Wood Recommendations
Burn only cordwood that has been seasoned for 12-18 months. Burning unseasoned wood is
wasteful and inefficient, using much of the combustion energy to boil off the excess moisture.
It also puts a lot of moisture into the ash “pan” which makes it corrosive. The wood
can
be
split to aid in seasoning if it’s real wet and should be approx. 25% moisture content by
weight.
However, whole rounds burn longer and are cheaper but will have to be dried
longer.
The following are general guidelines for wood selection:
• Hardwoods burn better than softwoods (mix them if you need to burn softwood).
• Larger pieces (whole rounds) are best and burn better and longer than small pieces.
• 25% moisture content is optimum. Drier is ALWAYS better!
Higher moisture content wastes energy boiling off water. Wood with a lot of moisture can
cause more smoke than the chimney can dispose of. It also puts a lot of moisture into the
ash “pan”, which makes an extremely corrosive mixture.
Ash corrosion is NOT covered
by the warranty.
Lower moisture content (very dry, old wood) burns rapidly and inefficiently.
Burning Coal
We recommend that you burn a coal and wood mixture. A nice bed of coal (about 8-10
shovels) up to the bottom edge of the door, heaping it in the middle with wood on top, burns
best according to our customers.
Keep the ash receptacle and firebox clean, as
coal is very corrosive
.
Damage from
burning coal is not covered under the warranty. You may want to add firebrick, placing
it on the floor of the furnace or/and elsewhere.
This furnace is now available now with an optional adjustable shaker grate, for burning coal –
a FIRST in the industry!!
11
