4 Must-Haves For Your Woodstove or Fireplace

[@burrowsal]

I use a similar bag but I also bring a cheap child's sled with me to the woodpile (in the winter, and my gorilla cart pre-snow). I load the bag, put it on the sled, and fill the rest of the sled with wood. I make one trip with essentially two loads-unload the first and transfer the leftover wood from the sled into the bag and bring it in. I live in the U.P. and go through a lot of wood! I have two racks to hold wood and each has a tray that fits under each to catch debris. I use welding gloves as well. Two additions to your list I recommend: an Eco Fan and a cast iron water humidifier that sits on top of the stove. The Eco fan takes no electricity and pushes heat into your room. The humidifier is pretty self explanatory.

[@nates2526]

If you get two of the firewood carriers, then it might be easier to carry since you could be balanced with one in each hand.

[@eddt430]

Awesome tip. Better for your back as well.

[@seadog2396]

Was my first thought. I was just thinking, well, if I have to go out to the woodpile anyway....

[@rickvaughan8993]

I have an advantage as I have a basement garage. Three wheelbarrows full of wood brought into the basement at a time. No need to go outside for wood for up 2-3 weeks depending on weather. I also have a stairlift from the basement up to the house. A box of wood on the chair then ran to the top of the stairs. Usually last for a day. Wood goes from chair to wood stove 4-5 steps away. Very little mess. Mostly what bark falls off on the carry from the chair to the stove. And the stove has a large ash pan in the bottom(of course no oven). The ash pan probably holds about 1/2 what your ash can holds. Pull the pan out which has a built in carry handle. Out the door to the garden. My stove also loads from the front or the top. Love the top loading. No mess at all starting or adding to the fire from the top. Love the stove nothing beats wood heat.

[@rhythmfield]

I’m a first-time woodstove owner - very helpful info!

[@davidlevene4178]

Great tips....I'm in Michigan too... Lapeer county...I've got all these too.... Don't forget a cast iron water pot, a thermometer (or laser temp gauge like I have) and a heat activated fan from Amazon!

[@aronmcinnes8313]

I use a metal cat litter sifter to separate my ash from coals. This makes it easy to keep the fire going when cleaning it out or first thing in the morning. The hot coals buried in the ash get brought to the surface and I set it new logs on them.

[@jeffb6859]

Great Video. I run a Lopi Revere and heat a 2 story 2600 sq ft home. Burn just over 5 cords during the winter here just south of Buffalo NY. Furnace will kick on if the house dips below 65, but that only happens when is -5 or below outside. All of these accessories are a must if you heat your home with wood. I like to have a box fan blowing cold air towards the stove to force the hot air to travel outside the room. Seems to get a good air flow throughout the house that way. A shop-vac is another good thing to have around. Bringing wood inside all winter can get messy with all the wood scraps. I’m looking forward to winter. I love heating my home with a wood burning stove!!

[@rotattor]

Yes..nothing better than a shop vac instead of using the good vacuum. BUT NOT recommended for stove ash, it can cause a nasty fire, they make small vacs just for ash and won't cause an explosion or fire.

[@jeffb6859]

@@rotattor I thought the American population would assume not to use the shop vac with hot coals and hot ash. But I guess the Democrats still come on KZbin......

[@rtoguidver3651]

I got a 31 gal Galvanized Metal trash can at Lowes for $25, I made a Tote bag from some awning material I had and plain old work gloves work for me.. I have 5 years worth of wood split & staked --- bring it on !

[@larrylewis3573]

Dear Family Dad, Excellent programme. This is the kind of advice that isn’t always easy to find, or doesn’t come to one’s attention. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. I was sorry that these accessories were not locally available at a competitive price. I have increasing difficulties with faceless highly centralized monopolies. We have learned that having a large portion of the manufacturing sector in distant countries has made North America very vulnerable and morally compromised. Lastly, I am eagerly awaiting your update on the chickens you hatched in the spring. Sincerely, Larry Clarence Lewis, Canada.

