Ash or birch, which is better for a bathhouse? What kind of firewood for a bath is considered the best? Firewood from fruit trees

Everyone loves a sauna, but not everyone knows how to heat it. There are only a few rules, following which you can achieve the desired heat level and avoid unpleasant mistakes, such as leaks carbon monoxide to the steam room. This article contains time-tested advice from both sauna lovers and professional stove-makers.

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How to choose fuel and what not to burn?

Choosing fuel for a bath

Choosing the right fuel is half the success. The fact is that each material has its own energy value, that is, the same volume of, for example, birch and oak firewood will give different amounts of heat to the stove. Professionals recommend using it in sauna stove firewood from rocks high heat transfer.

The moisture content of the wood also plays an important role - its level should not exceed 20% (for comparison, the wood of a freshly felled tree has a moisture content of 30-50%). Therefore, before using, the firewood must be dried in a warm, dry room.

The main types of fuel for a sauna stove are:

What can’t be used to heat a bathhouse?

Under no circumstances should you heat a bathhouse with a metal stove with rotten wood or wood treated with chemicals.

In addition, you should not put plastic waste in the oven, old clothes, obviously dangerous and toxic substances and objects. You should never use flammable fuels and lubricants for kindling.

Detailed instructions for heating an iron stove in a bathhouse

Adding fuel to the stove

It is correct to heat a bathhouse with wood iron stove very simple. There is a special algorithm:

Using the gate

The gate is a damper on stove chimney. Its task is to prevent heat from leaving the room through the chimney when the combustion process is already completed.

How to use the gate correctly? The only thing important rule when using a damper, close the chimney only when the combustion has already completed. Otherwise, even if there is no fire in the stove, but only active smoldering, there is a risk of carbon monoxide leakage.

Common mistakes

• Too much firewood at once. If the firewood in the stove, especially one that has not yet been lit, is placed too tightly, there is a risk of smoke in the room, because there will be no normal circulation of gases in the firebox of the stove.
• Blower/gate valve closed too early. In both cases, violation of the order of using the stove leads to difficulty in the circulation of gases during the combustion process.

Conclusion

It’s good if the question of how to heat an iron stove in a bathhouse no longer arises. And if this happens, you can always re-read the article again to refresh your memory of the main features of this type of stove, the rules for selecting fuel for them, and the differences between its different types. A bath should bring pleasure from the beginning to the very end of use, so it is important to learn not only the technology of bath procedures, but also technical features combustion process.

You cannot take a steam bath without first heating the stove. Of course, if you have electric or gas model, then you don’t need to know any special tricks for heating a bath. It is enough to read the instructions and strictly follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s a different matter if the stove in your bathhouse is real – wood-burning. Not all novice bathhouse attendants know how to properly heat a bathhouse with such a stove. Uninformed beginners spend hours heating up a wood-burning stove, surprised that the temperature in the steam room does not rise above 40 degrees. Or they forget about the dampers, and then dangerous carbon monoxide becomes a companion to bath procedures. There is no need to make such mistakes. Let's start learning how to heat a sauna correctly!

Important component #1 - good firewood

The choice of firewood determines how quickly your sauna will be heated and how hot the sauna will be. Preference should be given to hardwood: hornbeam, oak, ash, maple. These rocks have the highest heat transfer, that is, they emit the most large quantity combustion heat. Calorific value of wood fruit trees(apple, pear, cherry) are slightly lower, but also provide good heat in the oven. Deciduous tree species have an even lower calorific value: birch, alder, etc. Despite this, hardwoods are used most often due to their availability and low cost. Coniferous firewood is the least popular choice for heating a sauna stove. This wood produces little heat; in addition, when burned, it produces a lot of soot, which settles in the chimney and on stones.

One more important characteristic of firewood, which is also worth paying attention to is humidity. The smaller it is, the better the sauna will be heated. Ideally, the moisture content of the firewood does not exceed 20%. Freshly cut wood has a moisture content of 33 to 50%, so it burns poorly. To dry such firewood, it is enough to let it sit for some time in a dry, well-ventilated room.

Now let’s figure out what kind of wood it is better not to heat the bathhouse with. Not suitable for this:

• old boards and logs - due to unpleasant odor when burning.
• Rotten firewood burns poorly and produces a lot of ash.
• impregnated wood chemical compounds, - during combustion, it releases substances hazardous to health.

