How to properly heat a Russian bath: choosing firewood, preparing the stove and kindling it. How and how to properly heat an iron stove in a bath? What kind of firewood is better to heat a bath on black

Even in ancient times, people used water and steam for wellness procedures. This is mentioned in many historical sources. But even today, the popularity of the bath is only increasing.

Shall we fire up the bath?

Bath procedures represent a whole ritual for which you need to carefully prepare. Every steam fan should know how to properly heat a bath. To do this, you will have to understand some of the intricacies of this art.

Before carrying out the procedures, of course, it is necessary to heat the room well. Modern people use a variety of equipment: electrical or gas boilers. But real lovers appreciate only wood heating. After all, it is the smell of firewood that gives that unusual atmosphere, the bath spirit. How to drown Russian is a whole art, which can be mastered with some effort. Well, practice will help you quickly master all the tricks.

Classic bath

The classic Russian banya is most often heated by wood-burning stoves. Between themselves, they may differ somewhat in design, but the principle of operation is the same. It itself is built in a separate room, or it can be placed in some large building. Inside, it has at least two parts: the steam room itself and the dressing room. Fans of contrasting procedures, if the area allows, also build a pool. Walls are best built from wood. Old Russian baths were always built like a chopped hut, only windows and doors were cut down small size, this was done in order to keep the heat inside better. Modern buildings are built from different building materials, their choice in the market is now huge. But in any case, the interior decoration should be only from natural wood. At high temperatures and humidity, the use of synthetics is strictly not allowed.

Sauna oven device

To ensure the correct temperature and humidity conditions, the water heating stove is placed in such a way that all rooms are heated at the same time. Knowing how to heat the stove in the bath, what is its arrangement, you can easily create the desired microclimate in the room.

A classic oven is built according to some rules.

In the lower part there is a door and a blower, from here air is supplied to the zone where the fuel burns.
Grid-irons are a massive steel or cast-iron grate on which firewood is stacked.
The ash zone, or combustion chamber, is the main unit of the furnace; complete combustion of fuel and heat generation take place here.
Above is a steam heater and steel or stainless steel
The removal of combustion products from the ash zone occurs through a chimney. For it, dampers are installed.

The principles of operation of the sauna stove are quite simple, but not everyone can immediately achieve stable combustion. Often there is an attenuation of fuel. How to heat the bath, what fuel to use? True connoisseurs of such procedures in no case use flammable liquids for ignition.

What kind of firewood to heat the bath?

Fuel (wood) plays the most important role in heating leading role. A lot depends on the breed: how much heat will be released, how long the burning will be. In addition, the atmosphere created by the unique aroma that appears in the process of burning firewood is also important.

In Russia, birch logs are considered traditional for baths. Some also use coniferous wood, but it should be borne in mind that such firewood burns out very quickly. (ash, oak) have excellent heat dissipation. But these breeds are valuable, it will be a little expensive to drown them.

firewood storage

It is necessary in advance, because after splitting and subsequent drying, they dry out completely after a year. Before heating the bath, you need to check all the firewood well, they must be absolutely dry. During the combustion of wet logs, heat transfer is minimal, and a lot of wet steam is formed, it immediately cools the channels in the furnace, and condensate settles on the cold walls. This can render the entire chimney unusable.

The operation of the stove, its economy is completely dependent on the quality of firewood. They must be dry and also have the same size, their thickness should be about 6-8 cm. At the very beginning, it is better to use small dry pieces for kindling, shavings, wood chips, birch bark or paper are suitable for initial sunbathing. Never use kerosene or gasoline.

Firewood should be stored in dry, ventilated rooms or under sheds. In the cold season, before kindling the bath, it is best to bring firewood into the room so that they warm up.

Room preparation

Before you heat the bath, you need to prepare the room. Put the walls, shelves in order, wash, ventilate the rooms. Fresh air and clean environment will create the best conditions for wellness treatments. The stones from the steam room must be rinsed in clean water and put back in the same order. The heating container must be thoroughly rinsed and filled with fresh water. The water in the tanks and the pool is also updated. In the dressing room, prepare clean towels, sheets, and other necessary accessories. Also, take care of drinks in advance, these can be various herbal decoctions, tea, kvass, plain water. It is strictly forbidden to take alcoholic beverages during the procedures, this can adversely affect the general well-being.

Kindling the furnace

In order to learn how to properly heat a bath, you need to study some of the nuances that will help you master this simple science. First of all, it should be noted that the stove must be in good condition, only dry fuel should be used for kindling.

First you need to clean the blower and the grate from the ashes. The flue dampers must be fully opened. In the combustion chamber in the form of a hut, lay small chips, compressed paper, put four medium-sized logs on top, but so that they do not touch. Light the paper and close the door so that the smoke does not pour into the room.

Gradually, larger chips and small logs are added to the seed fire. Remember that the blower at this time should be completely open, the flow of oxygen allows the flame to flare up better. Gradually, the chimney will warm up, a steady draft will be created.

Smooth out the burnt coals with a poker. Fill the firebox a third full with dry logs. At the initial stage, firewood is placed carefully so as not to extinguish the flame. When a characteristic buzz appears, this means that the stove has warmed up and requires a sufficient amount of fuel. New logs should be slipped closer to the door. Do not let the fire go out until the room and the water in the boiler are fully heated.

