Dutchwest
Damper Function
Successful Wood Burning
The Damper is operated by moving the handle on | Woodburning is often said to be more of an art than a | ||
the upper left side of the stove. (Fig. 22) It has two | science. You’ll easily master the art if you start by using | ||
positions: OPEN, to start the fire and load fuel, and | good, dry fuel and by understanding how the stove’s air | ||
CLOSED, for greatest efficiency and heat. When the | supply system operates. | ||
damper is closed, exhaust gases travel through a |
| Burn Only | |
secondary combustion chamber at the rear of the stove |
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Your heater is designed to burn natural wood only. Do | |||
before flowing into the chimney. | |||
Use the door insert handle to rotate the damper handle. | not burn other fuels. Never burn | ||
painted or stained wood, or glossy newsprint. | |||
Turn it counterclockwise to open the damper and clock- | |||
High efficiencies and low emissions are only possible | |||
wise to close it. You will feel resistance as the damper | |||
when burning | |||
mechanism engages into the open (counterclockwise) | |||
“green” wood that has not been properly seasoned. | |||
position. | |||
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The stove damper must be open when you start a | The best hardwood fuels include oak, maple, beech, | ||
ash, and hickory that has been split, stacked, and | |||
fire, load fuel, or before you open either door for | |||
any reason. | |||
hardwood is not available, tamarack, yellow pine, white | |||
Load Doors | |||
pine, Eastern red cedar, fir, and redwood are softwoods | |||
A Side Loading Door allows the easiest loading of | that are commonly burned. They too should be prop- | ||
erly dried. The length of the wood should be the same | |||
wood logs. The Front Door opens for adding an occa- | |||
as that specified for your particular stove. Avoid using | |||
sional log to the fire. Always be sure to open the stove | |||
wood that has been dried more than two years. Often | |||
damper before opening either door. | |||
gray in color, this wood burns very quickly, resulting in | |||
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| short burn time and dimin- | |
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| ished stove performance. | |
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| If you must burn it, mix it in | |
Open | Closed | with greener wood to slow | |
the burn. | |||
Door Insert Handle |
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| Store your firewood under | |
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| cover to keep it dry. Even | |
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| for | |
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| wood outside of the heater’s | |
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| installation clearances and | |
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| outside of the space around | |
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| the heater required for refu- | |
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| eling and ash removal. |
ST804
Fig. 22 Damper operating positions.
14 | 30003849 |