How to start a fire

Starting a fire, like anything else, can be done in many different ways. I have started many camp fires in my life and stove fires, but what always bugged me is the time it took to get the fire to catch the big logs. You put the paper in, light it up, it seems to burn well, then the fire dies down and the big logs are not burning. You add more paper, it looks good again, then nothing.

At one point, I went to Google to find the answer. Of the suggestions I read, I liked the “Upside Down Fire” the most. The idea is basically you start with big logs on the bottom. Then, you put thinner logs on top of the big logs going perpendicular to them. Finally, on top of these logs, you put kindling going again perpendicular. Finally, some paper on the top and light it.

An example can be found here:

https://lifehacker.com/5144222/the-upside-down-fire-method-creates-long-lasting-flames

Although I found the method to work, it was too much for me to stack so much wood and stuff in to the stove—I wanted something simpler and quicker, so, I think I came up with my own way (at least I didn’t see it anywhere but it worked for me)

What I end up doing is using 2-3 small logs. I put one on the bottom going the length of the stove. I put the other one or two at 45 degree angle to the first log on top. I then put Quick Start Kindling alongside the last 2 logs. I use one to two pieces. An example of the Quick Start Kindling can be found here:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoForest-Quick-Start-Kindling-907488/202279728

I then put a small piece of paper under the Quick Start Kindling and light it. Just make sure the air inlet of the stove is open. I sometimes keep the stove door slightly open as well until the kindling really gets going.

Laying out logs for starting a fire.

The paper burns easily, it then catches the Quick Start Kindling. The kindling lights easily from the paper, but burns long and hot enough to get the smaller logs burning. Once those logs have a good flame, I turn fresh air inlet down on the stove and add bigger logs. 

Lighting paper to light the kindling.

The burning paper lights the kindling.

The burning kindling lights the smaller logs.

All wood completely burning.

This method is effective and quick enough for me. I also noticed that I don’t always empty out the ash from the stove before starting a fire. I found it doesn’t affect it much.

Do you have your own favorite ways of starting a fire? Please comment below!

Sauna cleaning- chimney sweeping and disinfecting

Every year, usually in spring time, we try and spend one day on cleaning out the sauna. After using it one to two days per week over the course of a year, there’s a lot of dirt that builds up on the floors and grime on the benches. Also, it’s been about 3 years since we cleaned the chimney, so we figured it should be done as well. We started with the chimney first.

I looked online and found a local hardware store that sold a 6” chimney brush and chimney extension rods. Two points I should mention here:

1.  The size of the chimney brush must match the size of your chimney. We have a 6” chimney, thus I bought a 6” brush.

2.  We have a stainless steel chimney. Stainless steel chimneys require a poly brush—not metal. Metal brushes will scratch a stainless chimney.

With both the brush and rods in hand, we went up on the roof. While being up there, we also swept the roof clean of branches that have accumulated as well as trimmed a few branches that have grown. With that done, we removed the chimney cap. 

Removing the chimney cap

It was amazing how dirty the cap was. Between spider webs and creosote, it was pretty restricted. The cap was brought down to the ground. Next, we were trying to figure out how best to clean the chimney. We decided it was best to take apart the pipe going from our stove to the support box in the ceiling. After unscrewing the screws holding the pipes together, we tried to get the pipes to move. After being used for 3 years, some rust developed welding them in place. Also, there’s about an 8 inch pipe that sits in the support box. The black pipe that attaches to it, needs to slide up that 8” pipe in order to make room for the bottom pipes to be removed. A trick I learned is to use some WD-40 on that 8” pipe in order to get it slick for the lower pipe to slide on it. That WD-40 will then burn off. After some addition of elbow grease, we were able to get the pipes to move.

Having removed the lowest pipe, we used a vacuum to vacuum out all the creosote that has accumulated inside the stove. We then put a bucket underneath the pipe that was still hanging and used our brush from the roof to push through the chimney and the rest of the pipes.

Putting the chimney brush in to the chimney to sweep

The creosote then collected in the bucket. We then used the brush to clean out the first pipe that we took off from the stove as well as the dampener inside of it. Once we could see through the pipes & chimney that all were clean, we assembled everything back together with the help of some more WD-40 on the top pipe near the support box.

Creosote from the chimney

More creosote from the chimney

You always hear that creosote causes chimney fires. We now had a bucket of creosote. I couldn’t help but experiment with it. I took a piece out of the bucket, put it on the ground and lit it on fire. The piece didn’t have a flame, but seemed to smolder very well for a good while.

Smoldering creosote

With the chimney cleaning complete, we were on to cleaning the rest of the sauna. First, all the furniture was removed. Then, the rug in the changing room was removed followed by all the benches from the hot room. The floors were then swept and mopped with some antibacterial mixed in to the mop water like Mr. Clean or Pine Sol. The floors were left to dry.

For the benches, I’m lucky enough to have a pressure washer. I once found online an antibacterial solution that’s used for sauna benches. The product is called Super Puhdas Sauna cleaner. Supposed to be safe on wood. I ordered a bottle online the first time I cleaned my sauna. 

Super Puhdas Sauna cleaner

I mix some in to a water bucket then using a plastic bristle brush dipped in to the water, begin to clean the benches. This gets rid of the nasty sweat that has accumulated from a year’s use.

Sauna cleaning solution

The benches then get power washed to further remove the grime.

Power washing the sauna benches

I use the same solution to clean and disinfect the folding lawn chairs we use in our sauna for sitting. They also get a course of power washing to hose them down.

Now that the chimney is clean, the floors are swept and disinfected and so are the benches and chairs, it’s time to put everything back in to its place. It is also time to fire up the stove to see how much better it works, to burn off that WD-40 which should have been drying for a few hours while we cleaned the rest of the sauna. It’s also a good time to enjoy the sauna. It’s been a long day with lots of physical labor which calls for an evening sauna to relax and have a few beers.

Cheers!