[@mpoulin]

I have a coal stove that doubles as a wood stove. I generally start the season with wood then make the switch to coal around the end of December. I have a similar wood carrying bag but mine has sides as well. I purchased it from LL Bean. It wasn't cheap but it'll probably last forever. The great part about a coal stove is I only have to load it twice a day. Once before work in the morning, once in the late evening. Basically I load it twice a day approximately 12 hours apart. The down side of a coal stove is that it took me a good two seasons the really know how to run the thing well. They take longer to get going than a wood stove and, once you get them going, you don't want them to go out on you or you have to wait a good two days for everything to cool down so you can clean it out and start over. These days, after completing my learning curve, I'm in the "one match club" where I can light it once at the beginning of the season and keep it going all winter long.

[@crypsky8795]

All good tips. Here is a couple more: My indoor wood stove has an outside air intake, it is nice to pull in the outside dry cold air for combustion, preventing your warm moist indoor air from going up the chimney. You might also place a pan of water on the stove to act as a humidifier, especially if you are using indoor air for combustion (the moist air going up the chimney is being replaced by dry air from outdoors). NOTE: i also run an outdoor wood boiler and have created my own wifi control module to monitor the temp and create set points for opening the air door and turning on/off the fan. Your router post is what initially drew me to your postings.

[@darrylmcleman6456]

I have an ash pail similar to yours but is also a vacuum. Called the ASH VAC. If you get a hot ember or two in with the ashes it wont start a fire.It is meant more for pellet stoves which need to be cleaned of ash frequently.

[@joshuachristian3102]

A good set of fire tongs is hard to beat. I have a ThermoKing wood stove and rearranging wood is easy to get burned even with good welding gloves due to how deep the burn chamber is.

[@cstarr9318]

The best log carrier is an over the shoulder sling from Leahmans ...even has a pocket for a flashlight

[@wjb111]

Getting close to that time of year to clean the chimney and get the 🔥 going. Pure Michigan.

[@Calbenmike]

Beautiful state! Maine here.

[@justinlichtle8239]

Couldn't agree more on the welding gloves! I have a pair and it makes such a big difference.

[@henrykopchinski8240]

Just installed my first wood burner in my basement, still installing class A stove pipe. Thanks for all the tips. My brother always used a 44 gal. Rubbermaid trash can with the dolly. Wheelbarrowed the wood to the door and loaded up 2-3 days worth of wood. Wheels it over to the stove. All the mess stays in the trash can.

[@SeattlePioneer]

That sounds like a good idea, although my solution is to maximize the use of a wheelbarrow for moving wood in all stages of it's consumption. In the last stage, wood is taken from the woodpile and loaded in the wheelbarrow, which is then run up the steps on a 2x6 ramp, through the front door and to where the wheelbarrow resides during the heating season next to the wood stove. Your trash can idea would be a bit less conspicuous in the living room than my wheelbarrow!

[@seadog2396]

An Excellent video for anyone using a woodstove or fireplace. People - WATCH THIS VID....

[@stinkfinger8700]

watching this then a couple of your older vids noticed that you dont have a damper installed in pipe above the stove. having a damper installed 12"-18" above your stove and keeping it damped down most of the way will help with your creosote problems ( if you are still having them). creosote comes from the un-burned wood gasses that are escaping up the chimney pipe. if you dampen it down above, it keeps the wood gasses in the box, needs to be run at a higher heat to combust them. if you were to do that then your creosote build up would disappear.

[@rotattor]

Looks like a newer stove, I wonder if it has a secondary burn chamber ? I know the newer high efficiency stoves create more creosote if your wood is not completely dry and can give you problems if you are trying to get a long burn overnight. Many insurance companies won't even look a you unless you are running a high efficiency stove but they are more work and very sensitive to wood with a higher moisture content. A good moisture meter is highly recommended.

[@t.dig.2040]

My stove doesn't have a damper because it is tight enough that the flow is controlled at the stove.

[@cherminn2882]

I keep 3-4 days depending on weather worth of wood in the house on a 3ft high x 4 ft wide rack i built. i also built a 4ft high x 10ft long wood rack near my front door so when i need to reload my wood inside its just a few steps away , then on nicer days I reload that rack from the ones on the side of my house. Im not trudging through lots of snow just to bring in a small bit of wood in each time and yes its all covered by tarps. Also think about pointing a box fan on the lowest setting at your stove about 10 ft away, it does an awesome job of moving the heat around.

