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Vermont Castings EWF36A
20005167
Starting and Maintaining a Wood Fire
Burn solid wood fuel only in the EWF36A, and burn
it directly on the grate. Do not elevate the fuel. Do
not burn coal or other fuels.
Minimize thermal stress by allowing the plates to adjust
gradually during an initial break-in fire by following
Steps 1-3 below.
WARNING: Operate your EWF36A only with the
doors fully closed. If the door is left partially open,
gas and flame may be drawn out of the fireplace
opening, creating risks of both fire and smoke.
1. Open the primary air control fully.
2. Open the damper.
3. Lay some crumpled newspapers on the bottom
grate. Place on the paper six or eight pieces of dry,
finely-split kindling. On the kindling lay two or three
larger sticks of split dry wood approximately 1-2”
(25-50 mm).
Do not use chemicals or fluids to start the fire. Do
not burn garbage or flammable fluids such as gaso-
line, 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.
4. Light the newspaper and close the door. Gradually
build up the fire by adding a few 3-5” (80-120mm)
diameter splits.
If this is your initial break-in fire, let the fire burn brightly,
but not to excess. Control the fire’s intensity by adjust
-
ing the air control lever. After an hour or so stop adding
wood so that the fire dies out gradually.
For ongoing operation after the initial break-in, continue
to add a few sticks at a time of a progressively larger
size. Continue until you have a live ember bed at least
2-3” (51-76mm) deep. This may take an hour or longer.
CAUTION: THE EWF36A IS HOT WHILE IN OPERA-
TION! KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING, AND FURNI-
TURE AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS.
NOTE: Some chimneys need to be “primed,” or
warmed up, before they will draw sufficiently to open
the damper. To correct this situation, 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 initi-
ate 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, and
repeat the procedure as often as necessary if the initial
attempt is unsuccessful.
5. Once a good ember bed of at least 2-3” (51-76 mm)
has formed, let the fire burn hot for an additional ten
to fifteen minutes.
6. Close the damper and the primary air control to a
medium-low setting as described on Page 18. The
fire volume will diminish immediately, but the fire
-
place will continue to heat up. Maintain control of
the fire using the primary air control, and remember:
reduce the setting for less heat, increase the set-
ting for more heat. Refer to the air control settings
information on Page 18 for recommended settings at
different burn rates.
DO NOT OVERFIRE THIS HEATER. Overfiring may
cause a house fire, or can result in permanent damage
to the stove. If an exterior part of the EWF36A glows,
you are overfiring.
Reloading and Reviving a Wood Fire
• Open the damper and set the air control on “High,”
and wait at least fifteen seconds for the draft to
increase. Open the door slowly.
• Check the ash level, and empty the ash pan if nec-
essary. Replace the pan.
• Add the fuel, smaller pieces first. If it is necessary
to use wood smaller than the 24” (610mm) optimum
size, be sure to fill the firebox as completely as pos-
sible by loading the wood pieces alternately on the
left and right. Split wood will fill the firebox more
completely and reduce the frequency of reloading.
If you have an ember bed of at least 2-3” (51-76 mm),
leave the thermostat set on “high” for 10-15 minutes. If
the ember bed is less than 2-3” (51-76mm), you may
have to let it burn longer.
Finally, close the damper and adjust the air control and
fan speed for your desired heat level.
NOTE: If the charcoal bed is relatively thick and your
fuel is well-seasoned, it is possible to add fresh fuel
(smaller pieces first), close the door and damper, and
reset the air control within five minutes.
Special Tactics for Cold-Climate Heating
The EWF36A is capable of producing in excess of
100,000 Btu’s/hour and heating an area of up to 2,500
sq. ft.
(558 sq. m) However, many factors affect heating
performance and can influence the extent to which the
EWF36A can heat a given area.
A well-insulated home, located in a moderate climate
and with the EWF36A Fireplace located centrally in
an open floor plan, will be easier to heat than a drafty
home in the far north in which the EWF36A is installed
on an exterior wall at the end of a long house.