Important component #2 - oven preparation

Now that the firewood has been selected, you can think about lighting the sauna stove. First you need to prepare it - we will melt it later. We follow the instructions:

1. We clean the grate and ash chamber (ash pan) from ash and coals;
2. Mine in clean water stones;
3. We determine whether there is draft (chimney permeability) necessary for carbon monoxide to escape from the stove.

To do this, open the smoke valve in the chimney, the firebox and ash doors. Then we bring a lit match into the firebox and watch where the flame rushes. If it goes up, that is, it is drawn into the chimney, then everything is in order - there is a draft. You can start kindling. Otherwise, you will have to first clean the chimney, since it is prohibited to heat the bathhouse without draft - the stove will “smoke”.

Important component #3 - the correct combustion algorithm

• We construct a “seed” from 4 small, approximately identical logs, wood chips, shavings and paper

We place two logs parallel to each other on the grate at a distance of 10-15 cm. Between them is a crumpled sheet of paper, which we cover with wood chips or shavings. The “seed” is completed by two more logs, laid diagonally on top.

• We set fire to the “seed”

Using a match or kitchen lighter, light a wad of paper in the “seed”. You cannot use flammable liquids to speed up ignition: gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, xylene, acetone, etc. If the firewood is damp and cannot be ignited, you can use a dry alcohol tablet. We wait for the characteristic flame noise to appear in the stove, close the firebox door and cover the vent (not completely).

• Throwing wood into the stove

The “seed”, of course, will not be enough to light the stove. Therefore, to continue combustion, you will have to add firewood from time to time. The first time this is done 10-15 minutes after igniting the “seed”. We open the firebox door, level with a poker everything that remains of the “seed” and place the firewood in approximately 2/3 of the volume of the stove firebox.

In the future, a new portion of firewood is laid when the old one burns out - approximately once every 1-1.5 hours.

• We complete the heating of the bathhouse

In winter, the sauna is heated for at least 5-6 hours, in summer it is faster - on average 3-4 hours. When the bath is heated to required temperature, the firebox can be finished. We wait for the last portion of firewood to burn out, open the firebox door and check for bluish flames above the coals - signs of the presence of carbon monoxide. If everything is in order, close the vent, smoke valve and firebox completely.

After everything has been done, we open the doors of the steam room and the window so that the bathhouse can be ventilated. It only takes 15 minutes for the sauna to fill up. fresh air. After that, close everything except the window. The bath should last for about two hours. Don’t be afraid, during this time it will not have time to cool, but the heat will become soft, uniform, and the steam will become light. Afterwards we close the window and begin the bath procedures.

Before starting to light the bathhouse, you need to clean its room from chips of previous firewood, leaves of brooms, remnants, and so on. Treat benches and shelves with an antiseptic solution. Wash the walls and ceiling of the steam room. After all this, you need to open all the doors and windows so that the bathhouse room is thoroughly ventilated and dried.

Then you need to clean the stove from any remaining ash and prepare the firewood for the next stack. The logs must be of medium size and well dried, otherwise the stove will smoke heavily and it will be very difficult to melt it to the desired temperature. It is strictly forbidden to use harmful materials such as plastic, bitumen, roofing felt, wood with paint or varnish for kindling!

What kind of wood is best to heat a bathhouse?

Surely, you ask, what is the best way to heat a bathhouse? In Russia, birch wood is most often used to light the stove. They flare up very quickly and give an even and stable heat.

When a birch tree burns, beneficial substances enter the air essential oils, which disinfect the room and fill it with the incomparable aroma of Russian forests.

Firewood from other trees or coal can also be used to light a bathhouse, but their usefulness and calorie content when burned is much lower than that of the Russian beauty birch. For example, firewood made from oak or ash is quite expensive. Poplar and aspen have low heat transfer. Spruce and pine, although they smell very pleasant, can smoke heavily when kindled. When burned, coal emits toxic smoke. And only alder can compete with birch in terms of the quality of kindling in sauna stove, but the aroma from its firewood will still not be so wonderful and pleasant.