[@rotattor]

Sounds a bit like my place, the less time I spend moving wood the better, I also grew up with bark and shavings stuck to my socks all the time, good memories ,but some people are clean freaks and can't stand the constant wood chips and cleaning but for us it was just part of the lifestyle.

[@t.dig.2040]

I have a room underneath my concrete porch which I fill up. The entry is in the basement right next to my stove. Then I also have a stack along the house right next to the basement window which the wood comes through.

[@rotattor]

@@t.dig.2040 yep, the closer the better, besides..I can't force the kids to do it anymore, they moved out long ago ! Lol !

[@t.dig.2040]

Yes, lol.. Looking back at my childhood, we didn't even use wheelbarrows to move and stack wood, just an army of kids and lots of back and forth with little kid arm loads.

[@greensnapper1602]

WE use a Carrying Bag just like yours the bucket we just use a Stainless Steal one and the way our basement is at our Stove is we can bring in about a Half a cord.. So we have about a half in at all times.. We burn about say 5 Cord a season here just depends on how Cold it is... And as always we Thank you for your Time...

[@lechatbotte.]

I had a wagon I would load, could bring in larger amounts and dump them in my wood box, fewer trips. At my age I didn’t like going out in the winter unless I had to.

[@sandieblack4860]

I agree with each one of your products, i have them all, not the exact same brands but for sure the gloves are a geat idea that most people don't think about. I have been using mine now for several years and they work great, saved me many a burn for sure. The other thing I might add to the collection is a fire guard, especially if you have children or animals around. Mine has also saved me from falling on my stove a couple of times myself. (Yes, I am a clutz!) Take care and stay safe, Sandie from Ontario Canada.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Appreciate your timely video! This year will be our first year burning wood for heat. We just finished the install this past weekend and are itching to start a fire but ti has been to warm. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@Clbind]

Light your fire on a day you can open windows. Usually the first burn you need to break in the stove and the seals and paints need to cure (If it’s a brand new stove). It will smoke and smell. Start with a low fire first then build to a hotter fire later. Then it will be ready for a cold day.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

@@Clbind We did start it for the first time last night and the owners manual did warn about the paint curing and smelling. Turned on the whole house fan (attic fan) for about an hour and cleared it right up! Thanks!

[@traviscover590]

You guys have good thanksgiving too you guys

[@clarktomlin7393]

1. Small firewood shed on the patio right next to the house -- load once a month (with lawn tractor & trailer - on the nice days!) 2. Kindling Cracker (if you are not familiar with this, it is a God send 3. Small firewood starters 4. Stove top thermometer (450 deg = sweet spot NO SMOKE!) 5. Wood tub (24 in diameter chased brass had it since the '80s

[@tomlawler3661]

We built our custom house in Ludlow, Mass and I built a cabinet right next to the wood stove. Inside is a Woodwaiter made by a Canadian company that brings the firewood up from the basement. All the snow and wood debris comes into my walkout basement. I load the wood into a basket that holds about 1/2 day of wood and the electric Woodwaiter brings it up 10 ft right into the cabinet. I'd post a short video of it, but I don't know how.

[@downforwhatever67]

Nice wood burning system. That’s an interesting stove you’ve got. Obviously different stoves require different systems, although there are a few nearly universal truths (welding gloves!). As for ash handling I don’t have a combination cook stove. My stove has an ash dump to rake ash into and then they are removed in the galvanized pan they fall into through a door below (Waterford Trinity MKII). This means I can burn my stove continuously if needed (below zero Fahrenheit for instance). Thus I don’t own a shovel and my ashcans stay outside on a nonflammable surface a few feet away from the house. Closed wood bags are an upgrade. I recommend them highly. We have five. I really like your woodshed! Bravo! My 4 cord woodshed is a small hoop roofed pole barn that is covered by greenhouse plastic and is thus a solar kiln. Green oak and maple arrive in May and are dry by October. A tarp goes on over the greenhouse film in late November for added roof strength. For those just starting out, I highly recommend a stove with an outside air combustion air port. I’ve been around wood heat my whole life, 54 years, and own two stoves with this feature. I ran my big stove without it hooked up for a couple of years. Once I got the outside combustion air hooked up the entire house was instantly more comfortable. NO DRAFTS. There are lots of folks on either side of this issue. Done correctly and with the right stove there simply is no comparison between the two systems in terms of total thermal comfort and performance. Close your stove wisely and get one size bigger than you think. As long as it will fit comfortably. Great video! Stay warm!

