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3.2 FUEL
Fuel for the stove must not be stored closer than the required clearances to
combustibles (heat sensitive materials). NEVER STORE WOOD IN THE ASH PAN
COMPARTMENT.
Your E.P.A Drolet stove is designed to burn WOOD ONLY. Do not burn coal, charcoal, or
trash in the unit. Highly flammable items such as trash may ignite creosote in the
chimney (flue), resulting in a chimney fire. Never burn salt wood, beach wood,
chemically treated wood, or wood removed from salt water, since the deposits left will
deteriorate the firebox. Damage caused by chemicals or salt is not covered under
warranty.
Seasoned cord wood is recommended. Wood should be air dried in a covered and
ventilated area for a minimum of six months (one year or more is recommended). This
reduces the moisture content of the wood, resulting in a better stove performance.
Wood species with moisture content of 20% or less are ideal. Dry, seasoned cord wood,
can be distinguished from green wood by the cracks at each end of the logs. Wet or
green wood will tend to cause the fire to smoulder, producing large amounts of creosote.
Creosote buildup could result in a chimney fire. This wood will also prove difficult to
keep burning properly, and fires will tend to go out. Green wood produces very little
heat, and sometimes causes customers to think that the stove does not work.
Decayed wood or low-density wood has very little energy content or heating value, and
will not burn satisfactorily for long periods of time. An example of the energy values of
some common wood fuels found in North America is given in the following table:
Wood species
Energy yield
(millions of BTU/cord)
High energy yield
Oak
29
Sugar Maple
28
Beech
26
Yellow birch
25
Ash
24
Elm
23
Medium energy yield
Larch (Tamarack)
23
Red Maple
23
Douglas red fir
23
Silver birch
22
Alder
18
Poplar
17
Hemlock
17
Low energy yield
Spruce
17
Pine
17
Bass
16
Fir
13
Data provided by Energy, Mines and Resources – Canada
TABLE 3.2 Energy yield for wood species