Would I damage my Blaze King 40 with consistent small HOT fires

So, I'm 1/3 of the way through my second Central Michigan winter burning with my Blaze King 40. Love the stove!!

It's my sole source of heat, and, almost as importantly, I love watching the fire.

What I've toyed with over the last couple weeks is, I load maybe one to three very small splits depending on outside temp during the day and burn it with the stat wide open. If it's a bigger split of say four or five inches, I load one piece. Interestingly enough, my house stays at a very comfortable steady temperature of 75° to 77°, and, I am only adding wood about every three to five hours, again, depending on outside temps. This is also keeping my ash bed very nice without large coal buildups. What's strange is, I am using about the same exact amount of wood as I would if I had packed it full for the day and smoldered it. At night, I load the stove full because we've been having some pretty cold nights between 0° and low teens, and again burn it on high through the night which keeps the house steady at 75°-77°.

So you ask, "Why bother doing this"?"

Well, it's two fold.

First, I feel like I'm eliminating the nasty creosote buildup on the walls of the stove caused by the low smoldering fire by burning it "clean" all the time. I believe, even Blaze King recommends burning a hot fire one hour every day.

Second, my glass stays virtually crystal clear all the time with only a slight white haze on it at times.

What I've found is, with small fuel amounts and hot fires, my stove temps never seem to be extremely high as if it were over firing. As a wise one posted here, you can build a small, fire in a big stove, but you cannot build a big fire in a small stove!

My concern would be, in the long term, would I be degrading the stove by the "constant" hotter fires even though they are small, and, is this harder on the catalyst?

Some may say, "Why buy a huge BK 40 if you're going to be babysitting the stove and adding a couple pieces through the day?" Good point, but if I or my wife happens to be around the house anyways, it isn't a big deal. If we're going to be gone for the day, I load it up. And I require the BK40, because I need to hold a hot fire all night (8-10 hours) when temps plunge at night.

My biggest concern in all of this is, I don't want to degrade the steel of the stove with consistently hotter, cleaner fires.

 

I don't have any experience with Blaze King but I have heated with wood for the last 30 years. We make a hot fire in the morning then another hot fire in the evening and finally long low burn for the night. I don't think it hurts the stove at all. I think what you are doing is sound and actually good for the stove and pipe.

 

Good deal. I find if I burn on long and slow all night, my house temp seems to drop quite a bit if, say, it is 0° to 10° outside. I tend to burn on nearly high all night which keeps house temp up, and still really good coals in the morning after an 8-10 hour all night burn. Just didn't want to be degrading my stove. I've read here on the forum, that you cannot over fire a Blaze King as long as all gaskets are good. I was mostly concerned about the steel.

 

From what you describe, there's no way that is hurting the steel at all

 

It is not hurting the steel.
If you Do keep the bypass closed. Otherwise the bypass opening may deteriorate.

It may have an adverse effect on the cat. Not necessarily because the hot burn but because it cycles in temperature much more often and sees room air much more often because you open the stove so often.

 

Definitely makes me feel better. Stove and glass are definitely cleaner!

 

I see what you are saying, definitely more cat cycles. I do run it with the bypass closed as long as it is within temp range. Never open except when loading.

 

Then I think you just proceed with what you are doing - and report back when your cat does.
One thing I do advise is to buy a new cat this summer (when prices should be lower). Shelf life is unlimited. Store it and have it handy when the cat dies midwinter so you're not without.

 

Yup, don't wanna get caught without a spare cat!

 

My small fire is two, may three small 2" to 3" diameter pieces.

 

Hmmmmm, are you thinking I will prematurely kill my cat? You still make a very good point though. I will definitely put one on the shelf this summer.

 

Here's what I have going on. This is what's left of two small splits out in the stove about 2 hours ago. Stat has been set to full the whole time. House is very comfortable at 76°.

 

I don't know that that will happen, but I see a probability. It's not possible even in hindsight to say that it did; too many variables that work together to determine a cat lifetime.

Do open the bypass at least 5 minutes before you open the door, to have it cool down enough before it sees room air.
And I would let the new fuel burn for a minute or two (max) to expel all room air from the firebox before closing it - even if it still reads as active.

 

Ok, I do always open the bypass, but it's only been for maybe 45 seconds or so. I will take your advice and do it this way from here on. Makes a lot of sense to do it this way!

 

You caught me! I saw that typo and edited it, but apparently not before you nailed me!

 

You gotta get up pretty early to beat WW to bed! (time zone joke )

 

Short "hot" fires is how I eventually started using my first EPA stove. It just seems like these stoves like to be used at the temps/burn rate they passed the EPA tests at and that's neither full blast nor too low and slow.
While a lot of BK owners like to tests the low limits of their stoves, it makes more sense to me to claim how accurately they burn, same with some of Woodstock's offerings.

As far as I am concerned to gauge how efficiently one burns just look at the/any crap in the chimney. I may not be some clean air tree hugger, but trying to burn clean does have merit, especially if you don't like cleaning chimneys.