Filter
Top Products
33
3.2.1 The use of manufactured logs
There are numerous types of manufactured logs sold on the market. You must be very
careful with this type of product. Many brands of manufactured logs contain chemical
additives. DO NOT BURN ANY MANUFACTURED LOGS CONTAINING CHEMICAL
ADDITIVES. If you do, you may damage your stove and void the warranty. Logs
containing chemical additives burn a lot hotter and were designed for decorative
fireplaces. Decorative fireplaces generally have larger, cooler, and less air-tight
fireboxes. Your E.P.A Drolet stove, on the other hand, has a smaller, completely sealed
firebox which attains much higher temperatures. It is therefore not designed to support
excessive heat caused by the addition of chemicals in manufactured logs.
Manufactured logs made of 100% wood residues do not cause any threat to your stove.
You must however be careful. Manufactured logs typically release a much larger heat
output over a short period of time. Therefore, you cannot place a large quantity of such
logs into your stove, like you would with regular cord wood. Start with one log, and
gradually increase the load to 2 or 3 logs and see how your stove reacts. Use a
chimney (flue) thermometer and make sure that temperatures remain within the normal
operating range.
3.2.2 Simple wood moisture test
Add one large piece of wood to the top of an established fire. If it starts to burn on three
sides within one minute, it is dry and seasoned and right for burning. If it turns black and
starts to burn in about three minutes or more, it is damp. If it turns black and does not
start burning until five minutes or more, it is green and wet. If it hisses at any time, the
wood is soaked and will not burn until the excess of moisture is boiled away.
3.3 NOTES ABOUT FIRST FIRING
The fresh paint on your stove needs to be cured to preserve its quality. Once the fuel
load is properly ignited, only burn small fires in your stove for the first four hours of
operation. Never open the air control more than necessary to achieve a medium burn
rate. Make sure that there is enough air circulation while curing the stove. Open one or
more windows. The odours can be smelled during the 3 or 4 first fires. Never start your
stove outside.