Table of Contents
Advertisement
OPERATION
hardwoods, as compared to softwoods or too green or
freshly cut hardwoods. The following resources can assist in
learning the burn characteristics of various species of wood:
http://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/;
https://forestry.usu.edu/forest-products/wood-heating
operation of this wood heater in a manner inconsistent with
the owner's manual will void your warranty and is also
against federal regulations. Waste and other flammable
materials should not be burned in your stove. DO NOT
BURN:
1. Garbage;
2. Lawn clippings or yard waste;
3. Materials containing rubber, including tires;
4. Materials containing plastic;
5. Waste petroleum products, paints or paint thinners, or
asphalt products;
6. Materials containing asbestos;
7. Construction or demolition debris;
8. Railroad ties or pressure-treated wood;
9. Manure or animal remains;
10. Saltwater driftwood or other previously salt water-
saturated materials;
11. Unseasoned wood; or
12. Paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particleboard.
The prohibition against burning these materials does
not prohibit the use of fire starters made from paper,
cardboard, sawdust, wax, and similar substances to
start a fire in an affected wood heater.
Burning these materials may result in the release of toxic
fumes or render the heater ineffective and cause smoke.
Deadwood lying on the forest floor should be considered
wet and requires full seasoning time. Standing deadwood
can usually be considered to be about 2/3 seasoned.
Smaller pieces of wood will dry faster. All logs exceeding 6"
in diameter should be split. The wood should not be stored
directly on the ground. Air should circulate through the logs.
A 24" to 48" air space should be left between each row
of logs, which should be placed in the sunniest location
possible. The upper layer of wood should be protected
from the element but not the sides. A good indicator of if
the wood is ready to burn is to check the piece ends. If
cracks are radiating in all directions from the center then the
wood should be dry enough to burn. If your wood sizzles
in the fire, even though the surface is dry, it may not be
fully cured and should be seasoned longer. It is EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT that you use DRY WOOD only in your wood
stove. The wood should have dried for 9 to 15 months,
such that the humidity content (in weight) is reduced below
20% of the weight of the log. It is very important to keep
in mind that even if the wood has been cut for one, two,
or even more years, it is not necessarily dry, if it has been
or
stored in poor conditions. Under extreme conditions, it may
The
rot instead of drying. This point cannot be overstressed; the
vast majority of the problems related to the operation of a
wood stove is caused by the fact that the wood used was
too damp or had dried in poor conditions. These problems
can be:
• ignition problems
• creosote build-up causing chimney fires
• low energy yield
• blackened windows
• incomplete log combustion
Do not burn manufactured logs made of
wax impregnated sawdust or logs with
any chemical additives. Manufactured logs
made of 100% compressed sawdust can be
burned, but be careful burning too much of these logs at
the same time. Start with one manufactured log and see
how the stove reacts. You can increase the number of logs
burned at a time but make sure the temperature never rises
higher than 475 °F (246 °C) on a magnetic thermometer
for installation on single wall stove pipes or 900 °F (482
°C) on a probe thermometer for installation on double wall
stove pipe. The thermometer should be placed about 18"
(457 mm) above the stove. Higher temperatures can lead to
overheat and damage your stove.
TESTING YOUR WOOD
• When the stove is thoroughly warmed, place one piece of
split wood (about five inches in diameter) parallel to the
door on the bed of red embers.
• Keep the air control fully open and close the door.
If the wood ignites within 90 seconds from the time it
was placed in the stove, your wood is correctly dried. If
ignition takes longer, your wood is damp.
• If your wood hisses and water or vapor escapes at
the ends of the piece, your wood is soaked or freshly
cut (green). Do not use this wood in your stove. Large
amounts of creosote could be deposited in your chimney,
creating potential conditions for a chimney fire.
TAMPER WARNING
This wood heater has a manufacturer-set minimum low burn
rate that must not be altered. It is against federal regulations
to alter this setting or otherwise operate this wood heater
in a manner inconsistent with operating instructions in this
manual.
11
© 2021 Breckwell Hearth
Advertisement
Table of Contents