Step-by-step instructions for properly heating a sauna

As we already wrote above, firewood for a bath must be dry and of high quality, and this directly depends on its proper storage. If you prepare your own logs for kindling, then they need a dry and protected place, such as.

1. Wash the stones, make sure there is enough clean cold water for washing.
2. Open the valve on the pipe through which harmful carbon monoxide will escape.
3. Prepare wood chips for kindling and 4 logs. Place them on the stove grate, spreading them across its entire width.
4. Then stick a few crumpled up sheets of paper or newspaper into the oven. Light them and close the firebox door.
5. After 15 minutes, you can throw in a couple more logs. How often you will have to add more wood during the first 1.5–2 hours of kindling depends on how dry it is and how quickly it burns out. The main thing here is not to miss the moment when the burnt tree, which has become coals, begins to split - then you need to throw the next portion of logs.
6. When the temperature in the firebox becomes high enough, firewood can be added less frequently, even after there are only coals in the stove.
   
7. In order for the fire to burn better and the time to kindle the bathhouse to be shorter, new firewood should be placed closer to the stove door and away from its chimney.
8. If the draft is strong enough, and this can be seen by the presence of red swollen coals in the firebox, after 2 hours the valve can be closed halfway. This will not only save fuel, but will also speed up the process of warming up the bath.
9. It is important to periodically stir the coals with a poker, but try not to touch the hot firebox door to avoid getting burned.
10. Laying a new portion of firewood must be repeated several times. In summer, the sauna is heated for about three hours at a time, and in winter for at least 5 hours. In this case, it is necessary to control the water level in the boiler, add it in time, not allowing it to completely evaporate.
11. After you feel that the bathhouse has warmed up well, you need to thoroughly ventilate it again by opening all the windows and doors. If you have

The main indicator of fuel quality is its calorific value during combustion. Therefore the question is what kind of firewood is better, is of particular importance. And even more so for a bathhouse. After all, when choosing firewood for a bath, we must know that the quality of steam in the steam room, the main source of health and joy, depends on it.

Basic information

In Rus', for a long time, birch firewood was considered the best. This is understandable. Birch bark alone helped to light the stove easily and quickly. Having heated it with such firewood, the dwelling received this required heat in the coldest time of the year, and the bathhouse is hot steam. But is it? Maybe there are other types of fuel that are not inferior to birch, or even superior to it in terms of important parameters– specific calorific value and, as a consequence, combustion consumption.

This table shows the combustion calorific value of the main types of wood.

As can be seen from the above data, the undoubted leader is ash. When one cubic decimeter of ash is burned, 1603 kilocalories of thermal energy are generated, while birch produces only 1319 kilocalories. If we compare these values ​​with the volume of firewood, then, for example, birch will require 1.22 m³, and ash - 1 m³.

The rule is this: the higher specific gravity wood, the greater its calorific value and thermal energy efficiency.

Basic information about the wood used to fire a heater stove

Hardwood

Deciduous tree species are divided into hard and soft. Hardwood species include ash, maple, oak, beech, and walnut. Representatives of soft species are birch, alder, linden, and aspen.

Ash. Hard and elastic wood of a light yellow matte shade. Its properties are similar to oak. It is believed that ash emanates a beneficial and healing spirit. Has the highest calorific value. If you are a true lover of hot steam and don’t mind spending money, then this will be an excellent choice.

Oak. It is practically in no way inferior to ash. Refers to “elite” types of fuel. Along with thermal energy, it has energy released during combustion, which strengthens willpower and cleanses the soul. Oak logs burn for a long time, releasing large quantity heat. Using high-quality and well-dried wood, you can easily create the aroma of an oak grove in your steam room.

Birch. It burns easily and evenly, creating a fragrant and pleasant aroma in the steam room. It has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, curing colds. Although the calorific properties are lower than those of oak and ash, birch copes well with main task– obtaining hot steam. However, it has a fairly high degree of resin, especially when birch bark is burned.

Note: As a preventive measure against clogging the chimney with combustion products, it is recommended to heat it with aspen firewood and potato peelings.

Linden. The aroma emanating from the burning of linden is one of the most healing compared to other deciduous firewood. Prevention colds and flu - that's what else they give. To take full advantage of this healing properties, it is necessary to burn them in the first two years after harvesting. Otherwise, they will lose all flavor and will only be a source of heat. Positive quality is the ability of linden logs to emit uniform heat during the entire combustion period. This property goes well with the need to maintain a constant steam temperature in the steam room of a Russian bath. But we must take into account that they are difficult to flare up.

