Burning Overnight in a Woodburner – What You Need to Know

While burning overnight is possible, it’s important to be aware of the challenges and risks involved. Stoves are not designed for continuous low-temperature burning, here is what you need to know for overnight burning on a woodburner.

September 21, 2023
By Reece Toscani
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Guides & Knowledge

The Secrets to Successful Overnight Burning

You might think that the key to burning overnight in a woodburner or multi-fuel stove is as straightforward as simply piling in more logs or coal before bed. However, the burn rate is influenced by your stove’s design, the fuel you use, and how you manage airflow. Modern DEFRA exempt stoves often have built-in air restrictors, making it harder to sustain a low, steady burn. For most wood stoves, a normal load of fuel burns out in 1–2 hours, while multi-fuel stoves with smokeless coal can last twice that time. If your goal is to wake up to embers instead of a cold stove, you’ll need to combine the right fuel, settings, and stove type.

The Basics

Before delving into the specifics, it’s important to understand that burning overnight is achievable but not without its challenges. The longer you aim to keep the fire going, the greater the likelihood of it extinguishing. Factors such as fuel type, air supply, and external conditions like wind and outdoor temperature all play crucial roles. Consistency and practice are key, as perfecting overnight burning may take several attempts. However, the satisfaction of waking up to a warm stove is worth the effort.

Safety Comes First

First and foremost, safety should be your priority. Leaving a fire unattended for extended periods is not recommended by stove manufacturers or experts. If you decide to attempt overnight burning, please proceed with caution. We’ve provided a safety checklist later in this post, which we strongly advise you to review before attempting this.

Before you attempt to burn overnight, it’s important to understand the safety risks. Low-temperature burning for extended periods can produce incomplete combustion, which leads to excess soot and dangerous creosote build-up in your chimney — a major cause of chimney fires. There’s also the risk of carbon monoxide build-up if your stove is poorly ventilated. Always ensure you have a working CO alarm, keep your stove well maintained, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Many stove makers do not recommend overnight burning at all, preferring you to relight in the morning.

Alternative Solutions

Stoves are not designed for continuous low-temperature burning, as it can lead to incomplete combustion and tar build-up in the chimney. An alternative solution would be to select a stove with either natural stone cladding on the outside, or heat storage stones on the inside (or both). Both Heat Storage Stones and natural stone cladding – Soapstone in particular can absorb the heat from the fire within and slowly radiate that heat out over a longer period of time, up to 12 hours in some cases which, if you time it right will mean that your stove is still warm in the morning when you come down and you haven’t had the fire slumbering for an extended period of time.

Specific Stove Models Built for Long-Lasting Heat

Some stove manufacturers have designed models specific for longer fuelling periods, which can also help you achieve overnight burning. Stoves such as these all have features inside them that help prolong a regular charge of fuel so you don’t have to load them as often. If overnight warmth is a priority, consider stoves specifically designed for extended burn times. Models like the Xeoos Twinfire, Stûv 30, and Dovre Tai feature engineering tweaks that allow for slower fuel consumption without smouldering.

Another option is a heat storage stove. These use natural stone cladding — like soapstone — or internal thermal mass blocks to store heat while the fire is burning and release it gradually for up to 12 hours after the flames have died. This means you can still have a warm stove in the morning without burning all night.

Multi-Fuel Stoves

For those with multi-fuel stoves, achieving an overnight burn is possible with some adjustments. Smokeless coal typically requires refuelling every four hours under normal conditions. To extend this duration, reduce the air supply to a trickle, ensuring the vents beneath the fuel bed remain open for airflow. Avoid overloading the stove beyond the fuel retaining bar, and do not obstruct air holes at the stove’s rear. Leave space between the top of the fuel bed and the baffle plate. Additionally, a layer of ash from the ash pan can act as an insulator, helping to sustain the fire.

