SEASONING: Seasoned firewood is nothing more than wood that is cut to size, split and air dried to a moisture content of around 20%. The time it takes to season wood varies from around nine months for soft woods to as long as eighteen months for hardwoods. The key to seasoning wood is to be sure it has been split, exposing the wet interior and increasing the surface area of each piece. A tree that was cut down a year ago and not split is likely to have almost as high a moisture content now as it did when it was cut.
The following guideline will ensure properly seasoned wood:
a.Stack the wood to allow air to circulate freely around and through the woodpile.
b.Elevate the woodpile off the ground to allow air circulation underneath.
c.The smaller the pieces, the faster the drying process. Any piece over 6 in. in diameter should be split.
d.Cover the top of the woodpile for protection from rain and snow. Avoid covering the sides and ends completely. Doing so may trap moisture from the ground and impede air circulation.
The problems with burning wet, unseasoned wood are twofold: First, you will receive less heat output from wet wood because it requires energy in the form of heat to evaporate the water trapped inside. This is wasted energy that should be used for heating your home. Secondly, this moisture evaporates in the form of steam which has a cooling effect in your fireplace and chimney system. When combined with tar and other organic vapors from burning wood it will form creosote which condenses in the relatively cool fireplace and chimney.
8. Starting a Fire
Check the flue damper to be certain it is in the full open position. Place crumpled or twisted paper under the fireplace grate. Loosely arrange kindling or small pieces of wood to form a layer above the paper.
The fires must be built on the fireplace grate, without danger of the burning fuel falling out of the fireplace opening.
Light the paper and add small pieces of wood until a hot bed of embers has been established.
After establishing the fire bed, and the small firewood is burning briskly, add a minimum of three average sized pieces of split firewood, place the wood in such a manner to allow combustion air and flames between them.
Note: The first three or four fires should be of mod- erate size to allow the oils and binders to be burned from the fireplace and the refractory and paint to cure. You may notice an industrial odor the first few fires. This is considered normal.
As you use the fireplace, expansion and contrac- tion will cause minor cracking of the refractory. This is normal, unavoidable, and will not affect the per- formance of the fireplace. If the cracks become large enough that the metal behind the refractory is ex- posed or large pieces fall out, the panels should be replaced.
CAUTION:
Never use gasoline,
WARNING!
Fireplaces equipped with doors should be op- erated only with the doors fully open or fully closed. If doors are left partially open, gas and flame may be drawn out of the fireplace open- ing, creating the risk of both fire and smoke.
9. Draft Problems
Note: When first lighting your fireplace, it may be necessary to
This fireplace will operate correctly only if adequate ventilation is provided to allow proper draft to the fireplace system. Hearth & Home Technologies assumes no responsibility for the improper performance of the fireplace system caused by inadequate draft due to environmental conditions, down drafts, tight sealing construction of the structure, or mechanical exhausting devices which will create a negative air pressure within the structure where the fireplace is located.
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