of the fireplace with some screen over it. I’m sure this is to let a little bit of air flow out but I don’t necessarily see any air being pushed through to help circulate it unless it’s doing it naturally. Three logs a day is not bad at all, how warm is your house throughout the day?
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
Because burning wood causes a lot of air pollution, I usually just burn one hot fire a day, which gets the house up to about 70F, then we use electric heat sporadically as needed just in the rooms we are using most. Our house is often at about 65F, sometimes drops to 60. Double interior Mylar storm windows help a lot. Our electric bill is about $50 a month in summer, $100 in winter. I wear long johns, fleece pants and a turtleneck with a sweater vest most of the time and have a hot pad I put on either my feet or shoulders if I'm just sitting a long time.
@HartzHomestead2 жыл бұрын
If those vents really do circulate air around the firebox, it would be well worth putting fans in them. Try blowing some air through the lower vents while the fire is hot, and see if it comes out hot at the top. If you have a fireplace with an insert, it should have its own fan. The heat may not make it through the masonry of the fireplace.
@EmpoweredPercussion2 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead so I put a fan on it last night and the furnace is currently really hot right now. A little bit of beer comes out of the top of the vent but what I noticed is the inner side of the fireplace is completely lined with steel. The steel tapers up into a triangle up towards the ventilation duct. I think it's best that I try putting a fan in front of the Furnace where the air can escape from the top. I post pictures but it doesn't work here. The furnace really warmed the house overnight and I noticed right away going into the kitchen it was nice and toasty. Thanks for your help sir.
@joshdarnall7245 жыл бұрын
I believe your fans are setup wrong. Your ceiling fan should be pulling up the cold air and forcing the warm air down. That's the "winter" setting on the fan. The floor fans should be doing the same thing. Blowing cold air into the warm room, forcing the warm air out of the room. We have a ranch style house with a wood stove on one end and we can move the warm air through the whole house this way.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
Either way works, as long as you're circulating the air somehow. I prefer to blow the hot air down into the middle of the room, because otherwise it goes up the skylight well and overheats the upstairs. The fan I have blowing air into the next room is near the ceiling, blowing hot air into that room, which forces the cooler air back into where the fireplace is.
@vletrmx4 жыл бұрын
Interesting video, thanks! Doesn't a wood burning stove make your whole house smell like burnt wood? Or would this be a matter of maintaining a smoke-free fire?
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Avoid letting smoke into the room. Burn a hot fire with very dry wood, which produces less smoke. Open an outside door or window just a crack before slowly opening the doors to the fireplace, and the fire will suck air up the chimney, so smoke doesn't come into the room. If we do get smoke in the room, I run a Merv 13 filter on a box fan that clears the air in about 10 minutes (see my video on that). Breathing smoke is very bad for our lungs, so it's important to keep the air in the house smoke-free.
@vletrmx4 жыл бұрын
Hartz Homestead Thank you very much! I’ll see what I can do with this unused stove we have, after I get the chimney sweeped.
@MrAlejo0072 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead i did the same but my box fan has 4 filters 20x25x1 3M 1900 is like Merv 13, in Cubic Arrangement Box Fan on Top Blowing Up so it cleans the air really fast My Wood Stove is new ultra efficient little or no smoke and holds the fire up to 6 hours
@bumstudios88174 жыл бұрын
I plan on redoing my firepit outside soon... got any tips how i can use the fire to heat the area better than just the middle?
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
An outdoor fire isn't usually going to heat a very big area. About all you could do is have some walls or solid fencing around it about 8' back or more, so you are containing the heat, like in a yurt or teepee, or have a sunken fire pit, if you have good drainage.
@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe87833 жыл бұрын
Do you have to use a steel grate, what are the pros and cons of using one. Ty
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
I don't use one. I put a couple smaller pieces of wood crossways under my main firewood to allow air to circulate under them. A grate can allow coals to fall down away from the fire, rather than keeping it all together. The goal is to keep the fire burning hot until all the coals are out. Just my opinion.
@ShinkleGunDog3 жыл бұрын
Is it tempered glass or ceramic glass?
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Ceramic glass is best, and allows you to have a very hot fire without worrying about the glass. Tempered glass is cheaper, but it can possibly break if it gets too hot, and ideally you want to burn a hot fire because it burns cleaner. My doors were custom made with Pyrex glass, which is somewhere in between. I've had some very hot fires and my Pyrex has never broken.
