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4 OPERATING YOUR WOOD FIRE
NEVER OVERFIRE YOUR WOOD FIRE. IF ANY PART OF THE WOOD FIRE STARTS TO GLOW
•
RED, OVER FIRING IS HAPPENING. READJUST THE AIR INTAKE CONTROL AT A LOWER
SETTING.
NEVER LOAD YOUR WOOD FIRE UP TO THE BAFFLE. ALWAYS LEAVE 5 TO 10 CENTIMETERS
•
TO ALLOW PROPER COMBUSTION THROUGH SECONDARY AIR OPENINGS (NEVER PUT WOOD
ABOVE THE FIREBRICK LINING ON THE FIREBOX). THIS WILL ALSO PREVENT OVERFIRING OF
YOUR WOOD FIRE.
SHOULD THERE BE A SOOT OR CREOSOTE FIRE IN YOUR FLUE SYSTEM, CLOSE THE AIR
•
CONTROL COMPLETELY. IMMEDIATELY CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
4.1 YOUR FIRST FIRES
Two things will happen as you burn your first few fires; the paint cures and the internal
components of the wood fire are conditioned.
As the paint cures, some of the chemicals vaporize. The vapors are not poisonous, but they do
smell bad. Fresh paint fumes can also cause false alarms in smoke detectors. So, when you first
light your wood fire, be prepared by opening doors and/or windows to ventilate the house. As you
burn hotter and hotter fires, more of the painted surfaces reach the curing temperature of the
paint. The smell of curing paint does not disappear until you have burned one or two very hot
fires.
Burn one or two small fires to begin the curing and conditioning process. Then build bigger and
hotter fires until there is no longer any paint smell from the wood fire. Once the paint smell
disappears, your wood fire is ready for serious heating.
4.2 LIGHTING FIRES
Each person who heats with wood develops their own favorite way to light fires. Whatever
method you choose, your goal should be to get a hot fire burning quickly. A fire that starts fast
produces less smoke and deposits less creosote in the flue system. Here are three popular and
effective ways to start wood fires.
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Solution 3.4 Installation and Operation Manual
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