Wood on a bed of coal ash?

duggo1

Finally getting a wood burner - 4 weeks today:j and planning on getting some supplies ready.

We have a small amount if seasoned wood already and plan to buy more, but I also want to use smokeless some days - maybe at the weekends when it's going to be on all day.

I understand that wood burns on a bed of ash and smokeless doesn't, and you shouldn't burn both together.

I have two questions though.
Is it ok to use kindling to get the smokeless going, or should I use firelighters?
And after having a smokeless fire all day, if its burned down to ash, would it be ok to switch to wood in the evening, or do I need to clean out the ash before burning wood again?

We are having twin walled flue if that has any bearing on the answer.

Also just wanted to thank everyone on the forum.

muckybutt

duggo1 wrote: »

I have two questions though.
Is it ok to use kindling to get the smokeless going, or should I use firelighters?
And after having a smokeless fire all day, if its burned down to ash, would it be ok to switch to wood in the evening, or do I need to clean out the ash before burning wood again?

We are having twin walled flue if that has any bearing on the answer.

Also just wanted to thank everyone on the forum.

To get the fire going you will certainly need a lot of kindling especially if you intend lighting smokeless with it, smokeless is hard to get going so I would suggest a wood fire to begin with, once hot and up to temp then add the smokeless.

If you have been using the smokeless during the day and want to burn the wood in the evening there is no need to empty that smokeless ash, shut the griddle on the bottom and use what ash is there to put the wood on.

duggo1

Thank you. That's very helpful. I guess I was being overly concerned about acids rotting my liner!