Hints for Burning
•
Get the appliance hot before adjusting to low burn
•
Use smaller pieces of wood during start-up and high burns to increase temperature
•
Use larger pieces of wood for overnight or sustained burns
•
Stack the wood tightly together to establish a longer burn
•
Leave a bed of ashes (1/2" deep) to allow for longer burns
•
Be considerate of neighbors & the environment: burn dry wood only
•
Burn small, intense fires instead of large, slow burning fires when possible
•
Learn your appliance's operating characteristics to obtain optimum performance
Selecting Wood
•
Dry Wood is Key
•
Dry wood burns hot, emits less
smoke and creates less creosote.
•
Testing Wood Moisture
•
Split wood stored in a dry area will
be fully dry within a year. This
insures dry wood. If purchasing
wood for immediate use, test the
wood with a moisture meter. Some
experienced wood burners can
measure wood moisture by
knocking pieces together and
listening for a clear "knock" and not
a "thud".
Why Dry Wood is Key
Wet wood, when burned, must release water stored within the wood. This cools the fire, creates
creosote, and hampers a complete burn. Ask any experienced wood burner and he or she will agree: dry
wood is crucial to good performance.
Wood Cutting and Storage
Cut wood to length and
chop into quarters.
© Travis Industries
Operating Your Appliance
Wet
Wood
Less
Heat
Store the wood off the ground in a
covered area. Allow for airflow
around the wood to dry the wood.
Air Flow
100-01261
Dry
Wood
Leads
To
Leads
To
More Smoke
and Creosote
Leads
To
More
Heat
Leads
To
Less Smoke
and Creosote
Air Flow
Air Flow
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