klover K top, User Manual

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55
THE WOOD TO BURN
Wood types
Wood is one of the most precious materials offered by nature.
For heating purposes, it must be verified that the wood satisfies some
important requisites that must not be ignored, the most important of
which is without doubt the correct seasoning or drying, in other words
the wood must have the correct degree of humidity, around 10-15%,
therefore also the period of the year in which it is felled becomes
important. This should coincide with the winter period. The correct
seasoning (at least 2 years) provides fuel with an excellent yield that
is not very pollutant.
It must be kept in covered, well-aired places, already cut appropriately
into pieces suitable for the furnace of the heating cooker/heating
stove.
Wood is divided into softwood and hardwood on the basis of the
weight in kg of one cubic metre of material. Softwood that weighs
about 300-350 kg/m3 is fir, pine, poplar, European alder, chestnut,
willow, while hardwood that weighs about 350-400 kg/m3 is beech,
ash, hornbeam, acacia and oak.
Softwood ignites easily, is consumed quickly and develops a long
flame and is used in ovens that require a long flame pass. Hardwood
is more compact, the combustion is slower with a short flame, it lasts
longer and is more suitable for domestic central heating.
The wood to be burned for heating purposes has different features
according to the plant variety from which it is obtained. Not all woods
are the same and the features regarding the drying time and the
calorific value vary from plant to plant. The calorific value depends on
the level of humidity and its density. Top quality woods are beech,
ash, hornbeam and acacia.
Avoid resinous woods in general as they could compromise the
life of the heating cooker/heating stove
.
Resinous woods have a rather sooty combustion and therefore, the
flue and heating cooker/heating stove must be cleaned more
frequently.
The calorific value of the different types of wood depends greatly on
their humidity and consequently the power of the heating
cooker/heating stove is directly affected by the type of wood used, on