After two hours, the coals inside will turn scarlet. It's time to push the pipe valve halfway. It can be completely closed only when the carbon monoxide has evaporated. How can this be determined? Turn the coals with a poker, no blue flame should slip anywhere, this is what is dangerous not only for health, but also for life.

Follow the rules for kindling

Every fan of the Russian bath just needs to learn how to properly kindle and become a fan of this process. After a few sessions, understanding of the matter and experience will come. But it is worth noting that learning how to properly heat a bath is not all. In the process, be sure to monitor the stove. In order to reduce draft in a heated chimney, you need to close the dampers in time. The blower door must also be covered, but not completely. In order for the heat in the firebox to be uniform, firewood must arrive on time, as needed. After the procedures are completed, the oven must cool completely. After that, you need to remove the ashes from it, and clean the room. Let your bath rest until the next session. Enjoy Your Bath!

The firebox is a whole ritual. Let us consider in more detail all the subtleties of bathing art.

He had his own science - how to heat a bathhouse. For example, only birch firewood went into the bath: they give a persistent heat after themselves.
The story "Alyosha Beskonvoyny", Vasily Shukshin

Before laying firewood in the firebox, the grate and the ash chamber are cleaned of residues of combustion products in order to completely release air access to the burning fuel, otherwise the stove with a blower will turn into a stove with a dead hearth, which is uneconomical. The increased humidity of firewood worsens combustion, so they are pre-dried.

It is necessary to lay firewood with gaps and in such a way that at least 200 mm remain to the top of the firebox. It is desirable to heat the bath with birch dry firewood, from which there is less soot, or with aspen, pine, oak, spruce, etc.

Do not throw painted wood, plastic, roofing felt, bitumen into the furnace. Do not overheat the stove: cracks will appear in the lining and masonry. When there is no bluish-blue flame above the remaining coals in the firebox (a consequence of the combustion of poisonous carbon monoxide, the so-called carbon monoxide), the firebox is considered finished. After 5-10 minutes, you can tightly close all doors and dampers.

To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, do not light the stove late in the evening. If the design provides for the operation of the furnace on coal or anthracite, the valve should be installed in such a way that it closes loosely and leaves a gap of at least 10-15 mm.

First, the stove is fired with small wood. A layer of coal of 50-60 mm is poured on them. After the coal flares up well, the backfill thickness is adjusted to 150 mm, but no more, otherwise fuel consumption will be uneconomical. After the furnace is completed, the remaining coals are raked onto the grate so that they are well blown with air coming from the blower.

If there is no grate, they rake up closer to the outlet of the furnace. With abundant gas formation in the firebox, flame ejection may occur. This usually happens when they try to melt the stove with flammable liquids (gasoline, kerosene, etc.). With a high concentration of gases, an explosion can occur, which can not only destroy the furnace, but also cause a fire.

The firebox cannot be loaded with a new portion of fuel (especially fine fraction), completely covering the hot surface of the furnace bottom: it “languishes”, releasing a large amount of volatile substances, without flaring up due to the absence of a flame and a decrease in temperature. In this case, the concentration of gases increases sharply and at the first appearance of a flame an explosion occurs.

Therefore, fine-fraction fuel must be loaded into the furnace in small portions, giving it the opportunity to flare up gradually. Open the furnace door carefully so as not to cause a sudden fire.

Instructions on how to properly heat the bath:

The hardest part is the kindling. First of all, open the valve in the pipe, otherwise carbon monoxide will not come out. Be sure to check this condition before each kindling.
Chop wood chips and prepare 4 logs. In addition, you will need newsprint.
Place 6-7 crumpled sheets of paper in the oven. Put the chips on them, and mark 4 logs on top, preferably perfectly dry. Moreover, it is desirable to distribute the logs across the entire width of the stove, and not put on top of each other.
Set fire to the paper under each of the logs and quickly close the firebox, otherwise you will blow smoke. Do not be afraid, in 95% the fire will flare up, so it is not necessary to follow it with an open firebox.

Throw in more firewood after 15 minutes. How often to throw them up in the future depends on their dryness, but in the first hour of the firebox, the main thing is not to miss the moment - to throw it up when the old firewood, which has turned into coals, begins to break into several pieces. Somewhere in 1.5-2 hours, the temperature in the furnace will rise greatly, and it will be possible to throw up even when only coals remain in the stove.
Throw new firewood as close to the door as possible and as far from the chimney as possible. Thus, you will increase the area of \u200b\u200bcontact between the fire and the pipe, which will reduce the time that you will heat the bath.
With good draft (this is evidenced by bright red, as if swollen coals in the furnace), after 2 hours you can close the valve halfway. It will also reduce the time it takes you to heat the sauna and save fuel.
It is better to steam brooms directly in the steam room when at least 60 ° C has run up in it.
Do not start heating the bath if there are wooden containers in the steam room (for example, a bucket from which they throw it up) that are not filled with water. This will cause them to dry out quickly.
If the bath is new, it heats up well, and you are satisfied with the temperature, then you can start steaming. The valve can be closed only when all the carbon monoxide has left the furnace. If, after stirring the coals in the furnace, you see the appearance of a bluish-greenish flame, then carbon monoxide is still present. In a bath, which is difficult to melt and which quickly loses temperature, it is necessary to remove all the coals from the furnace and completely close the valve.