@ShinkleGunDog3 жыл бұрын
Thanks bud! I have a large see through fireplace, but the glass is a long way from the fire. Ceramic is exactly 10 times the price. I'm thinking of using tempered.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
@@ShinkleGunDog I once lit a fireplace full of paper and closed the 4 bifold doors, which were tempered. The flames filled the fireplace and were right up against the glass. We had a party going on, with a barbershop quartet singing, and suddenly one of the panes shattered. People wondered, was it the fire, or the singing? Anyway I learned not to light a fireplace full of paper. If the fire is not too close to the glass you should be OK.
@smirk_beats5 жыл бұрын
Great vid! \
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
Thanks, you're welcome to subscribe, although I may only do one more video on pros and cons of heating with wood, then I'll be on to other subjects, like how to glue things, put up tarps, catch mice, compost, fix your house and so on.
@richer4poorer3 жыл бұрын
Is there someone or somewhere we can go for an assessment to learn about the best way to heat our tri-level with a wood burning stove?
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
Search for a fireplace shop or contractor who installs wood burning stoves or fireplaces in your area, or a metal shop or mason. A metal stove on the lowest level (so the heat rises) might be the cheapest, but if you can afford it, a masonry heater or rocket mass heater is cleaner burning and provides more even heat in the long run.
@rebelliouslogic27053 жыл бұрын
Does the cover have to be sealed?
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
You need to be able to control the amount of air getting to the fire - enough air to keep it burning hot, but not so much you are losing a lot of heated air from the room up the chimney. Most cheaper bifold glass doors don't seal well enough, but are better than nothing.
@rebelliouslogic27053 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead hey thanks for the fast respond.. I have another question. The gas line has been capped off. Is this safe to use with fire? Going to confirm with the gas company as well.
@HartzHomestead3 жыл бұрын
If it was originally a gas fireplace, I'm not sure if it would be safe to use with wood. I think wood burns a lot hotter than gas, besides causing a lot more air pollution. If you're still using gas anywhere in the house, that line could still have gas in it even if it's been capped. I'd suggest asking someone who specializes in fireplaces look at it. You might be able to put in an insert designed for wood burning.
@eco-beehive4 күн бұрын
just an observation. With coal you want the air to come in from underneath. but with wood you want the air to come on to the wood from above.
@eco-beehive4 күн бұрын
so if you put a plate to get the air to flow out towards the glass, this will keep the glass clean.
@eco-beehive4 күн бұрын
great vidio
@HartzHomestead4 күн бұрын
That depends on the stove or fireplace. Our fireplace is fairly big, and burns much hotter with the air coming in directly under the wood. If we wanted it to burn slowly, we could have the air come from above but it would not burn as hot and thus create a lot more air pollution.
@TheSeedsower1074 жыл бұрын
Can you please tell me the make and model of your insert . Thanks
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
Our fireplace doesn't have an insert, it's a Heatilator that was built into the fireplace in the 1950's. I did have custom glass doors made with Pyrex glass about 35 years ago by Fireplace Extraordinaire, but they don't make them anymore. It's hard to find tight fitting glass doors. A modern insert would be much more efficient.
@TheSeedsower1074 жыл бұрын
@@HartzHomestead well it looks great and your technique for getting it going is something to take note of. Thank you so much for your response and for sharing this excellent how to video !
@claytonroberts344 Жыл бұрын
What I need to know is how high up do you make the fireplace chimney were when the smoke comes out it want to to the ground and into the neighbor's house???????
@HartzHomestead Жыл бұрын
No matter how high you make the chimney, if your fire is smoky it will drift all over the neighborhood, which truly is a health hazard for everyone. Always burn a hot fire with dry wood and good air flow so you can't see any smoke, preferably in an EPA approved wood stove or insert, better yet a rocket mass heater. Burning wood makes the most pollution of any heat source and a smoldering fire is the worst.
@clb53356 жыл бұрын
what kind of glass doors do you have?
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
We had the doors custom made in 1984 by a fireplace store for about $300. They gave us a choice of tempered, pyrex, or ceramic glass. We chose Pyrex, and I've had some really hot fires without them ever breaking. I'll show more detail on how the doors are made in another video.
