Vermont Casting 2460 How to Build and Maintain a Wood Fire, Loading Wood, Break-inFires, 7001135

Dutchwest

How to Build and Maintain a Wood Fire

Loading Wood

Your Dutchwest Convection Heater accepts wood from both the front and side. Front loading is useful for kin- dling a new fire and adding an occasional log, however, we recommend side loading as most convenient when adding several logs at a time. Always be certain that the stove damper is open before opening either door.

WARNING: OPERATE YOUR DUTCHWEST CON- VECTION HEATER ONLY WITH THE DOORS FULLY CLOSED EXCEPT WHEN REFUELING.

THIS STOVE IS HOT WHILE IN OPERATION! KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING, AND FURNITURE AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS.

Break-in Fires

If your stove is new or has new cast iron replacement parts, “season” the new cast iron with a few break-in fires. Follow Steps 1-3 below. Then let the fire burn out. Do not close the damper. Maintain a small, but not smoky, fire by adjusting the primary air control. After the break-in fires, continue with Step 4.

The stove’s paint and cement will emit a slight odor as these materials cure during the first few fires. You may wish to provide extra ventilation near the stove by partially opening a door or window when the odor is present.

Lighting the Fire

Step 1. Open the stove damper. Fully open the pri- mary air control and close the secondary (catalyst) air control.

Step 2. Lay some crumpled newspapers in the stove. Place six or eight finger-width size pieces of dry kindling on the paper. On the kindling, lay two or three larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1-2” (25-50 mm) thick.

DO NOT USE CHEMICALS OR FLUIDS TO START THE FIRE. DO NOT BURN GARBAGE OR FLAM- MABLE FLUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE, NAPTHA, OR ENGINE OIL.

Also, never use gasoline-type lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter fluid, or similar liquids to start or “fresh- en up” a fire in this heater. Keep all such liquids well away from the heater while it is in use.

Step 3. Light the newspaper and close the door. The fire should be well-established within 10-15 minutes. You may gradually build it up by adding a few sticks at a time of a progressively larger size. Continue to build the fire until a live coal bed begins to form.

NOTE: An especially large, outdoor, or cold chimney may need to be “primed,” or warmed up, before it will draw sufficiently to start a fire. If this is the case, roll up a couple pieces of newspaper, place them on top of the kindling and toward the back of the stove, light them, and close the doors. This should heat the chimney enough to initiate a draft.

Once the draft is established, open the front door and light the rest of the fuel from the bottom. Do not light the main bed of fuel until the chimney begins drawing. Repeat the procedure as often as necessary if the initial attempt is unsuccessful.

Step 4. After a lively fire has been established, (ap- prox. 30 minutes) close the stove damper.

Step 5. Close the primary air control to a medium low setting. The fire volume will diminish immediately, but the stove will continue to warm up. Maintain control of the fire using the primary air control. Reduce the setting for a smaller fire, increase the setting for a hotter, more intense fire. Refer back to the air control settings chart on pages19.

Step 6. Open the catalyst air control. Refer back to the air control settings chart on page 19.

DO NOT OVERFIRE THIS HEATER. Overfiring may cause a house fire, or can result in permanent damage to the stove. If a part of the stove or the chimney con- nector glows, you are overfiring.

Reloading and Reviving the Fire

Open the stove damper and wait at least thirty seconds for the draft to increase. Open the door slowly and add the fuel. Split firewood will fill the firebox more com- pletely than will unsplit wood and will thereby reduce the frequency of reloading.

You may find that the fire intensity will decrease after reloading, particularly if the loading door is open a long time. Stimulate the fire by increasing the primary air supply and leave the stove damper open. Then as soon as the fire is reestablished, close the damper and reduce the air supply to prevent over-firing.

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