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makes an extremely hot fire. It is the responsibility of the owner to periodically clean the chimney as
regular maintenance. Local chimney sweeps can provide such a service. In any event, owners of wood
burning fireplaces should become aware of care and maintenance required to prevent fires and creosote
formation.
WOOD
You may purchase wood by the stack, by the rick, by the pickup load, and by the cord. Buying wood can
be frustrating if you do not know what to expect or how to avoid problems. Talk to a local chimney
sweep or Country Flame dealer to locate knowledgeable personnel that provide cut wood.
A cord is 128 cubic feet of wood. It can be of various widths and lengths but the cubic measurement is
always the same. You should measure the loads that you purchase and asking your woodcutter to stack
the wood makes this job considerably easier. The ideal moisture content of wood is 12-20%, but this is
seldom available for purchase – it is normally the product of careful cutting, splitting, stacking, and
seasoning. The moisture content of green wood, full of sap, is approximately 80%. This green wood has
so much moisture that it is hard to establish a fire with it, and half of its energy content is expended just to
boil out its water content. This results in much less heat output for your home. A moisture meter is an
invaluable aid in evaluating your wood purchases and your choice of woodcutters. It is recommended to
order firewood that is 2” to 6” shorter than the firebox width to assure an easy fit.
Our particular definition of well-seasoned wood is wood that has been cut and split in the late winter and
left to dry out during the summer months. This well-seasoned wood will provide the best burn with the
least creosote build-up. Ordering your wood split will certainly be a convenience. If wood is to be split,
ensure proper equipment is available and proper safety precautions are utilized. Splitting wood
improperly can be very dangerous.
HEATING WITH WOOD
Maintaining comfortable heat for extended periods of time throughout your home is a talent that you will
acquire with time and experience. Your exact technique will vary with the layout of your home, your
flue and wood. WE can make suggestions for you to use as guidelines.
Timing - When you add wood to your fire it influences how long the fire will last. A full charge added
to a good set of coals and embers will burn several hours and produce even heat, ideal for overnight
burns. The same charge when added to a very hot fire or set of coals produces more intense heat for a
shorter period of time.
Quantity - Adding a large quantity of wood to a fire will cool the fire substantially and will be slow to
catch. Naturally the heat output will be reduced for a period of time. Adding smaller quantities will
produce faster starting and more even heating.
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Ashes - Ashes in your heater insulate the coals in your fire and make them last longer. This means more
heat in the firebox and faster starting of fires. When cleaning the heater it is not necessary to allow the
fire to completely go out. Simply allow the fire to die down and push the coals and burning matter to one
side, then remove the ash by dropping them through the ash dump opening or placing them in a closed
container. (Refer to “Disposal of Ashes, page 23.) Alternate to the other side and leave a bed of coals in
the middle of your Country Flame firebox to start your next fire. Remember that failure to clean your
heater regularly will allow the ash to build up which will reduce the size of your firebox and lower heat
output.