[@timandrew64]

Catalyst stove is what we have. Dampers the flame but chemical reactions increase your burn time using less wood.

[@rotattor]

I hear they are high maintenance and the catalyst is expensive to replace, also very sensitive to wood with a higher moisture content. How long have you been running it and any problems so far ?

[@timandrew64]

@@rotattor Running it for 4 winters. Burning 24/7 for 3 to 4 months, depending on the season changes. As long as you run the catalyst in the temperature they recommend you should have no issues. You can always bypass the catalyst and run it as a regular stove. As with any wood the dryer the better. You can burn with higher moisture content as long as you burn through the catalyst at the required temperature to burn off the creosote. Eventually the catalyst cartridge will need to be changed out but the savings of not having to buy the extra wood should cover that cost. Hope that information helps.

[@rotattor]

@@timandrew64 curious, is the excess heat from catalyst retained in the stove via recirculation somehow?

[@timandrew64]

@@rotattor I don't believe there is excess heat generated. The catalyst just creates a different method of combustion. No recirc on my stove, just a once through design.

[@brianrizzi6321]

I use firewood carts. And park the cart with all the wood a safe distance from the stove. Then I found my friend using 3 carts and whoohoo I went crazy and got 3 carts! Load up all three and it pretty much lasts me a week. The other two I store in the three season room and they warm up a little bit. Next best thing is the pinch a log. So great for picking up heavy rounds to the splitter.

[@OrganicBackyardGardening]

Wow - That is is a beautiful stove. I have that same pale, I love it. I'm going to pick up that rack for my bag instead of setting it on the floor. Another recommendation fat wood to start the fires - I find it more effective than paper or cardboard.

[@kimnuyen4628]

Leather and wood hand bellows are essential. Better than trying to blow on the embers! Helps to have a poker too.I have used wood stoves in the past, have a fireplace downstairs. Used to use it alot. Haven't for many years now. Natural gas easier, cheaper, cleaner, less strenuous. Comfort and ambience with a wood fire. Dries out the house too.

[@markhedger6378]

Top tip :don't forget to vacuum around the back and in the air vent control mechanism when you do your annual maintenance, my stove went on a go slow because I missed this for several years and the dust built up and blocked the air in take.

[@danchauvin9896]

I had one of those carriers and it was the easiest way to bring wood in! It got away from me so I'll be ordering a new one. Thanks for the link.

[@PatrickWagz]

A simple firewood poker.

[@jimstein8249]

That Oven would be a great addition for me

[@AmeliAntoinette]

Hi there! Thanks for the helpful video! Definitely getting these. A littel question, what kind of backing do you have behind your woodstove? ITs looks really nice! Is it tiles? wood? laminate? Thanks!

[@t.dig.2040]

One of the greatest assesories I have came across is a length of 3/8 stainless tubing. If there is a single hot coal one can get the fire going agian.

[@dougalk9410]

Could you please explain your technique a a little more, sounds interesting.

[@t.dig.2040]

The tubing let's you blow on the coals with precision. If it's smoking, one can get the next breath with out choking or burning the eyes.

[@trustbuster23]

Strongly suggest you build or buy a box or rack that keeps a few days worth of wood by the stove at a time. I use a wheelbarrow to refill that big rack. It is much less work overall, becomes a slightly longer task you do 2-3x week vs. a shorter task 2-3x a day. And it gives you flexibility as to when you do it. You may still occasionally end up lugging wood in when it is pouring rain or snowing like crazy, but you can often avoid those situations with a little advance planning.

