Monessen Hearth BWBC500MHB manual Fireplace Operation, Advantages of a Wood Burning Fireplace

FIREPLACE OPERATION

WARNING	Fireplace damper must
	be fully opened when
	using a gas appliance.

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.

Do not burn plastics, poison ivy twigs and stems and chemi- cally treated woods such as discarded poles and railroad ties in your fireplace. These create air pollution and can cause extreme irritation for some people.

Use hemlock, spruce, juniper and other resinous woods with caution. They contain moisture pockets which, upon heating, “pop” with considerable vigor.

Wood can be dried sufficiently for burning within a few weeks if protected from rain in a low humidity area. It is far better to cut wood and allow it to dry for a year. In all cases, the wood should be stacked so that both ends of the sticks are exposed to the air and protected from rain. The drier the wood, the more usable heat produced by the fire and less likely rapid accumulation of soot and creosote within the chimney is to occur. See the section of this manual concerning chimney maintenance for information concerning the hazards of soot or creosote accumulation. For safety, wood required for fire tending must be kept at least 30" from the fireplace.

Processed solid fuel firelogs may be used in these fireplaces. Do not poke or stir processed solid fuel firelogs while they are burning. Use only processed solid fuel firelogs that have been evaluated for the application in fireplaces and refer to firelog warning and caution markings on packaging prior to use.

	WARNING	Do not use fireplace as
		an incinerator!
WARNING
	Do not leave children or physically
	or mentally handicapped, or senile
	persons alone with a burning
	fireplace.

DISPOSAL OF ASHES

Ashes, important because they form a bed of glowing coals, should only be left to accumulate within an inch or two of the bottom of the grate. Ashes may be used to check a flaming fire “bank” your fire by covering the logs with ashes. A “banked” fire will hold glowing coals for 8-10 hours, thereby saving a fire for later use.

Place ashes in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. Place closed container of ashes on a noncombustible floor or on the ground well away from all combustible materials until

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