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open the top air control the more effective the air shield system.
Use a piece of newspaper to wipe the inside of the window glass be-
fore lighting the stove each time to prevent the gradual build up of
deposits.
Small, hot fires are more efficient than large slumbering fires. Most
of the energy in burning wood is released as a bright flame. The tur-
bulence in the flames creates good mixing between the combustion
air and the gases that are released from the wood as it heats up. The
heat of the fire ignites and burns these gases. In contrast, the dense
smoke from a slow, smouldering fire is potential heat energy that es-
capes up the chimney and either clings to the chimney flue as creo-
sote or pollutes the outdoor air. Therefore, to gain the most heat
from each load of firewood, the wood should be flaming throughout
the burn cycle until it is reduced to ash.
If you do a fair bit of slow woodburning, it is good practice to burn a
good, hot stove at regular intervals to keep your chimney dry and
prevent the build up of tar.
When refuelling, place wood towards the back of the stove where it
will burn hotter and more efficiently. Try to place logs length ways so
that any spitting from the end grain does not go onto the glass win-
dow. The fuel should not be stacked higher than the top of the back
fire brick. Once the stove is hot and running steady, it should be pos-
sible to maintain the nominal output by refuelling approximately
once an hour.
Notes on woodburning
Wood burns most efficiently when the air for combustion is supplied
from above the fire bed rather than below. The air supplied above
the fire bed provides the oxygen necessary for the volatile gases
(smoke), given off by the wood as it heats, to combust. This ensures
that the gases are burnt and used to heat the appliance instead of
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