@Suntan384 жыл бұрын
This is why I HATE my wood burning fireplace. Too much trouble to start a fire and it gets my house freezing
@HartzHomestead4 жыл бұрын
It's a lot of work heating with wood, so if you don't have an efficient system and enjoy lighting fires, it's not worth it. If it's making your house cold, it sounds like you don't have tight doors on the fireplace, and a lot of air from the room is going up the chimney, sucking cold air into your house.
@rajannegi88835 жыл бұрын
Watching this video at -5°C in India , wondering how this fire place works....cause we here get only basic ovens with just one exhaust vertical pipe. Metal doors and body....and front airflow vent that is open all the time
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
Metal stoves radiate heat better, plus you can usually cook on them. But if the air intake is open all the time, warm air from the room can go up the chimney, so it helps to have a way to control it. It might be hard to find an efficient air tight wood burning stove in your area. A Rocket Mass Heater you can build yourself is more efficient, both for burning clean and storing heat, and you can cook on the barrel, or have an oven welded into it. Many metal stoves in the US have a 4" diameter air intake you can connect a metal pipe to from outside the house. If not, one option is to run a 3" or 4" pipe from outside to the proximity of the stove, with a damper to close it so cold air doesn't come into the house when you don't need it.
@kkorrine777575 жыл бұрын
I wish you had said what to do if you don’t have doors or fans on your fireplaces.
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
You really can't heat your house efficiently using a fireplace without putting tight fitting doors on it or installing an insert, because too much air from the room goes up the chimney. The best you can do if you really don't want glass between you and the fire is to get a grate made of tubing that wraps around the fire, with a fan that blows air through the tubes and into the room. But putting doors on it would cost about the same and heat the house much better. An insert is much better still, because it has built in fans and burns cleaner.
@johnnylawrence6 жыл бұрын
My OCD was going crazy with all the times the doors were being opened.
@HartzHomestead6 жыл бұрын
Well, that was taken over 4 hours, shortened to 5 minutes for the video. In our big fireplace I have to push the wood together or add new wood about every 20 to 40 minutes to keep it burning hot. A wood stove or insert normally has a smaller firebox, which keeps the wood closer together and may not need checking so often.
@annaaron35103 ай бұрын
Central heat from a furnace with your thermostat set around 65 F ? No fireplace unit heats well.
@HartzHomestead3 ай бұрын
Our house does not have central heat, but I now heat primarily with electric wall heaters, because burning wood creates a lot of air pollution. It does heat our house very well though, since I added better fans, the heatilator cranks out a blast of 250 degree air that gets our house nice and toasty. Only takes one short fire a day.
@annaaron35103 ай бұрын
@@HartzHomestead WAIT ! If wood is burned cleanly the myth of pollution is a myth. The where does that electricity originate ? Those "clean": renewables demand mining, provide less than 5% of needs, and scar our landscapes. They have a life expectancy. Burning well seasoned wood in EPA stoves is cleaner than the grid. Firewood is renewable, sustainable, healthy.
@ahti295 жыл бұрын
Cant understand the American way of heating.What about accumulating heat?Isnt it better than constant wood burning?
@HartzHomestead5 жыл бұрын
I usually only light a fire about once a day to warm up the house, keep it burning strong until all the wood is burned up, then let it go out. Our brick fireplace stores some of the heat. A rocket mass heater or Russian fireplace would be better, as both burn smaller firewood in a very hot, but short fire, which heats up a large mass of stone or brick and radiates that heat into the house long after the fire is out. One advantage is the fire burns very clean and there's almost no smoke pollution. The worst thing to do is load a stove up with wood and damp it down so it smolders for a long time.
@lesliekendall56684 ай бұрын
You keep the ash pit open???
@HartzHomestead4 ай бұрын
I put a screw in the ash dump so it stays open just enough to let the right amount of air through, which is just about a 1/4" crack. I do have plans to make it adjustable from the hearth, so I can open and close it as needed, but that will require drilling a hole through the bricks.
@lesliekendall56684 ай бұрын
@@HartzHomestead Thank you.
@kolilagephart37665 жыл бұрын
The secret to long term wood heat is keeping the wife happy. Splitting wood in the house is messy and is going to break that stone your work on. If you're starting the fire thinkin' romance ( it could happen) then prep wood outside carry it in bucket ,slip off yer shoes at the door each trip out, respect her clean floor and if you make a mess, clean it up. If that is all to much just pay the power bill.