Lopi Freedom Fireplace Insert Hints for Burning, Selecting Wood, Testing Wood Moisture

Operating Your Appliance 19

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".

Wet	Dry
Wood	Wood

Leads

To

Less

Heat

Leads

To

More Smoke

and Creostoe

Leads

To

More

Heat

Leads

To

Less Smoke

and Creostoe

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.

Store the wood off the ground in a
covered area. Allow for airflow	Air Flow
around the wood to dry the wood.

Air Flow

Air Flow

© Travis Industries 100-01162 4041105