Good to know about the stir bar. I always added it right after I took the starter off the boil. Got my finger steamed a couple of times doing this and if I do not add Fermcap, I can get a volcano.
I've been looking around the internet more on this and it seems that if you have a glass or ceramic electric stove it is not an issue. It becomes a problem when you put the flask directly on the electric heating coils. My glass top electric seems to distribute the heat quite well and as I have said, no problems thus far.
However, I don't want boiling wort all over the kitchen as my wife will kill me. Thoughts on glass/ceramic stove tops versus directly on the element?
Dave