In order for the bath to always smell good and have a good heat, you need to take care of the quality of firewood. Bad wood can cause unpleasant smells in the sauna, such as mold or swamp, and it can also take much more wood than usual to heat the sauna.

The better to heat the bath

oak firewood

The oak must be of middle age. Young oak does not give the necessary heat, and fills the bath with the smell of charcoal. There is a lot of decrepit wood in the old oak, from which there is more ash than heat. The air in the bath, heated with old oak, will be heavy. Good firewood fills the bath with heat and the aroma of the forest and freshness.

birch firewood

The most common firewood is birch. They ignite easily and burn with a long, even flame. The heat from the stove, heated with birch firewood, disinfects the bath, filling it with a light fragrant aroma. However, birch firewood becomes less fragrant after two years of storage. In addition, if the dosage of air in the stove is incorrect, when the wood burns smoky, tar and birch tar are sublimated along with the smoke. It settles quite abundantly on the walls of the pipe, and sometimes flows down if the pipe is thin-walled and cools easily. The abundance of tar on the walls of the pipe is a fire hazard.

Linden firewood

Linden firewood has been used for special occasions since ancient times. For warriors who were wounded in battles with enemies, they heated hot baths with linden wood, gave them a decoction of linden blossom with linden honey. Linden spirit in the bath is healing for the skin and respiratory organs. Linden is quite difficult to kindle, it flares up slowly, but its headlights are long and persistent. Linden firewood should not be stored for more than two years.

Alder firewood

In Russia, alder firewood is considered royal. On the butt and chip, they are painted in the air in a reddish color and differ sharply from other logs. Alder firewood burns hot and almost does not smoke. For firewood, it is better to choose alder on soils with the least moisture. The bath, heated with alder firewood, has an anti-cold effect. Alder firewood dries quickly enough and retains its unique smell for a long time. Even after three years, alder firewood carries its own specific aroma.

Aspen firewood

In the villages they say: aspen does not burn without kerosene. This is because aspen wood is quite difficult to kindle. If you put aspen in an already melted stove, it burns hot enough and keeps the heat for a long time. In the villages, it is also believed that aspen firewood, when burned, cleans the chimney. Usually aspen firewood is cheaper than others. As a rule, aspen is a clumsy tree and is not fully used, there is a lot of waste that goes to firewood.

Coniferous firewood

The most common firewoods are softwood, spruce and pine. Pine, due to its higher resin content, burns hotter than spruce. It should be remembered that in tar firewood during combustion, a sharp increase in temperature, resin sinuses burst, small cavities in the wood where resin accumulates.
and this is a characteristic crack and sparks fly in all directions. Including the open oven door. When you add firewood or mix it with a poker, it is better to put on goggles and protect your eyes. And when the stove door is closed, look carefully at the floor near the stove to see if a spark has flown somewhere. It is better to prevent a fire than to extinguish it.

Coal

Often, instead of firewood for kindling, coal is used, which has both advantages and some disadvantages. First of all, the use of coal is more beneficial, since it takes less than firewood to heat the bath, in addition, the heat from burnt coal is stored for quite a long time. The disadvantages include high humidity, which appears during combustion, as well as the lack of aroma that burning wood gives.

In no case should you use old things, garbage, etc. for the firebox, as many materials are toxic and can harm those who are steaming.

It is known that 1 kilogram of dry firewood gives 2800 kcal. To get these calories when burning with various types of wood, you need to take the appropriate amount (in kilograms) of firewood, depending on their volumetric weight.
The volumetric weight of firewood in kg / cubic meter. to get 2800 kcal:

The old way of cleaning a chimney: wrap the potato peels in newspaper and put them in the firebox. Carry out this procedure periodically, and the chimney will be clean for a long time.

You can not take a steam bath without first melting the stove. Of course, if you have an electric or gas model, then you don’t need to know any special wisdom for warming up the bath. It is enough to read the instructions and strictly follow all the recommendations of the manufacturer. Another thing is if the stove in your bath is real - wood-burning. Not all novice bath attendants know how to properly heat a bath with such a stove. Ignorant beginners melt the wood-burning stove for hours, being 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 of bathing procedures. There is no need to make such mistakes. Let's start learning how to heat the bath correctly!

Important component # 1 - good firewood

It depends on the choice of firewood how quickly your bath will be heated, what the bath heat will be like. Preference should be given to wood of hardwood trees: hornbeam, oak, ash, maple. These rocks have the highest heat transfer, that is, they emit the most large quantity heat during combustion. Calorific value of wood fruit trees(apple, pear, cherry) slightly lower, but also provides good heat in the oven. Deciduous trees have even lower calorific value: birch, alder, etc. Despite this, it is deciduous trees that are used most often, due to their availability and cheapness. Coniferous firewood is the least popular for heating a sauna stove. This wood gives little heat, in addition, when burned, it forms a lot of soot, which settles in the chimney and on the stones.

