Newbie to a log burner. What do I need?

[StillNotWarm]

We've just moved into a house with a small log burner.
Job for next week is to find someone to sweep the flue, as we don't know when it was last done.

But what else do we need?? Logs. Kindling. Firelighters?? Somewhere to store logs outside. Inside?? And what is the best way to clean out the ashes?

Wood store outdoors is the easiest as it's far cheaper to get logs delivered per cube which is a lot of logs! Your far better finding a good seasoned wood supplier they burn slower and better then you are buying a bag from a garage etc.
We use natural firelighters from amazon which are great and easy to get it started.

As for cleaning just a brush when the Ash is cool can add to a compost or to the bin. You use a bit of newspaper dipped in water and the Ash for cleaning the glass (sounds strange but works)

Also get a fire fan if yours doesn't have one it circulates the air through convection and helps distribute more heat

Yes to the damp paper dipped in ash to clean the glass! Works in seconds.

When we had our first log burner (years ago now), we bought something smelly and expensive in a spray can. Went everywhere and left tarry drips.

No need. Paper, water and ash is all you need.

Logs, from reputable source, Ash is a good wood to burn, avoid wood with high sap content. Kindling, smaller bits of wood, not essential but does help as a beginner. Firefighters, useful, but only use one, you don’t need lots. Long matches are useful in my opinion. angle say three logs to start, place firelighter under a log but on top of another.

learn about the vents at the top and the bottom, open as you light the fire to allow air to come in and fuel the fire, close them down as the logs bedome well alit to bring flames lower and burn slowly.

We use an old roasting tray to ‘spoon’ ashes out with a metal trowel. Leave a small pile in the middle of the log burner to build your next fire on.

we also have bellows for when it just won’t get going but since using Ash we don’t seem to need them as much as we did when we had all sorts of other wood.

im not an expert like my DH who’s been lighting them all his life but I can get it going and keep it going.

We buy firelighters from Amazon, and kindling and logs from a firewood supplier. They deliver to us. We buy quite a lot at one time.

Logs are stored outside in wooden log store and and we have a bug basket by the fire that we replenish each time the burner is on.

Ashes are cleared out once a.week using dustpan and brush.

Chimney sweep booked in once a year,already booked in for July next year.

Good luck,.hope you enjoy it!

You shouldn’t need to empty the ashes unless you are using it loads and loads and the ash pan is physically overflowing, logs actually burn better on a bed of ash and you get more heat than on a clean grate. The ashes burn to practically nothing. I have used one for 15 years and the only time it gets emptied is once a year by my chimney sweep. It’s also annoying that the first fire of the year in the clear grate never works very well!

A working, frequently tested carbon monoxide alarm in the room, just in case ☺️

Enjoy, we love ours!

You empty the grate annually?

op, we empty the drawer every three days or so, the log burner is on most nights, from early evening on, it’s a simple job, also we use stove glass cleaner to clean the glass. We are self sufficient in logs but buy kindling in bulk, and firefighters from Amazon,

Yes, we've got wired in CO alarms! Small outdoor store plus maybe 30 logs were left by the vendors.

OK, so shopping list is:
Kindling
Firelighters (natural)
Long matches
Indoor basket for small amount of logs.
Find a log supplier for when we've burnt through most of the bits left for us.

Be prepared to repurpose a small garden trowel or dustpan and brush.

Sounds like the sweep might be the stumbling block. DH is in charge of that since he's the one who wfh!

We empty ours once every blue moon! We only burn seasoned ash. Our chimney sweep told me my flue is very clean, looks like we only use the fire occasionally when in fact it will be used daily once it gets cold enough.
OP, a chimney sweep in your area can give you good advice and show you how to use the fire safely.
get a carbon monoxide detector before you even think of using it

I never use firelighters, I have never found I need them. I scrunch up old free newspapers or the brown paper packaging from Amazon, create a bed of paper, out the kindling on top in a lattice shape, then a few pieces of softwood, also criss-crossed on top, then a couple of logs at the top. I use the same technique in our open fire with coal, never use firelighters in either. I use the long matches, a couple each time.

I booked our chimney sweep in July and the first appointment I could get is mid October. He is really good though and I don't mind waiting. I could maybe have got someone else earlier.

Oh forgot to add one of the most useful things we bought was welders gloves! They are heatproof and fire resistant so handy for opening the door and for sliding the vents as well as nudging a log if it makes a bid for freedom!

Oooh yes! Gloves! Forgot about those, essential for placing new logs in.

Also to add fuel to the fire (see what I did there) regarding ash, when I say empty it weekly, it is actually scooping a little bit out but still leaving a nice layer there.

Sounds like you're pretty much there OP.

Incase anyone sees this in the future, the chimney sweep has condemned the whole flue, saying it was never installed correctly.
I guess it's getting ripped out when we redecorate the house as we won't be spending 1k to fix.

So, a warning to anyone who buys a house with a burner : get it checked before lighting anything in it.