[@SeattlePioneer]

> I maximize the use of a wheelbarrow to minimize the labor needed with a woo0d stove. So a wheelbarrow is used to haul wood to be cut and split and stacked. And when wood is needed to burn the wheelbarrow gets filled up, run up a ramp through the front door and to it's home in the living room, by the wood stove. So the wheelbarrow is a feature of the living room during much of the heating season.

[@seeyaatthebema]

Vermont castings woodstoves used to have a front loader that also opened from the top and had a drop in grill... You could BBQ steaks indoors in the winter.

[@Clbind]

They brought the grill feature back in their new models this year.

[@nickprague1481]

I notice your water pot on the stove which adds essential moisture. I keep a stainless steel tea kettle on my stove. Once hot I can get a free instant coffee or tea from that kettle

[@CrochetNewsNetwork]

Thank you for the Scripture at the end of your video. I’m purchasing a wood stove this year. Wanted a red enameled Vermont Castings Defiant, but I’m not reading good reviews:-) I’m a senior with back problems and liked the top loading feature. Do you have any recommendations?

[@seanodoon]

greetings from the cottage on the hill West Ireland, stove top fan is my fav addition. How do you keep the pebble surround ash free.

[@rotattor]

A good wife and vacuum ! LOL ! it must be a pain in the ass to keep clean.

[@jimmypautz]

I have similar cheap ($8) welding gloves like that from Menard's that i use as grilling gloves. They work great.

[@JohnvanGurp]

I would say the welding gloves are the number one safety accessory for a woodstove.

[@nephimitchell]

You got all dressed up for this video!!

[@rogerknight2267]

Our first wood stove is being installed this week, a Buck model 81. We are scared to death. We live in a very old frame house and our fear of fire us of great concern. The unit is being professionally installed, so I got that part right. The location for the unit is nice and spacious so getting the clearance requirements right should not be a challenge. We are purchasing a mat to place under the stove, plus we are looking at free standing heat shields to place around the unit. Sorry to ramble, but any other words of advice here would be appreciated. Thank you for the accessories review and tips!!

[@rotattor]

We used to heat with wood in the basement, but there was no way in hell we were carrying eight pieces at a time from the wood shed outside then trek thru the house with it, my dad had built a temporary ramp for one of the basement windows so we could load thru the window a wheelbarrow at a time, that was done twice a year, I hated that job as a kid but it was efficient and kept the mess to a minimum. I could just imagine how much work we could have saved if they made high efficiency wood stoves back then.

[@plutha7520]

I made one from tough sacking with straps handles and a toggle fastener cost very little to made.

[@seansolomon7566]

100080304 Suncourt EntreeAir 5 in. Single Speed Door Frame Fan in White. I use this fan from Home Depot to blow the heat down the hallway toward the bottom of our stairs. It makes a big difference how much warm air gets to the second level of the house.

[@graydonturner]

How are wood stoves on home insurance? I've heard they jack up rates, so I've stayed away despite building a large stack of seasoned wood.

[@rickvaughan8993]

I have been heating with wood for 30 years. The insurance company has inspected the stove set up twice. No problems for insurance as long as they are installed to code. At least that is my experience

[@graydonturner]

Appreciate the feedback on your experience. Thank you!

[@janew5351]

You must have a stainless steel liner for the chimney.

[@rotattor]

Insurance companies are touchy on wood stoves depending on where you live, too many homes and lives are lost every year due to poor maintenance and improper installation practices. Do your homework for regulations in the area you live in. Buy a quality stove that's certified, have it installed by a licensed and insured company, learn to maintain it or hire a professional to inspect and clean it at least once a year with a record of it being done, there are many factors to consider when deciding on heating with wood, it's a lifestyle and not for everyone but can be very rewarding and cost effective.

[@sheilaackers3854]

What are the measurements for the carrier? How many logs does it hold? Thanks

[@Janggut40]

Thank you for the tips.

[@skypee8336]

Can you do more videos on your chickens plz

[@mustfaaboassd]

Nice hear cut man .

[@myrnadavis2409]

Is that one of those military hair cuts

[@chrisniner8772]

Now learn what an upside down fire is. Burn less wood and mess with the stove a lot less. You may never have to clean the chimney again either

[@brockdyncatron3775]

Always clean your chimney. Foolish to think you dont have to.