Another important characteristic of firewood, which is also worth paying attention to, is humidity. The smaller it is, the better the bath will be heated. Ideally, if the moisture content of firewood does not exceed 20%. Freshly cut wood has a moisture content of 33 to 50%, so it does not burn well. To dry such firewood, it is enough to let them lie down for some time in a dry, well-ventilated room.

And now let's figure out what kind of firewood is better not to heat the bath. Not suitable for this:

old boards and logs - because of bad smell when burning.
rotten firewood - burns poorly and forms a lot of ash.
wood impregnated chemical compounds, - emits substances hazardous to health during combustion.

Important part #2 - oven preparation

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

We clean the grate and the ash chamber (blower) from ash and coal;
We wash stones in clean water;
We determine whether there is a draft (chimney passability) necessary for the release of carbon monoxide from the stove.

To do this, open the smoke damper in the chimney, the doors of the firebox and the blower. Then we bring a lit match into the furnace and see where the flame rushes. If it is up, that is, it is drawn into the chimney, then everything is in order - there is a draft. You can start sorting. Otherwise, you will have to pre-clean the chimney, since it is forbidden to heat the bath without draft - the stove will “smoke”.

Important component # 3 - the correct furnace algorithm

We build a "seed" of 4 small, approximately identical logs, wood chips, shavings and paper

We lay out 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 fill with wood chips or shavings. The “seed” is completed by two more logs, laid out obliquely on top.

We set fire to the "seed"

We set fire to a lump of paper in the "seed" with a match or a kitchen lighter. You can not use flammable liquids to speed up the ignition: gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, xylene, acetone, etc. If the firewood is damp and cannot be ignited, then you can use a tablet of dry alcohol. We are waiting for the characteristic noise of the flame to appear in the furnace, close the firebox door and cover the blower (not completely).

Throwing wood into the oven

"Seed", of course, will not be enough to kindle the furnace. Therefore, to continue burning from time to time, you will have to lay firewood. The first time this is done 10-15 minutes after the "seed" is ignited. We open the firebox door, level with a poker all that is left of the "seed" and put firewood on about 2/3 of the volume of the furnace firebox.

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

We complete the firebox of the bath

In winter, the bath is heated for at least 5-6 hours, in summer it is faster - an average of 3-4 hours. When the bath heats up to the required temperature, the firebox can be finished. We wait until the last portion of firewood burns out, open the firebox door and check if there are bluish flames above the coals - signs of carbon monoxide. If everything is in order, it blew, the smoke damper and the firebox are completely closed.

After all that has been done, we open the doors of the steam room and the window so that the bath is ventilated. 15 minutes is enough to fill the bath fresh air. After that, close everything except the window. The bath should be infused for about two hours. Do not be afraid, during this time she will not have time to get cold, but the heat will become soft, uniform, the steam will be light. After we close the window and proceed to the bath procedures.

Before becoming a full-fledged member of the fraternity of connoisseurs of light steam, you need to figure out how to properly heat the bath.

For an uninformed citizen, the process of heating a sauna stove looks something like this: throw firewood into the furnace so that it burns, and enjoy the procedure loved by the inhabitants of the whole world. In reality, everything is much more complicated. It is necessary not only to know how to “throw firewood into the firebox” correctly, but also what kind of fuel is better to use, how it differs, what rules must be followed to achieve maximum comfort during bath procedures, etc.

Table. Sauna fuel

Type of fuel	Description
	Ideal fuel for a bath. Compared to other theoretically possible options, firewood has a number of advantages: - are not explosive; - burn evenly and for a long time, contributing to the creation of optimal temperature regime; - are relatively inexpensive; - they give off a lot of heat. Also good option Sauna fuels are various types of wood industry waste processing products, for example, pellets - pressed granular sawdust, shavings, etc.
	Studying information about available options fuel, many citizens may ask a perfectly reasonable question: what about coal? After all, I heat the house with them, so everything should be fine in the bathhouse? The answer is no. The features of coal combustion as a fuel are such that at first it quickly gives off the first formed mass of heat, providing prompt heating of the system, and then it simply slowly smolders, maintaining the initially overtaken temperature up to a certain point. For a residential building, this heating mode is suitable, for a bath - no.
	Many summer residents and garage owners immediately recall working off as fuel. Waste oil is a practically free fuel, often used to ensure the operation of furnaces in the buildings mentioned above and similar buildings. In the bath, it is impossible to drown with mining: there is a high risk of fire and explosion.

Thus, if a traditional heater is installed in the bathhouse, the operation of which is based on the principles of fuel combustion, only firewood is used for the furnace. Peat and other similar fuel options are not used in baths and are generally relatively rare, so they do not require separate consideration. In the table, such a type of fuel as electricity was not studied - today many developers prefer electric heaters. Features of the bath firebox, equipped with an electric heater, will be discussed in the appropriate section.

We found out that firewood is the most efficient, expedient, safe and profitable type of fuel for a bath. However, what kind of firewood to use, because there are so many varieties of trees growing on the planet that it is extremely difficult to choose the best option without having any idea about it. For a better understanding of the features of choosing firewood for the subsequent heating of a bath, read the information below.

Popular breeds

The furnace of the bath can be carried out using a variety of different breeds wood. Moreover, each of them is characterized by individual density and calorific value. From these indicators directly depends on how much material will have to be burned to obtain the required amount of heat.

