Table of Contents
Advertisement
− Firewood dries more quickly when stacked outside in a location exposed to sun and wind; it takes
much longer to dry when stacked in a wood shed;
− Ready-to-burn wood with a moisture content of 15% to 20% will allow the appliance to achieve
its optimal use.
Use these guidelines to find out if the firewood is dry enough to burn:
5. Efficient wood combustion
5.1
General Advice
Wood burns best in cycles. A cycle starts when a new load of wood is ignited by hot coals and
ends when that load has been consumed down to a bed of charcoal about the same size as it
was when the wood was loaded. Trying to produce a steady fire by placing a single log at regular
intervals is not recommended. Always place at least three, and preferably more pieces on the
fire at a time so that the heat radiated from one piece helps to ignite the pieces next to it.
Never built the fire too close to the glass. It may cause higher temperature and produce
a faster aging of the glass.
Prolonged and continuous use at a very low rate of combustion or with very wet
wood can cause highly flammable creosote to build up in the flue.
Burning in cycles means the stove door does not need to be opened while the wood is flaming.
This is an advantage since it is preventing smoke leaking from the stove when the door is opened
as a full fire is burning. This is especially true if the chimney is on the outside wall of the house.
If the door must be open while the fire is flaming, fully open the air control for a few
minutes then open the door slowly.
Installation and operation manual – Chic-Choc woodburning cookstove
− Cracks form at the ends of logs as they dry;
− The wood turns from white or cream colored to grey or yellow;
− Two pieces of wood struck together sounds hollow;
− Dry wood is much lighter in weight than wet wood;
− The face of a fresh cut feels warm and dry;
− The moisture content read by a moisture meter is between
15% to 20%.
Page 19
Advertisement
Table of Contents
