How do you get used to burning wood?

Don't feel like you have to do everything "homesteady" to be a homesteader. You won't lose our respect for using an oil furnace. You went through a traumatic event and it's reasonable to be wary of fire after that. If you have to burn wood to make the wife happy, then just do it safely and have fire extinguishers around just in case.

I had "fear of fire" too. A wood stove was an alien idea- never even saw one in my childhood. Went through a kerosene furnace explosion and had my parents get carbon monoxide poisoning from natural gas furnace though.

It took me a season or two to be able to get a fire started and keep it going. There actually was a learning curve. Even cutting kindling was an issue, not to mention the simple need for kindling in the first place. But I learned even though I was 60 when I got my first non pellet wood stove. I was forced into it due to constant power outages. Now I simply like being warm.

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For we used to ask when we were little, thinking that the old men knew all things which are on earth: yet forsooth they did not know; but we do not contradict them, for neither do we know.

Burning wood is like a hobby.

If you dont like it there are other places to invest resources - both time and $$$.

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Momma's don't let your cowboys grow up to be babies!

Some of tool that person burner wood should have are fire extinguisher,metal ash bucket ,sturdy ash shovel ,and wielder gloves . Most people that burn wood have experienced some pretty good burns loading there stoves .Gloves can prevent most of them I have top load stove so they are must but everybody should have pair laying by stove also pervent splitters.

This thread has really got me thinking.

Until I read this thread I never gave much thought to not burning wood for heat. I grew up with it and it's always been a source of "warm" feelings.
I made fire my vocation when I took an oath as a career firefighter. The first bad experience I had was as a 13 year old boy I let a campfire get out of control and burned 2 acres of my family's land Since then I've embraced it and the thought never crossed my mind about it being a negative thing.

Then I read this thread and the testimonials of those who suffered personal loss from a fire and how that affects them to this day. It makes me step back humbly and respect. Of course as a firefighter I've been affected by the lives that fire claims every year,(stories that would break your heart) but selfishly I've never given much thought to how others may be affected in their everyday lives by the loss. So much so that the smell upsets them. The smell has always been a source of joy for me. The ringing in of cool autumn nights or the smell that meant I was going to work, perhaps saving a life or making a difference in saving someone's belongings.

Hearing those testimonials made me appreciate a recent experience. Good couple friends of ours just bought their first house, a beautiful 19th century farmhouse with many custom touches including a beautiful soapstone stove in the living room. Neither of them had any experience with woodstoves before but seemed very excited about the prospect of potentially reducing their heating costs by burning wood not to mention the intrinsic beauty of the stove. Of course my wife and I shared their enthusiasm and I gave as much advice on getting the most out of the stove as I felt I should. Until the last time we were over and I asked if he was able to get a full night's burn out of the stove, something all wood burners strive for. I was surprised at his reaction. "nope it's out when we go to bed" I didn't pry but I figured they were a little hesitant having the stove chugging away all night while they slept. I thought it was weird until reading about others here who are nervous about heating with wood.
I won't judge. Everyone's comfort level is different. However, to be fully comfortable with it is to respect it and ensure that every aspect of the woodstove installation and maintenance is proper.

Could just be someone running one of those outside stoves in permanent smolder mode, which seems to be the fashion. Gotta love how one house thinks its ok to smoke up a few square miles with their poorly burning stove.
One of my nearest neighbors, (about a quarter mile away) likes to run their stove that way... and when the wind comes in from the north east, it smells like I'm living next to a coal fire. Makes being outside pretty unpleasant, as I've always had sinus issues...
I am a firm believer in having a hot fire at least once during a burn cycle to help keep the flue pipe clean. I usually run the stove with full air for about 30 minutes to get the flue pipe up to about ~700F (according to the little magnetic thermometer on the pipe about 2 feet above the stove). This goes a long way towards keeping creosote to a minimum. Cleaned the stovepipe this fall, (first time in 2 years) and it barely had any residue in it!
I did try burning some of the creek-bank coal we have around here, but the smell outside was terrible, so haven't done that since...

Good points Greg. I agree with letting the stove run hot. That was another quirk about my friends new stove. He is so obsessed with the temp of the stove and not letting it run. He's nervous when the pipe around the damper is over 350. I try to tell him he's gotta burn it hot to kill the creosote.

Despite being a great renewable resource and adding to the self-sufficiency to the homesteader, burning wood can cause some serious health impacts, especially if you are exposed to it long-term. But surprisingly, most people seem to think "how could burning wood be bad for you? It's natural, right?".

There is lots of information on the effects of woodsmoke on human health (e.g., summary http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/pdfs/woo...ects_jan07.pdf).

I'm not saying we shouldn't burn wood at all! But I think we need to be aware of this, in order to minimize exposure, etc. Sorry to add another fire fear to pot, but I think its important and overlooked

m

If your wood stove isn't doing the very best job the thing to do is to head over to woodheat.org

I have been thinking about this one Bill.
There is a stove I was looking at buying a while back but it was too expensive for me. That one does feed from the top but even that one says you must just crack open the top a little bit and wait for the fire to take off before opening the lid all the way to fill the stove.
Just like a properly made Rocket Stove will pull the fire down so will any top load stove if it is done right.

there is no one way to do something. Have RESPECT but give fear over to education. We all use modern conveniences at times and we don't have to be stuck in only one century to be a homesteader. Enjoy the ride or get off and try another. There are many to choose. Pick a different homesteading skill to work on for now.