Among the species growing in Russia, the hornbeam is characterized by the highest values of calorific value. Poplar closes the rating. Thus, in order to heat the steam room to the required temperature, hornbeam firewood will have to be burned in the smallest amount, poplar - in the largest amount.

In addition to density and calorific value, it is necessary to pay attention to such an indicator as the prevalence of a particular wood at the location of the bath. For example, hornbeam is a leader in terms of calorific value. But if this tree simply does not grow in the region where the bath is located, you will have to spend serious amounts on the purchase of firewood from hornbeam wood. Money. In view of this, the wood species that has the highest calorific value among all those growing at the location of the bath is optimal for the furnace of a sauna stove.

Most often these are birch and alder - they burn evenly, harmful substances do not allocate and even vice versa, fill the space of the steam room with useful essential oils. Spruce and pine are also found everywhere, however, use them for heating a bath if there are others. options it’s not worth it - these rocks, firstly, burn out relatively quickly, and secondly, during the combustion process, resins are released, due to which the chimney of the sauna stove can quickly become clogged.

You can find information about the types of wood used for the firebox of a bath in the following table.

Table. Firewood for sauna

	Description
	Hornbeam wood was used to service braziers even in the times of ancient Chersonesos. Such firewood is respected and honored both by bath attendants and representatives of many other professions. Firstly, hornbeam wood is characterized by one of the highest calorific values. Secondly, firewood burns for a long time, which makes it possible to use each load of fuel as efficiently and effectively as possible. Thirdly, the flame formed during the combustion of this wood is smokeless.
	Representatives of this category have a relatively low density. Because of this, they, firstly, burn out rather quickly, leaving no coals, and secondly, they give relatively modest specific calorific values.
	Along with oak, hornbeam, birch, and a number of other hardwoods, acacia firewood is characterized by high calorific value and helps to ensure a stable temperature in the furnace.
	Efficient fuel for sauna and home stoves. In the process of burning oak firewood, the heated room is filled with an unforgettable aroma of forest freshness. The harvesting of such firewood begins mainly in recent weeks spring (the rest - in February-March). Oak is quite expensive, but it has one of the highest heat transfer rates. If necessary, firewood from oak wood can be stored for a long time - the quality and characteristics of the material will not suffer from this.
	Due to its prevalence in Russia, they began to be considered one of the symbols of the country. Birch firewood has been used for heating baths since ancient times. They ignite easily, providing an even and long flame. In the process of burning birch firewood, substances are released that clean and disinfect the steam room, at the same time filling it with a pleasant fragrant aroma. If possible, freshly dried firewood should be used for the firebox, because. already 3 years after harvesting, their aromatic properties noticeably decrease. When firing a stove with birch firewood, the air dosage must be strictly observed. If the logs burn smoky, tar will begin to stand out, which will lead to clogging of the chimney.
	As noted, representatives of this category are found everywhere, they are inexpensive, but baths are used for heating only in the absence of other suitable options. the main problem coniferous lies in the presence of resins in their structure, which do not burn out completely and simply settle on the walls of the chimney, due to which it becomes clogged.

Prices for birch firewood

birch firewood

Pellets are granules obtained by pressing waste from the woodworking industry (sawdust, shavings, etc.). The density of such granules is on average 2 times higher than the density of ordinary wood. At the same time, 1 kg of pellets is able to release about 5 kWh of heat, which is quite significantly higher than the performance of firewood given in the table above.

When using pellets, the most efficient heating is noted. The bottom line is that the material burns directly first, due to which a significant part of the heat is released, and after that the resulting gases burn out additionally, which contributes to an additional increase in the efficiency of the bath stove.

Thus, pellets are a highly efficient fuel with excellent density and calorific value. The picture can only be darkened by the need to purchase a special stove that can work effectively with pellets (the furnaces of such stoves consist of 2 compartments - for solid fuel and the resulting gases, plus there are a number of other additional differences), and this kind of equipment is quite expensive.

Having defined suitable breed wood, you must choose optimal time wood preparations. Practice shows that it is more convenient, easier and in general it is best to do this in February-March.

During this period, well-frozen wood easily splits. In addition, in winter it is easier to know if the tree is rotten. To do this, it is enough to knock reverse side ax on the trunk: if you hear ringing sound, everything is in order with the wood, but if the sound is deaf, the inside of the material has rotted.

Next important parameter- the number of knots. If there are a lot of them, it will take an inexpediently long time to dry the wood, and such logs will burn unevenly, because. Knotted areas burn longer than bare wood. Of course, you will not be able to find a tree that does not have knots at all, however, you should also refrain from using complete culling.

Useful advice! If you have a chainsaw more than profitable solution will be the purchase of whole logs with their subsequent independent sawing, rather than the purchase of ready-to-use firewood.

In the absence of the mentioned tool and unwillingness to cut / chop manually, buy chopped firewood.

Important! When choosing and subsequently receiving firewood during delivery, check the following points:

material moisture. If the seller declares that he is selling dry firewood, the level of moisture in it, in accordance with the provisions of current standards, should not exceed 20-25%. With a humidity of less than 20%, the wood will burn even better;
homogeneity. When accepting delivery, make sure that the firewood you ordered is present in the batch, and not a mixture of different species.

