Why light the stove from above? Which kindling is right for my stove? Should I place or lay the wood in the stove? And how do I set the air supply optimally?
There are many different approaches and opinions on the subject of "lighting a fireplace correctly" - and this is exactly what often makes the start unnecessarily complicated.
That's why we'll show you a simple and safe method to light your fireplace cleanly, efficiently and without detours every time.
What you can expect
- Light the fireplace properly: What you need
- Lighting the stove: 5 simple steps to the perfect fire
- Typical mistakes when lighting a fire
- And what happens after lighting?
- Did you know it could be even easier?
- Would you like to heat even more efficiently?
- Frequently asked questions about "Lighting the fire"
Light the fireplace correctly: What you need
- Dry hardwood (recommendation: beech and birch)
- Kindling (finely split)
- Kindling (e.g. wood wool kindling, ecological wax kindling)
- oven glove
- Fully open air supply
Lighting the stove: 5 simple steps to the perfect fire
1. before you light the stove: Open the air supply completely
Open the primary and secondary air completely so that the stove draws optimally right from the start. This also prevents smoke in the combustion chamber.
2. place the wood (top-down method)
Place 2-3 larger logs at the bottom of the combustion chamber. Place the firelighter on top and then the kindling.
This way, the fire burns from top to bottom - clean and stable.
Our tip: The operating instructions for your Spartherm model will tell you exactly how much wood you should start with.
3. lighting
Light the firelighter. Wood wool firelighters or ecological wax firelighters are particularly suitable because they burn reliably for a long time.
Close the door and allow the flames to slowly take hold of the kindling until a stable, calm fire develops.
4. regulate the air
As soon as stable flames are visible:
- Reduce the primary air, to about one third, until the flames are fully established.
- As soon as the firewood is burning vigorously, close the primary air.
- Gradually reduce the air supply.
- Leave the secondary air open. This keeps the combustion clean and the glass clear.
- The aim is to achieve even flames and optimum heat emission.
This keeps your fire running evenly and with low emissions.
Our tips for the right air supply when lighting a fire in a nutshell:
- Open the air supply completely when lighting the fire
- Only reduce the air when the fire would "run by itself"
- A clean burn is only possible if the air supply is fully regulated
- To avoid smouldering fires, the air supply should never be closed completely
Typical mistakes when lighting a fire
Use damp wood
- Wood with more than 20 % residual moisture burns poorly, smokes and lowers the combustion chamber temperature. Use well-stored, dry hardwood wherever possible. You can find out how to store your firewood optimally in another blog post.
Too little air at the start
- A fireplace needs a lot of oxygen at the start. If the primary and secondary air are closed too early, smoke is easily produced and the fire suffocates.
Throttling the air supply too early
- Too little air leads to incomplete combustion.This results in more smoke - and a noticeable increase in particulate emissions.
- Soot and tar form more easily with poor combustion.This clogs the stove and chimney more quickly and can make cleaning and maintenance more complex.
- If the air supply is throttled too early, the efficiency drops.The wood burns less efficiently - and less heat reaches the room.
Too much wood on the stove
- Too many logs at once will smother the flames. Follow the instructions in your user manual.
- Too much wood often gets too little oxygen.The flames become sluggish or "suffocate" and combustion is incomplete - more smoke, soot and, in the worst case, carbon monoxide (CO) are produced.
- If too much firewood is used regularly, emissions are increased and the system becomes dirty more quickly.More fine dust, a more sooty viewing window and deposits in the combustion chamber and chimney are typical consequences - this also increases the risk of a chimney fire.
- Despite the large amount of wood, the efficiency decreases.Part of the energy is lost unused via the exhaust gases and the stove heats inefficiently instead of evenly.
- If there is a lot of wood and a lot of air at the same time, there is a risk of overheating.This can lead to material damage (e.g. warping, cracks, discolored metal sheets) - depending on the manufacturer, this may affect warranty claims.
Newspaper or cardboard as kindling
- They burn very quickly, produce a lot of ash and can block the air supply. They also produce more fine dust.
And what happens after lighting?
As soon as your fire is burning steadily, you will need to add fuel at some point. We show you how to do this cleanly, safely and without smoke in our article "Adding firewood: how to make the perfect fire".
Did you know that it's even easier?
An optimally adjusted air supply is just as important when lighting the fire as when adding wood. It determines whether your fire burns quietly, cleanly and powerfully - or whether it smokes, falters and simply doesn't get going. This is where most uncertainties arise in everyday life.But there is a much simpler way: the smart S-THERMATIK NEO combustion control system takes this task off your hands and regulates the air supply automatically. For an effortless start, stable flames and a fire that shows its best side every time - without the need to readjust.
Want to heat even more efficiently?
If you want to get more out of your stove and use your firewood as efficiently as possible, you can find practical tips for everyday life in this article: "Heat your stove properly - and save firewood".
And if your fireplace occasionally smokes or doesn't draw properly, you can find understandable causes and simple solutions here: 'Your fireplace doesn't draw or smokes? Causes and solutions".
Frequently asked questions about adding wood and our answers
Why should I light wood in the stove from the top?
When lighting from the top, the flames burn slowly downwards through the wood. This results in a higher combustion chamber temperature more quickly, less smoke and a much quieter start.
Should I lay or place the wood in the stove?
For clean and efficient combustion, you should place the logs in the stove instead of standing them on end. This way, it ignites more evenly, promotes air circulation and ensures that the fire burns more quietly and cleanly. The horizontal positioning also keeps the glass clear for longer.
Lighting the fireplace correctly: How should the air supply be set?
Open the primary and secondary air completely. Only when the fire is burning steadily do you close the primary air again and leave the secondary air open.
Which kindling is suitable for the stove?
Natural wood wool firelighters or ecological wax firelighters work best. They burn long enough, hardly develop any odor and support a clean ignition phase.
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