Wood Stoves

Burning wood overnight in a standard wood stove is more challenging since wood typically burns for only 1-1.5 hours under normal conditions. To extend this burn time, select hardwood with minimal moisture content. Stack the wood in the firebox with minimal air gaps between the logs to maximize fuel quantity. If your wood-burning stove has a riddling grate, consider closing the openings to prevent ash from falling into the ash pan, creating an insulating layer on top of the grate.

Want to learn more about Soapstone and Heat Storing Stoves?
Explore the warmth further over on Redefining Woodburners

Mastering Air Control — Setting Your Stove for the Night

Managing the air supply is crucial. Initially, when lighting your stove, open all air vents to facilitate ignition and temperature rise. However, to maintain an overnight fire, you must gradually reduce the air supply, transitioning the stove into a slumber or tick-over mode. The degree to which you can do this depends on your stove model’s air control capabilities. Maintain a small trickle of air to keep the fire burning overnight:

For coal in a multi-fuel stove, keep the bottom vent slightly open.
For logs in a woodburner, rely mainly on the top or secondary air supply.
Never close vents completely, as this can cause dangerous gas build-up and increase soot deposits.

Note that some DEFRA Exempt woodburners have restrictors fitted to the air supplies preventing you from fully closing the stove down. Therefore it is very difficult to achieve an overnight burn in a stove with this fitted, in which case a heat-retaining stove may be a better option if you live in a smoke control zone and can’t remove the restrictor.

Is Overnight Burning Recommended?

It’s essential to understand that most wood and multi-fuel stoves are not designed for continuous burning. Manufacturers often specify intermittent use. Burning at low temperatures for extended periods can lead to incomplete combustion, leaving unburned fuel in the firebox and potentially sooty residue on the glass. More concerning, though, is the unseen build-up of tar in the chimney, leading to high emissions and the risk of chimney fires. While you may enjoy having embers ready for the next morning, running your stove at low temperatures overnight might cost you and the environment more in the long run.

What about a Pellet Stove?

One notable benefit of pellet stoves, especially concerning overnight burning, lies in their exceptional burn time and convenience. Pellet stoves can operate for extended periods, often exceeding 24 hours, without the need for frequent refuelling. This extended burn time is made possible by the automated feeding of compressed wood pellets into the combustion chamber, ensuring a consistent and efficient burn. However, it’s essential to be aware that pellet stoves typically require an electricity supply to power the auger system and fans that control pellet feed and heat distribution. While this electricity dependency can be viewed as a potential drawback, the convenience and reliability of pellet stoves make them an excellent choice for those seeking hassle-free and extended overnight warmth.

The Smarter Way to Stay Warm Overnight

While burning overnight is possible, it’s important to be aware of the challenges and risks involved. Stoves are not designed for continuous low-temperature burning, which can lead to incomplete combustion and tar build-up in the chimney. If you’re considering a new stove, look for one with features that facilitate long, clean, and safe burning. Consider the Xeoos Twinfire, Stuv 30 and Dovre Tai models that offer extended warmth without compromising efficiency or safety. Also explore pellet stoves further to see if one of these stoves might better suit your needs.

If you do choose to burn overnight, use the safest fuel for your stove type, manage airflow carefully, and clean your chimney regularly. Above all, weigh the convenience of waking up to embers against the potential downsides — sometimes relighting in the morning is the better option.

See related stories to this one:

Heat Storing Stoves, Overnight Burning, Stove Buyers Guide, Stove Safety

Reece Toscani

Reece has over two decades in the fireplace and stove world — testing, reviewing, and occasionally getting covered in soot, all in the name of wood-fired home heating. He cuts through the nonsense, busts the myths, and shares straight-talking advice to help you enjoy your stove without the confusion. From Fireplace Products to Redefining Woodburners, if it burns wood, he’s probably tested it, fixed it, or argued about it. Now, through Woodburner Insights, he shares that experience with the world — both here and on YouTube.