If you have prepared firewood yourself in winter, leave it to dry for 6-7 months, i.e., for example, March wood can be used in November.

V old days the ability to heat a bath was considered a real art. With a little practice, following the instructions below and the accompanying recommendations, you will gain enough experience and be able to heat your bath like any professional.

The whole process begins with putting things in perfect order. All third-party items that are not involved in the course of soaring are taken out of the bath. The floor is thoroughly washed, the remnants of brooms and other debris are removed. The shelves are washed with a brush and, which is highly desirable, with an antiseptic. Wet cleaning of the walls of the premises, as well as ceilings, is carried out - at least in the steam room and washing room. After wet cleaning in the bath, all available vents and doors open - the room is allowed to ventilate.

After cleaning, the stage of heating the furnace begins. It is important to understand that each sauna stove is individual. Consequently, the features of its heating will also differ. But there are a number of key provisions that remain the same, regardless of the design of the furnace, the material of its manufacture and the branded "chips" of the stove-maker, by whose forces the unit was built.

Violation of the kindling rules can lead to extremely adverse consequences of varying severity: from the banal formation of heavy steam, which, although extremely unpleasant, but not fatal, to intoxication, heat strokes, fires and other serious phenomena with all the consequences.

First stage. Training

Armed with a scoop, clean the blower and the grate from the traces of the previous trip to the bath. You need to remove the ashes and unburned coals in any suitable container. You can throw them away or use them as fertilizer for plantings on the site.

After putting things in order, put firewood into the bathhouse. Lay them at a safe distance from the firebox.

The next step is to prepare the stones. So, if the stove is equipped with a heater closed type, they should be rinsed from soot residues. If your heater has an open design and the steam room has been used before, you need to wash the stones again. For this fit warm water.

Make sure there is enough water in the water tank (if connected to the oven). Prepare a supply of cool water for washing. These provisions are relevant for baths that are not equipped with a full-fledged washing system with a shower system.

Important! If your oven is equipped with a water boiler, it should never be empty. The requirement remains relevant even in situations where no one will use heated water. The reason is simple: an empty boiler will simply burst from the intense exposure to high temperatures.

Close the door leading to the steam room (if it is isolated). Fully open doors and latches the following items furnace design:

furnaces;
blew;
smoke view (if the sauna stove is equipped with two valves, open the one that provides a direct exit of fire and smoke into the chimney, but not into the heating channel of the water tank and the heater).

Make sure you have traction. To do this, light a match or a candle, bring it to the stove channel and watch the flame - it will definitely respond to the draft.

If the state of the fire does not change in any way, the chimney is most likely clogged. For example, in cold weather, chimneys often become a favorite wintering ground for birds. In this case, you will have to climb onto the roof of the bathhouse and remove blockages using a suitable device for this, for example, a cleaning cable of the appropriate length.

Armed with a sharp knife, prepare several thin pieces of birch bark. In the absence of this material, replace it with chips or chop short chips. You will also need newsprint (it burns better than regular paper).

Take 4 logs. Use dry and thin elements of approximately the same thickness. Make sure that the dimensions of the firewood correspond to the dimensions of the furnace firebox. Saw off/chop off excess material if necessary.

Make a "seed". To do this, follow the steps below:

Lay a couple of thin logs parallel on the grate. The width of the gap between the elements can withstand the width of the palm. It is not necessary to lay logs deep. Optimally - directly behind the initial holes for blowing from the ash pan;
lay crumpled paper between the logs;
sprinkle on top of a crumpled sheet of paper small hill wood chips;
fasten the resulting slide along the top with the remaining logs. They must be laid obliquely, maintaining a small gap.

As a result, a wood chip slide should be located in an impromptu well made of logs. Check that the structure is stable enough - it definitely should not collapse from careless manipulations. On this "fuse" is ready. You can proceed to the next stage of work.

Second phase. Kindling

Immediately tune in that it may not work to fire up the stove on the first try, especially in the absence of relevant experience.

Light a match (or better yet, 2-3 matches at once) and gently bring it to the crumpled newsprint to light the last one. For greater convenience, you can replace the match with a bundle of the same paper, previously set on fire from one edge.

Be careful! Modern matches often spark when ignited. Take care of your eyes and skin.

Important! Do not use any flammable liquids to quickly ignite the stove. If the firewood is a little damp and it is not possible to kindle it without the use of auxiliary means, in extreme cases, you can use a tablet of dry alcohol, following the provisions of the accompanying manufacturer's instructions.

Let the paper burn a little and close the combustion chamber door. During the first few minutes, the process may not be very active. The reason is that in the chimneys of baths, which are used from time to time, so-called. plugs from the air. Often, within a few minutes, the flame can eliminate this interference and the thrust is normalized.

Keeping the combustion chamber door closed, listen for the flames. If after a few minutes you hear a characteristic buzz - everything is normal. In the absence of such kindling, it is necessary to carry out anew.

Close the firebox half-door. In no case do not close it to the end, because. because of this, the flame, in the absence of air, simply goes out.

After some time (on average it takes 5-10 minutes, depending on the characteristics of a particular stove and the characteristics of the firewood used), you need to open the door of the stove chamber. Having opened, level the remnants of the “seed” with a poker and lay the firebox with firewood. The front ends of the stacked firewood should be located directly outside the grate already mentioned earlier. It is not worth laying them close to the door of the furnace furnace and deeper than recommended. Firewood lay out approximately 2/3 of the height of the combustion chamber.

