How Easy Is It to Kill a Fire

ggans2 · Post by **ggans2** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 10:35 pm

Just wondering, if you wanted to put out a fire would closing all vents do the trick? or would it just burn slower and much longer..

Post by **coaledsweat** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 10:53 pm

ggans2 wrote:Just wondering, if you wanted to put out a fire would closing all vents do the trick? or would it just burn slower and much longer..

Shut the combustion air off completely and it will go out fairly quickly. It will retain heat for some time however.

ggans2 · Post by **ggans2** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 11:05 pm

Really even on an old antique stove like mine? it's not air tight but does seal really good just metal to metal. I'm learning about burning coal and hope to do so soon, I see it takes a strong draft from below to keep a fire going then. One of my concerns is I often have to leave town with little or no notice. I would hate to leave knowing my stove would burn for a long time after I was gone, shes an old girl and I like to keep an I on her..

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Mon. Oct. 19, 2009 11:42 pm

If the stove is properly installed and maintained it should be no problem leaving it go out by itself.

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 12:32 am

That's an experiment I've yet to try for fear of having the grates warp, like letting the ash pan get full, cutting the air off.
I'm interested in hearing more thoughts on that.

ggans2 · Post by **ggans2** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 12:42 am

Always remember its a fire in a box in your house..

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 12:50 am

I often leave the house, with the fire unattended, with no concerns. I would be more worried about a wood fire.
When I leave I just idle the stove down, but never shut the air off completely, like I said for fear of the grates warping.
Still don't know if that is a legitimate fear or not.

the snowman · Post by **the snowman** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 12:52 am

Very easy. On a hand fed just shovel sand in on top of the coal and it will be out very quickly. I have a bucket of sand next to the stoves at all times just in case something goes wrong. You can neve be too safe. It is easier to clean out the mess than replace the stove or worst case replace the house.

The snowman.

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 1:09 am

I have the sand for an emergency, like if for some reason the ash pan got stuck and prevented me from being able to shut the ash door or something, but have never needed to use it.
I don't think I would be willing to clean sand out of my stove every time I needed to leave, but if it made you feel safe, it would be an option.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 6:37 am

I keep a 5 gallon bucket of sand around. It's not near the stove, but it's only a minute away.

Why would shutting the air down warp the grates? I'm pretty sure only extra high temp should warp grates and that would mean leave the air wide open and walk away. That's the one thing that is sometimes part of the learning curve...never, ever, leave the ash door open and leave, or have the air wide open and leave.

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 7:36 am

The combustion air coming from under the fire keeps the grates from overheating, I think by keeping the heat rising.
If you let the ash build up and stop the airflow, that is what warps grates according to everyone I've talked to, including the Baker manufacture, the maker of my first coal stove.
I reasoned that manually stopping the airflow by shutting the air vents might do the same thing.

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 8:37 am

Open ash door and no ash on the grates will cause a melt down of cast iron.
The ash fully blocking the bottom of the grates will kill the air and thus the fire...
Open ash door and ash 7/8 of the way to the grate after you just shook it down...
then forget it is open and walk away will also cause a meltdown...

oliver power · Post by **oliver power** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 9:02 am

Pete69 wrote:The combustion air coming from under the fire keeps the grates from overheating, I think by keeping the heat rising.
If you let the ash build up and stop the airflow, that is what warps grates according to everyone I've talked to, including the Baker manufacture, the maker of my first coal stove.
I reasoned that manually stopping the airflow by shutting the air vents might do the same thing.

I guess I'm on the fence with that grate warping theory. The reason I'm on the fence is that I too have read books/manuals where if you let the ashes build up, the grates can warp. The incomming air is supposed to help cool the grates. Yet, I agree with Freddy. The only time I've ever seen grates warp is from too hot of fire. Now, lets read between the lines; If the ashes in the ash pan are allowed to get close to the grates, yet not block air flow, what you have is this; Air flow keeping fire going hot. At the same time, ashes being too close to the grates will reflect heat back at the grates, creating higher grate temps, which can/will warp grates. My guess is shutting off the air flow at the ash door will NOT warp grates. Instead, it will quickly dampen, and put out fire. Another ash example: Ever notice when starting a fresh wood fire (no ashes). Notice how a wood fire thrives once the ashes build up. That's because the ashes hold/reflect heat.

Pete69 · Post by **Pete69** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 9:09 am

That sounds like a reasonable theory to me. I think I'll wait for others to test it first

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Tue. Oct. 20, 2009 9:13 am

My DVC-500 will burn for exactly 6 minutes without electrical power.
No combustion air, no combustion. and the fire quickly dies. No worries about "Grates melting"