Alder. It is not for nothing that this firewood was called “royal” due to the fact that it contains very little resinous substances. But they are the main source of smoke during combustion. And in the “black” bathhouse, alder logs are generally beyond competition. Despite its lower heating value than oak, ash or birch, alder wood is very popular with many owners. There is an explanation for this - a healing aroma, quick drying, no smoke, uniform combustion, sufficient release of thermal energy, availability on the market and reasonable prices. Of course, provided that the preparation of firewood from alder was carried out in non-swampy lowlands. By choosing this type of fuel, you will have a well-heated steam room with hot steam and will not have problems with periodic cleaning of the stove and chimneys from soot.

Aspen. The most controversial firewood. On the one hand, they are difficult to light, burn quickly and produce little heat, and on the other hand, they are indispensable as a means for cleaning chimneys. In Rus', they have long been used in bathhouses for precisely this purpose. Although it is also possible to use aspen as the main fuel, it is not recommended. A thrifty owner will always have a small amount of aspen firewood and regularly heat the sauna stove with it to remove soot and burning from the chimney.

Conifers

They are rarely used as the main fuel in the bathhouse, although they produce a sufficient amount of heat. Distinctive feature coniferous wood is the presence of a large amount of resin, which, when burned, produces a lot of smoke and soot. The combustion of softwood firewood, such as pine or spruce, is accompanied by crackling and strong sparking. And spruce firewood also shoots a lot of coals. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure proper fire safety, as this may cause a fire. And, of course, promptly clean the chimney from combustion products, the excess of which can also cause a fire.

Firewood from coniferous species wood creates a unique atmosphere in the steam room pine aroma, having a beneficial effect on the functioning of the respiratory system. They burn well and evenly and produce quite a lot of heat. However, due to low calorific value, you will need significantly more of them than hardwood firewood.

Fruit rocks

Oddly enough, but firewood from fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry, plum) great view fuel for a sauna stove. They burn beautifully and for a long time, emitting a minimal amount of smoke and maximum amount thermal energy comparable to the best hardwoods.

The only drawback of firewood from fruit trees is that they are difficult to light. Therefore, before heating with them, you need to light the stove with birch, alder or another type of wood that burns well, and then add fruit. The result is clear - the steam room will be filled with the exceptional aroma of apple, pear, cherry or plum. It’s not without reason that in the West, when preparing barbecue, plums are used, which gives the food a sweet and sour taste.

conclusions

Based on the above, we can conditionally divide firewood for a bath into two types - good and average. Good firewood is ash, oak, birch, alder, fruit trees. Average - everyone else. So what kind of firewood is better, after all?

Much depends on your personal capabilities and availability required type firewood In one region, for example, oak grows, but in another there is not even close to it. And not everyone has the same financial security. If we take the average option, then best choice there will be an alder. If you don’t take into account the prices, then, of course, ash or oak. And birch, all other things being equal, is a good choice. In a word – the choice is yours!

Even if you decide to purchase the best and most expensive firewood, using it incorrectly will not give the desired result. Therefore, the topic of their preparation, drying and storage will be devoted.

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It's not enough to just build good bath– you need to learn how to use it correctly. That is, not just to wash in it and somehow take a steam bath, but also to get a boost of energy, get rid of illnesses and fatigue. Just enjoy being in it. To do this, it is important to know how to properly heat a bathhouse.

This is real art that was born almost two thousand years ago.

All about firewood

To heat a bathhouse, you need firewood. Modern gas and electric ovens, of course, are convenient, do not require any effort and constant maintenance. But they also have disadvantages, which include high price energy resources.

In principle, one could put up with them - the bathhouse is not heated so often. But the fact is that neither gas nor electricity will create in the steam room that unique spirit that comes from a burning tree.

Therefore, the question - how to heat a bathhouse - is far from idle. If you want to get true pleasure, there can be only one answer: firewood.

And not just any way.