Be careful! hurt door frame logs are not allowed - they can catch fire. Hands - even more so, because. you can get badly burned.

The average duration of the bath furnace in warm time year is 2.5-3 hours, in the cold - up to 5-6 hours. In general, these values may vary depending on a number of indicators, for example: the design features of the stove, the mass of stones, the volume of heated water, etc.

Important! If the stove is equipped with a water boiler, during the heating process, carefully monitor the amount of liquid in the container and add water if necessary.

If the draft is normal, the previously opened pipe valve can be approximately half closed after a couple of hours.

Important! Don't try to use alternative views fuel such as garbage, household waste, old things, etc. Almost all of them are toxic and, when burned, emit substances that are extremely harmful to human health.

Periodically monitor the condition of the firebrands in the firebox and stir them with a poker, trying to ensure uniform combustion and the most efficient load consumption.

The stove burns perfectly - we observe the flame through the glass door

Fourth stage. Completion of the sauna

Open the door of the furnace chamber and examine the condition of the firewood and firebrands. Make sure that the load has burned out safely, the coals have turned red, gray ash has formed around, there are no bluish tongues of fire, water is boiling in the cauldron (if any), the stacked stones have warmed up red-hot, and the steam room has warmed up to at least 60 degrees, but no more than 90. If everything is so, open the valves to the limit, in parallel with this, completely closing the half-door of the blower. At this stage, the combustion chamber door does not need to be opened - it must remain closed.

Open interior and exterior doors and windows. Take some water into the ladle and pour it on the stones to remove soot, if any, was formed during the heating process.

After that, you can carefully and quickly, making sure that bouncing splashes do not fall on you, pour water over the shelves, floor, walls, and also the ceiling of the steam room. Don't worry, it won't get colder.

Close doors and windows, with the exception of the window directly in the steam room. You have successfully heated the bath, but you should not enter the steam room yet - the room should brew and warm up evenly.

After waiting 1-2 hours, go to the steam room and start bathing procedures. You can close the window.

In order for the furnace and subsequent operation of the furnace to be as correct, comfortable and safe as possible, adhere to the following rules:

stack firewood with small (up to 5 mm enough) gaps between separate elements. This will ensure the required air circulation;
about 20 cm of free space should remain between the upper log and the overlap of the firebox;
to save firewood, you can slightly cover the valve of the pipe, however, after such a manipulation, it will be necessary to ensure that smoke and carbon monoxide (and it is not so easy to feel it) do not penetrate into the steam room;
carefully monitor the condition of the burning fuel and the color of the flame. If the fire turns bluish-yellow, this indicates the presence of carbon monoxide. It is impossible to close the valve of the furnace in such conditions - you can burn yourself. If you can't figure out if you're gone carbon monoxide completely, it is best to keep the flue valve slightly ajar.

Useful advice! Greater value It does not matter how loaded firewood burns, but how efficient their heat transfer is. Strong draft and a powerful flame do not always indicate that the furnace is carried out correctly. With more experience, you'll be able to achieve the same effect by burning fewer logs more slowly.

Remember the following:

water is thrown onto the stones like a fan - thanks to this, the area of \u200b\u200bfilling is maximized;
in order for the steam to be drier and hotter, water must also be supplied to the space between the stones;
if, after adding water, the stones took on a crimson color, you did everything right;
if the evaporation of water is accompanied by a hissing sound, the temperature inside the oven has dropped significantly - do not give in yet. If there was a sharp bang, everything was done correctly.

Electric heaters do not require such a serious and scrupulous approach to conducting preparatory activities. Having installed, connected and loaded the stones (recommendations on all these points should be individually specified in the instructions for a particular electric sauna stove, since the provisions on this matter may vary depending on the features of the model), the unit is first started.

It is done like this:

the electric oven is started by means of the main switch. In most models, this element is installed at the bottom of the case;
50-degree heating temperature is set;
an hour after setting the specified temperature, the oven turns off.

When the electric oven is switched on for the first time, odors may be emitted. At first, this can be regarded as a variant of the norm. If the odors do not disappear after the first 2-3 starts, it is worth either replacing the stones, or, if this does not help, contact the customer service.

The second furnace of the bath has its own characteristics. electric oven. It differs from the first firebox only in that the temperature is set at 80 degrees, not 50.

During the first two furnaces, it is forbidden to pour water on the stones - this can lead to their rapid destruction. After completing the second firebox in accordance with the instructions and not finding anything uncharacteristic and alarming, the stove can be taken into permanent use.

In the process of use, the soapstones that come with an electric heater usually change their color. This phenomenon should not alarm you - such metamorphoses are associated with temperature changes and exposure to water.

Video - How to properly heat a bath

Not many people know how to melt a bathhouse, and even more so, not many people know how to do it right.

Baths have existed for more than 2 thousand years and all this time it is customary to heat them with firewood.

Modern systems heating baths are varied. More often than others, you can find gas and electric, but none of them will give you the smell of logs and natural heating.

An incomparable advantage of firewood for heating a bath is its environmental friendliness, which borders on expensive delivery and purchase of firewood.

