OPERATING
&
INSTALLATION
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR
PEDESTAL
WOOD
HEATERS
11
3.2.4
PIECE
SIZE
Firewood
dries
more
quickly
when
it
is
split.
Large
unsplit
rounds
can
take
years
to
dry
enough
to
burn.
Even
when
dried,
unsplit
logs
are
difficult
to
ignite
because
they
don’t
have
the
sharp
edges
where
the
flames
first
catch.
Logs
as
small
as
75
mm
should
be
split
to
encourage
drying.
Wood
should
be
split
to
a
range
of
sizes,
from
about
75
mm
to
150
mm
in
cross
section.
Having
a
range
of
sizes
makes
starting
and
rekindling
fires
much
easier.
Often,
the
firewood
purchased
from
commercial
suppliers
is
not
split
finely
enough
for
convenient
stoking.
It
is
sometimes
advisable
to
resplit
the
wood
before
stacking
to
dry.
3.2.5
HOW
TO
DRY
FIREWOOD
Firewood
that
is
not
dry
enough
to
burn
is
the
cause
of
most
complaints
about
wood
fires.
The
complaints
usually
involve
a
lack
of
heat
and
dirty
door
glass.
Here
are
some
things
to
consider
in
estimating
drying
time:
•
firewood
takes
a
long
time
to
dry
•
firewood
bought
from
a
dealer
is
rarely
dry
enough
to
burn,
so
it
is
advisable
to
buy
the
wood
in
spring
and
dry
it
yourself
•
drying
happens
faster
in
dry
weather
than
in
damp,
maritime
climates
•
drying
happens
faster
in
warm
summer
weather
than
in
winter
weather
•
small
pieces
dry
more
quickly
than
large
pieces
