Here at Longfield Logs we distribute high-quality softwood and hardwood logs in Darlington and the whole of the North East. Lighting your log burner may seem like and easy job and once you have mastered it you will get the perfect flame that will keep you warm all day long with only extra logs needing to be added throughout the day. A log burner in any home is the perfect addition to keep you and your family warm and cosy through the winter period. In this blog we are going to provide you with our tips for lighting your fire and other advice you need to know.

How to Light the Fire

There are numerous stages involved when lighting your fire. These tips will help to ensure that your stove doesn’t become too hot and your logs burn correctly during the period it is lit…

1. You need to have a good amount of ash in your log burner. Not too much but just enough so that air can still circulate through the fire and encourage the flame to continue.
2. We recommend 2-3 logs in your stove to begin with and to help get the fire burning.
3. As well as the logs you place in the stove, you will also need a number of kindling sticks. Roughly between 3-6.
4. A firelighter will help with enhancing and getting the perfect flame.
5. Your air socket/ control will need to be fully open to start the fire.
6. Once you’ve used a match to light the fire, close the door to but not completely to begin with. This will allow the flue to heat up and for your fire to burn clean air.
7. Once you’ve established a good burning flame, you will be able to completely close the door and close the air flow/ socket further.
8. You will only need to add extra logs to your fire once you see the flame completely dying down.
9. If you wish, over the course of your fire being lit, you can open the air flow again to build the flames up and the close them again once you are happy with the flame.

By following the above guidance, you will achieve maximum efficiency when burning logs.

How many logs is enough?

The key is to not overload your log burner as if you do there will not be enough oxygen to keep the fire burning. To achieve the perfect fire, one or two logs in the stove at once will keep you warm and toasty.

Do I use Hardwood or Softwood Logs?

There is no completely right or wrong answer for the logs that you burn. You can start by using softwood logs to get your fire started and then when it comes to adding more logs in as the fire burns you change to hardwood logs to maintain the flame and heat. Your logs must always be dry and be kept in a cool, covered space. In one of our previous blogs, we talked about how to store your logs and the best places for them. Click here to read more.

How Often do I Clean My Stove?

For maximum efficiency you should clean your stove at least twice a year if not three times depending on how often you use the fire. Using a soft bristle brush and a damp cloth, sometimes a hoover to clean up any spillages, you can remove the soot and some of the ash from your stove. Make sure you always wait until the stove is completely cold before you attempt to clean it out.

How to Stop the Flames

If you have lit the fire but are going to be leaving the property during the day, it is important that the fire it put out before you leave. This will provide you with complete peace of mind while you are not at home.

1. Make the flames want more oxygen to stay a light. By completely closing the door and reducing the air flow, the flames will have nothing to thrive of and continue to burn- resulting in them beginning to reduce.
2. We would recommend that when you have a wood burner that you own a pair of heat protective gloves. You can use these to hold a fire poker once the flame has died down to spread around the remaining burnt items.

For the trusted and reliable log supply of softwood and hardwood logs in Darlington and the whole of the North East, please contact our team today. You can order online or call us on 07780 453324/ 01642 581048. To see our prices or delivery information, please visit our website.