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CARE AND OPERATION FUEL
PAGE 16
HOW TO START AND MAINTAIN A FIRE
1. Open the primary air control by pulling the handle out
ward to the full open position. This allows the firebox
and fresh fuel to quickly come up to ideal operating
temperature.
2. Build your fire directly on the firebrick covering the
bottom of the stove.
a. Place five or six loosely crumpled sheets of
newspaper in the stove.
b. Add a small amount of dry kindling randomly
on the top of the newspaper.
c. Place a few more loosely crumpled newspa-
pers on top of the kindling and light the bottom
paper first, then light the top paper. Once the
fire is well underway, close the fuel door. The
upper fire should preheat the chimney and cre-
ate an effective draft while the lower fire ignites
the kindling.
3. After the kindling is burning well, add increasingly
larger pieces of wood until the fire is actively burning.
4. Once a bed of coals has been established, adjust the
primary air control to a lower setting by pushing the
air control rod all the way in (closed) and then pulling
the rod out incrementally to the desired setting. Tips -
Adjust the primary air control to a medium to low set-
ting for a slow and more efficient burn. On higher set-
tings, it is more efficient to burn with a bright but not
roaring fire.
REFUELING
To refuel the stove, first move the primary air control to
high (pulled out). Let the fire "liven up" for about one min-
ute. Open the fuel door about 1/2" and hold in this posi-
tion about 30 seconds or until stove is drafting well.
Open the door and add wood. If the fire or coal bed is
almost depleted and a full load of cord wood is added, it
may be necessary to adjust the primary air control wide
open to re-establish a lively fire. The use of start-up air
should only be used for a short period of time.
NOTE: After refueling and the wood is burning at a brisk
rate, reset the primary air control to the desired position
by pushing the primary air control rod all the way in and
then pull it back out to the desired setting.
BURN RECOMMENDED FUEL
This appliance is approved for use with untreated natural
dry wood only (see Important Warnings, page 2, No. 8).
Do not burn particleboard scraps or pressed logs using
bonding agents because they can produce conditions
which will deteriorate metal. Green or uncured wood
does not work well as fuel, and can cause increased
creosote buildups. The value of green wood as a source
of heat is limited. Do not overload or use kindling wood
or mill ends as primary fuel as this may cause overfiring.
Overfiring is a condition where excessive temperatures
are reached, beyond the design capabilities of the stove.
The damage that occurs from overfiring is not covered un-
der the stove warranty.
WHY SEASONED WOOD?
The key to the success of a good fire that produces heat
from a woodstove is the wood. It needs to be well-
seasoned natural wood.
What does “Well-Seasoned” mean?
When a tree is cut down, the wood is green, full of sap and
moisture. This moisture content can exceed 80%, which
must be reduced to less than 20%. Wood properly sea-
soned is then capable of generating the heat the stove was
designed to provide.
Green wood does not burn easily. Attempting to burn
green wood often results in a lot of smoke and very little
fire. Time is the most important factor in seasoning wood.
Ideally the moisture content should be reduced to 11-20%,
although very few of us will be able to check that figure.
There are several steps that should be taken to ensure that
that you come close to these figures.
SEASONING GUIDE
Softwoods – 6 months to 18 months
Hardwoods – 12 months to 24 months
Logs that are 5” diameter across or larger should be split in
half, three pieces if over 8 inches, and four pieces when
over a foot across. If the tree fell 2 to 4 years ago, it still
needs to be cut, split, and seasoned for 6 to 24 months
depending on the wood.
WOOD STORAGE
Wood to be seasoned should be stacked in an area open
enough to ensure good air circulation on both sides – leav-
ing adequate space between woodpiles to walk comfort-
able. Do not stack wood against a wall or building. It helps
to elevate the woodpiles off the ground (two 2 x 4’s running
lengthwise beneath the woodpile works well). This allows
air to flow under the bottom logs.
Wood that is kept outdoors, either covered with a tarp, or
not covered at all, will not burn well until it has been in an
enclose space for one to two months.