• Ash, oak - burn for a long time, give a lot of heat, but are too expensive;
• Spruce and pine - burn quickly, releasing resins;
• Poplar, aspen – have insufficient calorific value;
• Birch, alder - perfect option. If you are thinking about what kind of wood is best to heat a sauna, feel free to buy birch wood - they burn for a long time and evenly, giving a lot of heat and filling the air with a special aroma.

For reference. Sometimes charcoal is used as fuel.
This must be done with caution, as when burned it emits toxic smoke.

There are certain requirements for firewood for a bath not only regarding the type of wood. Experienced bathhouse attendants will never heat a stove with poorly dried, damp wood. And they will definitely pay attention to how they are chopped. The logs must be of such length that they fit into the firebox as long as the grates, and of such thickness that they burn long enough and evenly to form hot coals.

So it doesn’t matter at all what kind of wood to heat the bathhouse with. And what about using household waste or residues as fuel? building materials there is no question.

Note. Experienced bathhouse attendants, when asked what is the best way to heat a bathhouse over black, recommend using firewood from the same species from which the bathhouse itself is built or decorated inside.

We heat the bathhouse correctly

You don’t have to ask yourself the question of how to properly heat a Russian bathhouse if you only need it to wash off dirt and sweat from yourself after a hard day. working day. If you are a fan of quality and soulful steaming, then you should “bother” with observing the traditional rules of the firebox.

Preparing the stove for lighting

Before heating the sauna, you need to wash it after previous use, sweep away the remains of the bath broom, and fill the hot water boiler.

After which you can start baking.

• Rake out the coals and ash from the ash pit;
• Open the smoke valve and use a lit match to check for draft in the pipe;
• For kindling, prepare pieces of birch bark, large wood shavings, or chop thin short chips with an axe;

• Select 4-6 thin logs and place them on the grate in a “well”: in pairs, perpendicular to each other. Place crumpled paper and kindling in the center of the “well” while laying it;
• Close the blower door halfway.

The stove is ready for kindling, all that remains is to bring the supply of firewood for lining closer to it and close it tightly.

Kindling and tossing

To avoid getting burned or getting dirty with soot, make a long rope of paper or newspaper, light it at one end and bring the fire to the kindling in the center of the “well”. As soon as she starts cooking, close the stove door to prevent smoke from escaping into the dressing room.

If after a couple of minutes the hum of the flame and the crackling of the wood are not heard, it means that the wood did not catch fire and you need to start all over again.

For reference. Sometimes in chimney due to the pressure difference, a airlock, which does not release smoke and interferes with normal draft, but it quickly breaks through with flame.
There may be no draft due to the pipe being clogged with soot or debris.
In this case, you should clean it yourself, using a “ruff” tied to a rope with a load.

When the fire burns well and the “well” settles, it is fashionable to put logs of normal thickness into the firebox. This also needs to be done correctly, since heating a bathhouse with wood is an entire art.

• The firebox is not completely filled with logs, but about two-thirds, so that there remains above them free space. It should also be between the logs;
• Firewood is laid to such a depth that it lies on the grate and not flush against the door;

• You should add logs on time, preventing the previous stack from burning completely and preventing the temperature in the firebox from decreasing;
• After making sure that there is good draft and even combustion, the pipe valve needs to be closed a little. If these instructions are followed, the wood will burn more slowly, and the heat from it will not flow into the chimney.

The time for complete combustion depends on many factors - the type of firewood, the design of the stove, the size and degree of thermal insulation of the steam room, as well as the time of year and temperature. In winter, the sauna is usually heated twice as long as in summer. And a black sauna warms up much faster than a white sauna.

Note. There are important differences in how to heat a black sauna.
All windows and doors in it are kept open throughout the entire firebox, regardless of the time of year.
Then the fire is forcibly extinguished, the room is ventilated and only then closed tightly.

Closing events

When the last portion of firewood has burned out and the coals are covered with ash, close the firebox door tightly, open the ash pan wide, the door to the steam room and front door, fully extend the pipe valve and pour a full ladle of boiling water onto the heater. Be careful when doing this, do not get scalded!

After this, immediately close all the doors, close the valve, let the bath brew for a while - and you can go take a steam bath.

Conclusion

The recommendations given above and in the video in this article are very general. They will teach you how to properly heat a sauna, but you will become a real master yourself - over time, adapting to your stove and learning to use it as efficiently as possible.