Lighting Fires - Drolet DECO II Installation And Operation Manual

5.2

Lighting Fires

Each person heating with wood develops its own favorite way to light fires. Regardless of the
method chosen, the goal should be to have a hot fire burning, quickly. A fire that ignites fast
produces less smoke and deposits less creosote in the chimney.
Never use gasoline, gasoline-type lantern fuel (naphtha), fuel oil, motor oil,
kerosene, charcoal lighter fluid, or similar liquids or aerosols to start or
'freshen up' a fire in this wood stove. Keep all such liquids well away from
the stove while it is in use.
Here are three popular and effective ways to ignite wood fires.
5.2.1 Conventional Method
The conventional method to build a wood fire is to crumple 5 to 10 sheets of newspaper and
place them into the firebox and hold them in place with ten pieces of kindling wood. The kindling
should be placed on and behind the newspaper.
Then add two or three small pieces of firewood. Open the air intake control completely and ignite
the newspaper. Leave the door slightly ajar. Once the fire has ignited, the door can be closed
with the air control still fully open. When the kindling is almost completely burned, standard
firewood pieces can be added.
Do not leave the heater unattended when the door is slightly open. Always close and latch
the door after the fire ignites.
5.2.2 The Top Down Method
This method is the opposite of the conventional method and only works properly if well-seasoned
wood is used.
Place three or four small, split, dry logs in the firebox. Arrange the kindling wood on the logs in
two layers at right angles and place a dozen finely split kindling on the second row.
It is possible to use ragged paper but it may not hold in place since it tends to roll while it is
burning. The best is to wrap a sheet on itself, grab the ends of the roll and make a knot. Use
four or five sheets of paper tied together and put them on top and around the kindling. Open the
air intake control completely, ignite the paper and close the door.
The top down fire method has two advantages over the traditional method: first, the fire does
not collapse on itself, and it is not necessary to add wood gradually since the combustion
chamber is full before the fire is lit.
5.2.3 Two Parallel Logs Method
Two spit logs are placed in the firebox with a few sheets of twisted newspapers in between the
logs. Fine kindling is added across the two logs and some larger kindling across those, log cabin
style. Newspaper is lit.
Installation and Operation Manual - Drolet Deco II Page 17