Heatmor 400-4S, User Manual

Page: 31 / 95

26
Handling and Storage of Wood
Common questions concerning wood storage.
1)
Q. Do I have to keep my wood covered?
A . It can be more convenient. It is an extra task if snow has to be knocked off the wood before
it is loaded into the firebox. Rain and snow landing on the exposed wood will tend to add a
certain amount of moisture to the wood. Refer to “first stage of the burning process.” Uncovered
wood will still burn.
2) Q. Why is it important to have my loading of wood directly at the furnace when I go to
load my furnace? Why must I load my furnace quickly?
A.
Because of the large firebox and large firebox door, it often only takes a few minutes after
opening the door, until the unburned wood in the firebox will ignite and cause smoke to
come out the loading door.
3) Q. Is it a good idea to put the front of my HEATMOR™ into my wood storage building so I
can load the HEATMOR™ from inside?
A. This is never a good idea. The HEATMOR™, is designed to be placed outside away from
all buildings to maintain optimum safety. Refer to the “Clearance to Combustibles” section.
4)
Q. What is the best method of handling wood?
A. Handle wood as little as possible. Keep the wood covered. Keep the wood storage area
neat and tidy. If you have a tractor that can lift pallets or crates, you are well on your way to
solving all three concerns. Have available approximately 20 crates (5 feet square x 5 feet high).
Take the crates to where you are cutting the wood with the tractor. As you cut, pile the wood in
the crates. Use the tractor to move and store the full crates not too far from the HEATMOR™.
Cover them if you wish. Use the tractor to bring the crates to the front of
the HEATMOR™, as you need them. Throw the wood into the firebox.
5)
Q. What is seasoned wood and how long should I season my wood?
A. Seasoned wood is wood that is cut and then stored for a certain amount of time prior to use.
We recommend seasoning hardwoods for one to two years and softwoods six months to
one and a half hears. Ideal moisture content of seasoned wood is 17 - 25 percent.