[@BS.-.-]

Two things I see that you could improve on. 1 is a stove with an ash tray. You never need to let the stove go out with one, nor do you need to shovel ash. 2 your firewood carrier is setup so you need to have no wood inside before you go get more. Make your self a nice wood box. We keep a weeks worth of wood in our box. A wheelbarrow is alot easier to use moving wood than a carrier like that, wr have one too. 34yrs useing a wood stove for primary heat.

[@traviscover590]

I like your new video today you did a really good jop today

[@sgtrhyno]

I love that your keeping that PT shirt in service. Airborne!

[@jimcolborn561]

who makes the steamer on top of your stove and where did you purchase it from?

[@magnatron7734]

wheel barrow done

[@willowknollhomestead206]

Is it that cold already in Michigan? Seem to have to many layers on for October!

[@hardymarshfarm7843]

Nice. We love our wood burner. We have some of the same things but need to look into the gloves. We do t have the cold you guys have here in SC but it is nice to burn on them cool and cold days. Thanks for sharing.

[@henryrodgers3409]

Even though I have natural gas for heat I would love to have a wood stove . So relaxing just to look at the fire burn the wood . Would love to have a stove in the rec room . It's always very cold . Problem is with insurance . Many companies won't insure you if you have a wood stove or the insurance fee is very high . Do you have vents cut into the floor to allow the heat to go upstairs . Al at Lumbna Acres heats his home with a wood stove in the basement . He has vents to allow the heat to rise up to the main floor and cold air return ducts .

[@mikemyers3515]

The three main parts, lifter, leg, and poker.

[@jons7677]

What did you use on you wall behind the stove? I like it!

[@SSLFamilyDad]

Lifeproof tiles

[@mikejones3155]

Where did you buy the stove ? I didn’t see any link to the company .. thanks

[@The_True_]

How much of your house is heated by this stove? Just the basement, or does it carry throughout the house?

[@SSLFamilyDad]

Carries throughout the house. We have an electric heat on the far end bedroom

[@The_True_]

@@SSLFamilyDad Wow! That's quite a good deal then! Much better than the outside burner you had before. Congrats!

[@jacquesblaque7728]

Prefer closed-end wood-carrier bag, less mess. I'd be concerned about wood? stove-surround, unless stove has complete IR-blocking surround. El-cheapo IR thermometer can tell if flammables approach light-off. (Keep things below 250 F.) Much prefer top-down light-off of stove: bigger splits below smaller & kindling. Light the top. Large cold splits in flame-path will quench flames, increasing unburnt volatile concentration in flue- pollutants, flue-deposits, combustion-efficiency drop- nothing good there. Stacking splits for days to weeks alongside stove can slowly dry the splits close to 0% moisture-content. Water is a lousy fuel. Modern stoves run much better with large splits of DRY wood. I like cheapo wood cart to bring in 16" splits, to a bandsaw for cutting to 8". Then into big bag. Whistling kettle & optional trivet a PLUS.

[@andrewadams115]

C

[@bradhardwidge1521]

Please do not leave ash in the bucket inside the home when you've cleaned the fire out. The ash could still be producing Carbon Monoxide and if people see this and live in smaller homes they could be in danger. Please place your ash buckets outside not in the home.

[@dustindeschene2779]

Buddy, do your self a favour and get a blaze king, changed my life

[@chevy6299]

A gas furnace! Sorry but I don't have the same drive for back to basics that you have.

[@sandieblack4860]

chevt6299, you don`t know what you are missing haha.. I love my woodstove at the house and the one at my cabin and even have an old one outside..

[@chevy6299]

@@sandieblack4860 Yes I do, lol!

[@sandieblack4860]

@@chevy6299 Yeah, I guess it can have a slight ``downside`` but I am willing to work with that haha.

[@slaytanic921]

We have a furnace, wood stove and gas fireplace. Hoping to use mostly the wood stove this year.

[@crispychicken2743]

Is this the common sense show . People if you cant run a would stove . Please dont.

[@timboltz7421]

i make a fire like you than i fill it up with logs