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Installation and Operation Manual - Inspire 2000
2.2 Zone Heating and How to Make it Work for You
Your new Inspire 2000 wood fire is a space heater, which means it is intended to heat the area
it is installed in, as well as spaces that connect to that area, although to a lower temperature.
This is called zone heating and it is an increasingly popular way to heat homes or spaces within
homes.
Zone heating can be used to supplement another heating system by heating a particular space
within a home, such as a basement family room or an addition that lacks another heat source.
Houses of moderate size and relatively new construction can be heated with a properly sized
and located wood fire. Whole house zone heating works best when the wood fire is located in
the part of the house where the family spends most of its time. This is normally the main living
area where the kitchen, dining and living rooms are located. By locating the wood fire in this
area, you will get the maximum benefit of the heat it produces and will achieve the highest
possible heating efficiency and comfort. The space where you spend most of your time will be
warmest, while bedrooms and basement (if there is one) will stay cooler. In this way, you will
burn less wood than with other forms of heating.
Although the wood fire may be able to heat the main living areas of your house to an adequate
temperature, we strongly recommend that you also have a conventional oil, gas or electric
heating system to provide backup heating.
Your success with zone heating will depend on several factors, including the correct sizing and
location of the wood fire, the size, layout and age of your home and your climate zone. Three-
season vacation homes can usually be heated with smaller wood fires than houses that are
heated all winter.
2.3 The Benefits of Low Emissions and High Efficiency
The low smoke emissions produced by the special features inside this wood fire firebox mean
that the household will release up to 90% less smoke into the outside environment than if an
older conventional wood fire was used. But there is more to the emission control technologies
than protecting the environment.
The smoke released from wood when it is heated contains about half of the energy content
of the fuel. By burning the wood completely, this wood fire releases all the heat energy from
the wood instead of wasting it as smoke up the chimney. Also, the features inside the firebox
allow control of the air supply meaning controlling the heat output, while maintaining clean and
efficient flaming combustion, which boosts the efficient delivery of heat to the home.
The emission control and advanced combustion features of this wood fire can only work properly if the
fuel used is in the correct moisture content range of 15% to 20%. See section
for suggestions on preparing fuelwood and judging its moisture.
2.4 The SBI Commitment to You and the Environment
The SBI team is committed to protecting the environment, so we do everything we can to use
only materials in our products that will have no lasting negative impact on the environment.
2.4.1 What is This Wood fire Made Of?
The
body
of this wood fire, which is most of its weight, is carbon steel.