What kind of wood is better to heat the bath?

It is better to use the following firewood:

birch;
lindens;
alder;
aspens;
fruit species;
needles and pines.

Oak firewood for sauna

The main thing is to choose the right oak tree. It must be of middle age, because young tree won't give you required amount heat.

An old tree will only fill you with ash and heavy air, but will not give you much heat.

Good oak firewood melts the sauna quickly, filling it with the aromas of the forest and astringency.

Oak copes well with chronic diseases and has a number of medicinal properties, raising immunity.

birch firewood

Such wood has several advantages:

emits resin;
gives tar;
have great heat dissipation.

All this helps to heat the bath with heat, and tar and resin act on the chimney like a lubricant, protecting the building from fire.

Firewood can burn for a long time without sparking or emitting acrid smoke.

The flame is formed evenly and gains desired height burning easily and evenly.

Birch logs have a disinfecting effect with a pleasant fragrant aroma.

Due to these properties, the bath will have a positive effect on the human respiratory system and treat colds.

Do not use firewood to kindle a bathhouse and store it for more than 2 years, because they will lose their beneficial features and they won't let you desired result.

Linden firewood for sauna

The wood flares up very slowly, but emits a persistent heat and excellent aroma.

Lime blossom has always been healing, the same can be said about firewood.

If you want to get the most out of burning a sauna with linden firewood, you should add honey to the stove.

Also, logs should not be stored for more than two years.

Alder firewood

There are more than 27 species of alder trees in the world, which are distinguished by red or brown colors.

Even in a simple woodshed, alder wood dries quickly.

Trees that have grown on dry ground should be used. This will keep its properties for many years.

If you want, then such a breed is the most suitable option.

It does not emit resins, cleans stones from soot and gives an unforgettable aroma.

Aspen for bath heating

They are quite difficult to light, but if you use kerosene or put firewood in an already melted stove, you can get a good heat that will last for a long time.

Aspen firewood is low cost and can clean the chimney.

Firewood for a bath from fruit trees

Delicious, rich and at the same time light smell can be obtained from wood:

cherries;
apple trees;
pears;
plums.

Such firewood is most suitable for a passive steam room, when water is supplied for heat.

Firewood is suitable for heating a bath, regardless of the age of the tree. The main thing is that they should not be fruitful.

willow firewood

Sawn trees are not suitable for any other use, so you can use them for a bath.

Drying such firewood is also difficult, because they contain a lot of water.

Such logs will not give a lot of heat and coals.

Coniferous firewood for the sauna

These include spruce and pine.

Pine contains a lot of resin, which allows it to burn hotter, but also forms large sparks.

This factor can lead to a fire hazard, so you should carefully inspect the floor and the area near the stove door.

The aroma of pine needles is quite pleasant, but not to everyone's taste. Pine needles have calming properties and soothe the head, relaxing the body and muscles.

What can not heat the bath

Do not use wet firewood for the bath, because the process will drag on for a long time.

Can not use:

plastic;
bitumen;
painted wood;
only

Also, you can not melt the bath late in the evening.

Poplar firewood and large logs are not suitable for heating baths. Also, do not use thin wood.

How to properly heat a bath with your own hands

The bath is heated in several stages:

steam room preparation;
oven preparation;
bath kindling;
throwing up wood.

How to prepare a steam room for a bath

You need to start with cleaning. It doesn't always apply to garbage. Pay attention to unnecessary things that will not be useful to you in the bath.

Check for any chips on the shelves or floor to prevent damage.

Also, there should be no soap or other detergents on the floor, because if water gets in, you can slip and injure yourself.

How to prepare the stove in the bath

This process is the most difficult and should follow the instructions:

clean the firebox and ash pan from used coals so that air has access to the fuel;
make sure that there is water in the bath (for the boiler and washing), it is unbearable without water in the bath, and it is absolutely impossible to melt the stove without it;
fully open the valve and the blower door.

Kindling a bath

There are several methods and each of them is good in its own way.

You can lay birch bark or newspapers on the grate. 6 thin firewood is placed on them according to the "well" method.

Pour chips on the resulting "well" of their firewood. This is very effective method melt the bath quickly and correctly.

You can also use another method. It consists in the following:

set fire to the newspapers and cover the doors of the combustion chamber while it flares up (so there will be less smoke in the bath);
determine whether the paper is on fire, you can by the sound, if it is not there, then you should start over;
when the sound appeared, cover the blower and open the valve, closing the exit to.

You will need about 15 minutes.

How to throw firewood in the bath

After 15 minutes, open the door and use a poker to level the coals and put in the firewood.

They need to be placed close to furnace door and away from the chimney.

When the firewood burns out, add more.

It is not necessary to fill the firebox completely, there should be a place of about 250 mm.

The bath will be ready in 2-5 hours. If you want to melt the bath quickly, then you should not pour water on the stones.

This method applicable already in the steam room.

Pay attention to the water in the boiler, do not forget to steam the brooms for at a temperature of 60 degrees.

The bath is heated if:

the temperature in the bath reached 60 degrees;
the water boiled in the cauldron;
firewood burned out twice;
there are red coals;
stones heated up.

Close the firebox and blower by opening the valve.