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NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE
7. Remember, your fi replace is not intended to
heat your entire home. Their unique designs
are intended for architectural, decorating and
aesthetic considerations. Using this fi replace
to heat large areas may lead to overfi ring and
void your warranty.
FUELS
Never Use Coal in Your Fireplace
Your fi replace system is not designed to be
used with coal derivative products. The com-
bustion process of certain types of coal can
deposit corrosive materials in the fi replace and
chimney system which can lead to premature
product failure. Never use coal as a fuel in this
fi replace system.
DECORATIVE GAS LOG SETS
If your fi replace system was installed with a gas
line and you wish to install a decorative gas appli-
ance (gas log set), it must contain an automatic
shut-off device and be installed in accordance with
CAUTION
When using the decorative gas
appliance, the fi replace damper
must be set in the fully open
position.
WARNING
This fi replace has NOT been
tested with an unvented gas log
set. To reduce risk of fi re or
injury, do not install an unvented
gas log set into this fi replace.
The last statement means that one big log weigh-
ing 10 pounds has as much heating potential
as 10 pounds of twigs. However, air cannot get
at the solid log to feed the fi re so the solid log
will burn slowly. While you would get the same
amount of heat out of either fi re, the smaller the
pieces of wood and the more air space around
them, the faster the fi re will burn.
DISPOSAL OF ASHES
Ashes should be placed in a metal container with
a tight fi tting lid. The closed container of ashes
should be placed on a non-combustible fl oor or
on the ground, well away from all combustible
materials, pending fi nal disposal. If the ashes
are to be disposed of by burial in soil or other
wise locally dispersed, they should be retained
in the closed container until all cinders have
thoroughly cooled.
SOFTWOOD VS HARDWOOD
Softwoods contain about 15 percent highly
fl ammable resin which generates creosote soot
in the chimney fl ue. Burning softwood exclu-
sively may not be as desirable nor as safe as
burning denser hardwoods. Many experienced
fi re-builders use small amounts of softwood
kindling and newspaper in conjunction with
starting a fi re with split hardwood logs. Here
are some guidelines to remember:
1. Softwoods produce fast warming and shorter
fi res. Hardwoods burn less vigorously,
have shorter fl ames and produce steady,
glowing coals.
2. As a general rule, denser woods contain more
potential heat per pound. Most softwoods
offer moderate heat value per pound.
3. Different woods vary widely in fl ame heights,
fl ame intensities, smoke characteristics
and in sparking. Most hardwoods do not
spark.
4. Most freshly cut “green” wood will not burn
well and will smoke. Green wood can be from
10 to 40 percent less effi cient than air-dried
seasoned wood.
5. Moisture and resin found inside unseasoned
wood cells will build up pressure under heat
and explode as sparks.
6. Most wood needs to be seasoned 9 to 12
months to reduce the moisture content and
produce good steady fi res. When moisture
content is reduced from 60 to 20%, the gain
in heat potential is nearly 7%.
7. Proper storage of wood, especially during
seasoning, is essential. We recommend
that you:
a. Never store wood on the ground. This will
cause rotting and insect infi ltration. Raise
wood on fl at rock or scrap wood.
b. Stack wood loosely to allow air circulation.
c. Store wood where it will not be exces-
sively exposed to weather, such as under a
tarp or under a roof.
d. Do not stack wood directly against the
walls of your home.
8. Be a knowledgeable wood buyer.
• There is a difference in cord sizes. A
standard cord stack of logs is 4 ft. high by
8 ft. long by 4 ft. deep or the equivalent of
this cubic footage. A face cord is the same
height and length as a standard cord but the
depth is only the length of the logs (12, 18
or 24 inches). A face cord can contain as
little as 25% of the wood found in a standard
cord.
• If you buy by the ton, remember that wood
becomes lighter as it dries. When buying
green or wet wood, ask for some extra
poundage to allow for the extra water you
will be getting.
9. When comparing woods of the same mois-
ture content and same species, we fi nd
most woods have approximately the same
heating potential per pound. However, most
wood is sold by volume, not by weight. To
determine the best heating source, look at
the density of various wood types. (Density
is the weight for a given size). The higher
the density, the more potential heat output.
A standard cord has a volume of 128 cubic
feet. This fi gure also includes the air space
between and around the wood. The actual
volume in a standard cord is between 60 and
100 cubic feet; depending on how tightly
the wood is packed. Assuming that you are
comparing two standard cords of different
species but the same volume and moisture
content, the denser species will provide more
BTU’s. The table of wood species/densities
reveals more helpful guidelines.
Wood Fuel Pointers
Wood is a wonderful renewable fuel source.
Normally it burns clean, leaving only a minimum
of waste ash, provides comforting heat and can
provide a variety of aromas and visual images.
You will want to know which woods are best for
use. Sometimes you may want a quick, short fi re
to offset a morning chill. Soft woods are prefer-
able in this case. Other times you would want
more slow burning and a uniform heat output.
Hardwoods are preferable for this use.
The amount of heat available from the logs will
be about equal on a weight basis. However, logs
are generally not weighed so the amount of heat
will depend on:
1. The type of wood used.
2. How dry it is.
3. How many logs you put in.
4. The size of the logs.
Figure 1
4'
4'
8'
Standard
Cord of
Wood