Drolet 45521A owner manual Fuel, Wood species Energy yield

3.2 FUEL

Fuel for the stove must not be stored closer than the required clearances to combustibles (heat sensitive materials). NEVER STORE WOOD IN THE ASH PAN COMPARTMENT.

Your E.P.A Drolet stove is designed to burn WOOD ONLY. Do not burn coal, charcoal, or trash in the unit. Highly flammable items such as trash may ignite creosote in the chimney (flue), resulting in a chimney fire. Never burn salt wood, beach wood, chemically treated wood, or wood removed from salt water, since the deposits left will deteriorate the firebox. Damage caused by chemicals or salt is not covered under warranty.

Seasoned cord wood is recommended. Wood should be air dried in a covered and ventilated area for a minimum of six months (one year or more is recommended). This reduces the moisture content of the wood, resulting in a better stove performance. Wood species with moisture content of 20% or less are ideal. Dry, seasoned cord wood, can be distinguished from green wood by the cracks at each end of the logs. Wet or green wood will tend to cause the fire to smoulder, producing large amounts of creosote. Creosote buildup could result in a chimney fire. This wood will also prove difficult to keep burning properly, and fires will tend to go out. Green wood produces very little heat, and sometimes causes customers to think that the stove does not work.

Decayed wood or low-density wood has very little energy content or heating value, and will not burn satisfactorily for long periods of time. An example of the energy values of some common wood fuels found in North America is given in the following table:

	Wood species	Energy yield
		(millions of BTU/cord)
	Oak	29
	Sugar Maple	28
High energy yield	Beech	26
	Yellow birch	25
	Ash	24
	Elm	23
	Larch (Tamarack)	23
	Red Maple	23
	Douglas red fir	23
Medium energy yield	Silver birch	22
	Alder	18
	Poplar	17
	Hemlock	17
	Spruce	17
Low energy yield	Pine	17
	Bass	16
	Fir	13

Data provided by Energy, Mines and Resources – Canada

TABLE 3.2 Energy yield for wood species

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