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G. Grate
The factory installed integral grate must be used to hold the
logs from falling out of an open fi replace and to allow air to
pass between the burning logs. It is important to keep the fi re
off the hearth and to allow the ashes to collect beneath the
fi re, thereby forming a layer of additional heat protection.
WARNING
Fire Risk
•
Use only factory installed integral grate.
May cause overfi re.
H. Wood Fuel
Firewood
Your fi replace performance depends on the quality of the
fi rewood you use. All seasoned wood, regardless of spe-
cies, contains about 8,000 BTU's per pound, and hard-
woods have a greater density than soft woods. A piece
of hardwood will contain about 60% more BTU's than
an equal size piece of soft wood. Firewood is commonly
sold by the cord (128 cu. ft.). A cord of seasoned oak
(hardwood) would contain about 60% more potential en-
ergy than a cord of seasoned pine (soft wood).
Examples of soft wood trees are Douglas fi r, pine, spruce,
and cedar, poplar, aspen and alder. Soft woods require
less time to dry, burn faster and are easier to ignite than
hardwoods.
Examples of hardwood trees are oak, maple, apple, and
birch. Hardwoods require more time to season, burn
slower and are usually harder to ignite than soft woods.
The best wood fuel is a combination of soft wood and
hardwood. Start the fi re with soft wood; the fi re will give
off quick heat to bring the fi replace up to operating tem-
perature, and then the hardwood can be added for slow,
even heat and longer burn time.
Moisture
Regardless of which species of wood you burn, the single
most important factor that effects the way your fi replace
operates is the amount of moisture in the wood. The ma-
jority of the problems fi replace owners experience are
caused by trying to burn wet, unseasoned wood.
Freshly cut wood can be as much water as it is wood,
having a moisture content of around 50%. Imagine a
wooden bucket that weighs about eight pounds. Fill it
with a gallon of water, put it in the fi replace and try to burn
it. This sounds ridiculous but that is exactly what you are
doing if you burn unseasoned wood.
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Heat & Glo • RH-36/RH-42 • 4044-153 Rev S • 06/07
Seasoning
Seasoned fi rewood is nothing more than wood that is
cut to size, split and air dried to a moisture content of
around 20%. The time it takes to season wood varies
from around nine months for soft woods to as long as
eighteen months for hardwoods. The key to seasoning
wood is to be sure it has been split, exposing the wet
interior and increasing the surface area of each piece. A
tree that was cut down a year ago and not split is likely
to have almost as high a moisture content now as it did
when it was cut.
The following guideline will ensure properly seasoned
wood:
•
Stack the wood to allow air to circulate freely around
and through the woodpile.
•
Elevate the woodpile off the ground to allow air
circulation underneath.
•
The smaller the pieces, the faster the drying process.
Any piece over 6 in. (152 mm) in diameter should be
split.
•
Cover the top of the woodpile for protection from
rain and snow. Avoid covering the sides and ends
completely. Doing so may trap moisture from the
ground and impede air circulation.
The problems with burning wet, unseasoned wood are
twofold: First, you will receive less heat output from wet
wood because it requires energy in the form of heat to
evaporate the water trapped inside. This is wasted ener-
gy that should be used for heating your home. Secondly,
this moisture evaporates in the form of steam which has
a cooling effect in your fi replace and chimney system.
When combined with tar and other organic vapors from
burning wood it will form creosote which condenses in
the relatively cool fi replace and chimney.
WARNING
Fire Risk
•
Do NOT burn wet or green wood.
•
Store wood in dry location.
•
Stack wood so both ends are exposed to
air.
W e t , u n s e a s o n e d w o o d c a n c a u s e
accumulation of creosote.
WARNING
Fire Risk
Do NOT store wood:
•
Closer than required clearances to
combustibles to fi replace.
•
Within space required for loading or ash
removal.
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