11 Reasons Why Your Wood Burning Stove Isn’t Getting Hot

  • The draft on the stove is poor.
  • Air vents aren’t open enough.
  • The vents are open too much.
  • Secondary combustion isn’t occurring.
  • Building and lighting the fire incorrectly.
  • The wood isn’t dry enough.
  • The wood is cold.
  • Not Using hardwood logs.

How can I get more heat out of my fireplace insert?

Turn Up the Heat: Tips to Follow

  1. Install a Fireplace Insert. …
  2. Use Glass Doors. …
  3. Use a Chimney Damper. …
  4. Get Chimney Fans. …
  5. Only Burn Dried Firewood. …
  6. Use Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. …
  7. Keep Combustible Materials Away from the Fireplace. …
  8. Clean Your Fireplace Regularly.

Why is my fireplace not heating?





Use the Damper to Turn Up the Heat

Make sure to fully open the damper when starting the fire. When you have a great fire going, slightly close the damper to prevent excess heat from escaping. If the room still isn’t warm enough, close the damper a little bit more. This will enhance your heating output.

Do fireplace inserts produce heat?

Do electric fireplace inserts produce heat? Yes. While electric fireplace inserts don’t produce as much heat as gas- and wood-fueled inserts, most models can heat spaces up to 400 square feet.

How can I make my fireplace more efficient?

To avoid letting all the heat evaporate, here are five tips to make your fireplace more efficient this winter.

  1. Burn seasoned firewood. …
  2. Close the dampers. …
  3. Reverse the circulation of ceiling fans to spread the warmth. …
  4. Use glass fireplace doors to reduce heat loss. …
  5. Install a fireplace insert to increase heating efficiency.




Do fireplace blowers really work?

Well, let us reassure you that fireplace blowers do actually work, and they make a great contribution to any living space. They function by drawing in your home’s air, then heating it in a specially-designed tube that is installed near your fireplace.

Why does my gas fireplace not heat the room?

When your gas fireplace is not heating your room, you need to look at installing a blower to circulate the heat. Other factors, such as fireplace dampers, backs, and doors, could prevent the heat from entering the room. You want to get the most out of your gas fireplace, and this includes heat.

Do fireplaces really heat a house?

Can a Fireplace Really Heat Your Home? Absolutely! And many houses already have a fireplace. It’s just a matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home.

Will a wood burning insert heat my house?



You open the door to stack the wood, then shut it, on most models, while your fire is burning. Most wood-burning inserts also create convection heat with a fan located underneath the firebox. Wood-burning inserts can heat anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 sq. ft., depending on their size.

What does a fireback do?

The primary functions of a fireback are to protect the wall at the back of the fireplace and radiate heat from the fire into the room.

Do glass doors improve fireplace efficiency?

Fireplace glass doors are able to greatly increase the efficiency of the fireplace by acting as a barrier between your home and your chimney. An open fireplace is just like an open window.

Do fireplaces make your house colder?



The standard fireplace is among the most inefficient heating devices you can operate. In fact, it can be so inefficient that in some cases it actually makes your house colder.

Should a window be open when using a fireplace?

Fireplaces should not be used as furnaces. Use a fireplace for a short-duration fire — no longer than five hours. Keep the glass open to allow air to be drawn up to cool the chimney, but keep the screen closed to prevent sparks from jumping onto the carpeting.

What are the 3 most common dangers of having a fireplace?

They are the source of risks of all kinds, from pollution to fire hazards.

  • Woodsmoke Is Harmful. If you have a wood-burning fireplace in your home, you may want to pause before throwing another log on the fire. …
  • Polluting Your Home and Environment. …
  • Fire Hazard. …
  • Stay Safe and Prevent Hazards.

Can you go to bed with a fire in the fireplace?



You should never go to sleep while a fire is in the fireplace. It may seem safe—after all, the fire is small and controlled behind a metal grate.

Can you get carbon monoxide from a fireplace?

Yes, gas fireplaces are one potential cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. While there are many potential sources of such exposure, including certain appliances and devices, motor vehicles and wood stoves, gas fireplaces are a common culprit.

How do I know if my chimney is leaking carbon monoxide?

While carbon monoxide is invisible and can’t be detected by smell, the following are possible clues that there is a CO problem in your home: Water streaking or rusting on your chimney or vent. Furnace panels which are missing or loose. A buildup of soot.

How do you check for carbon monoxide without a detector?

How to find carbon monoxide leaks

  1. Brownish or yellowish stains around appliances.
  2. A pilot light that frequently goes out.
  3. Burner flame appears yellow instead of clear blue (exception: natural gas fireplaces)
  4. No upward draft in chimney flue.
  5. Stale-smelling air.
  6. Soot, smoke or back-draft inside the home.


How can I tell if I have a gas leak in my fireplace?

Turn your spray bottle to the “stream” setting or take a paintbrush and apply the soapy mixture on your fireplace gas valve. Turn on the gas and check for any bubbles to appear. If you see bubbles start to appear, then you have a gas leak.

Are you supposed to smell gas when using a gas fireplace?

Why Does a Gas Fireplace Smell Like Gas When Turned On? The smell you notice when using some gas appliances actually isn’t natural – it’s added to the gas to make it easier to detect a leak. However, it’s perfectly normal for a gas fireplace to vent a small amount of gas when it’s first turned on.

Is it normal to smell gas when using a gas fireplace?

Newly Installed Gas Systems May Start with an Odor

Your gas fireplace smells when first turned on, and that’s okay. This is normal to experience the first time you light it up, after installation. This type of odor may occur any time of year with a newly installed unit.