#ABY R.2 October 2020
Hussong Mfg. Co., Inc. • Kozy Heat Fireplaces
FIREPLACE OPERATION
37
9.3.3 Method 3 - Top Down
You will be building a top down fire where the small kindling is placed
on top of larger pieces.
1. Start by placing (2) to (3) full sized split pieces of seasoned wood
in the firebox. Then place (4) to (5) medium split pieces of wood
on top of the larger wood base.
2. Place finely split kindling wood on top. Fully open the air damper
and ignite the kindling. You will close the door as to leave
approximately a 1” to 2” gap between the door and the firebox.
Once the fire is burning well, where the kindling has burned through
and the layer of medium split pieces of firewood are burning well, you
are able to close your door completely.
9.3.4 Use of fire starters
Many wood fireplace owners like to use commercial fire starters
instead of kindling. Fire starters are also commonly used after the
fireplace has not been used for a period of time, which results in a
cold start. They will help facilitate a quick, hot initial fire which will
help create a good draft in the chimney system. Some of these fire
starters are made up of a gel, compressed sawdust and wax, and
others are specialized chemical products. If you decide to use one
of these fire starters, follow manufacturer’s instructions that relate
to a wood burning fireplace.
DO NOT
use flammable liquids such as
gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, motor oil, aerosols, or other unapproved
items.
9.4 Maintaining a Wood Fire
Your wood fireplace will operate as a space heater. You will see
variations in the amount of heat produced during operation. Heat
production will variate throughout the burning of the wood (fuel),
allowing the homeowner to gain experience in understanding the
heat output within the house.
The amount of wood (fuel) loaded into the fireplace can be matched
to the amount of heat output needed. A full load of wood, generally
(3) pieces of firewood, will provide several hours of high heat output.
The use of the air intake damper will help the homeowner regulate
their fire based on their needs. See Section 9.5.1 Air intake damper for
more information on regulating the fire.
9.4.1 Utilizing a Coal Bed
When the wood is consumed and you are down to a bed of coals, you
can rake the coals toward the front and center of the firebox before
loading more firewood. It will concentrate the remaining hot coals
where the combustion air enters the firebox and it will help ignite the
next load of firewood quicker. Open the air damper to help the next
load of fuel reignite faster before closing the damper back down to
achieve a longer burn.
When you remove ashes from your fireplace, it is recommended to
leave behind a small bed of coals. They will help in building your next
fire. See Section 10.1 Ash Disposal on page 38 for more information
on ash disposal.
Figure 9.3, Top Down Method
