> >To get the wood stove started in the morning I prepare ahead of time a
> >paper bag that contains. some saw-dust, a piece of cardboard,some
> >kindling ,newspaper & maybe a piece of egg carton.
> >it sure gets the flue up to speed, pronto.

> I wish I had paper bags to use.  I use the plastic bags from shopping.  With
> a
> hot enough fire there is little to no flue problems.  We tend to run the fire
> hot if at all.  

> Fire starter bags here tend to contain the litter of bark from the log rack,
> shredded junk mail, pinecones and some times old candle bits or crayons.  
> Here
> in Georgia there is much pine growth.  We use the pine for short hot fires or
> as
> kindling.  This gives a hot enough start to burn the hard woods readily.

> Summers here are on the hot side.  I keep the air conditioning up to 80f so
> we
> can handle going outside and working.  In the winter we can add clothing
> layers
> as needed to handle the cold outside.  The house is kept at near 80f or above
> so
> that summers are not so hard to adapt.  Wood is free for us other than the
> cost
> of cutting, splitting and carrying it to the house.  Average heating bill is
> $250 a winter, that includes purchase/ repair/ fuel for the chain saw and
> wood
> splitter.