Martin Fireplaces 400BWBA, 400BWBIA Fireplace Operation, Advantages of a Wood Burning Fireplace

FIREPLACE OPERATION

WARNING	Fireplace damper must	See Gas
	be fully opened when
		Appliance
	using a gas appliance.
		Installation for
		more guidelines.

ADVANTAGES OF A WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE

These are practical and ecological advantages of using wood as a fuel. Also to be considered is the aesthetic appeal. Most of us consider a wood fire with nostalgia. We enjoy the aroma and find the flickering light of a cozy hearth reminding us of things past. Wood has a low ash content. The little ash that remains after burning is useful in home gardening as a fertil- izer and soil conditioner.

WHICH WOODS ARE BEST?

Each wood species offers something different in aroma or heat value. You should consider your needs and desires before building your fire.

Softwoods, like pine, spruce and fir are easy to ignite because they contain a lot of resin. However, a fire built entirely of softwoods burns out quickly. You also must add wood more often. While a softwood fire is not too desirable for a long evening, itʼs fine in the morning when you want quick warmth or late in the evening when you want a fire that will burn out before you go to bed.

On occasion when a longer fire is desired, itʼs best to combine softwoods with the heavier hardwoods such as ash, beech, birch, maple, oak and hickory. Hardwood burns slower, with shorter flames, and produce steady, glowing coals.

For the most pleasing aroma, burn the wood of fruit trees such as apple and cherry, or nut trees such as beech, hickory and pecan. This wood is generally more expensive, but a little combined with other wood goes a long way. Start your fire with a mixture of softwood and hardwood. Add some fruit or nut wood for nostalgic aroma. Since most woods will not burn well when freshly cut, the wood you purchase should be reasonably dry. Purchase logs that will fit when laid across your grate. Ask that the larger, heavier logs be split. Kindling should be short, easily split lengths of softwood, lumber yard or mill scraps, or twigs and branches gathered from your yard.

HOW TO BUILD A BETTER FIRE

The first three fires should be of moderate size. This lets the fireplace adjust to the heat and the bricks to cure.

First, make sure your room is well ventilated, your damper open and the flue is unobstructed. Then make sure your wood is dry and seasoned. Unseasoned wood burns poorly. If you use unseasoned wood with poor ventilation or an obstructed chimney, smoking could occur.

If your fireplace is equipped with an outside combustion air assembly, open the combustion air inlet by pushing upward on the lever located above the firebrick on the left side of the firebox.

	Never use gasoline, gasoline-type
WARNING	lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter
	fluid, or similar liquids to start or
	“freshen up” a fire in this fireplace.
	Keep all such liquids well away from
	the fireplace while it is in use. Use
	of this fuel can cause a serious
	explosion.

Prepare your fire by placing two logs on the iron grate or fire basket, and laying the tinder between them. Tinder may be dry scrap paper, twigs or bark. On top place a small hand- ful of twigs or split softwood kindling. Place more dry logs over this base. Keep logs close together, as narrow air spaces between them promote better drafts. Heat reflected between adjacent surfaces aids in raising and maintaining combustion temperatures.

Youʼll need a minimum of three logs, preferably four, to make a good fire. Add kindling and new logs as needed to rekindle a dying fire. New logs should be added at the rear grate after raking the coals toward the front. Note: Do Not Overfire the Fireplace. Overfire conditions happen when you use large amounts of kindling, building scraps or other improper fuels.

Ashes are important because they form a bed of glowing coals. Let ashes build up to 1" to 2" on the bottom of the grate. Excess ashes can be used to check a flaming fire or to “bank” your fire. Cover the logs with ashes. A “banked” fire will hold glowing coals for 8-10 hours, thereby saving a fire for later use.

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