16
TYPE
WEIGHT
(LBS. CU. FT., DRY)
PER CORD
EFFICIENCY
RANKING
SPLITS
MILLIONS
BTU’s/CORD
Hickory
63
4500
1.0
Well
31.5
White Oak
48
4100
.9
Fair
28.6
Red Oak
46
3900
.8
Fair
27.4
Beech
45
3800
.7
Hard
26.8
Sugar Maple
44
3700
.6
Fair
26.2
Black Oak
43
3700
.6
Fair
25.6
Ash
42
3600
.5
Well
25.0
Yellow Birch
40
3400
.4
Hard
23.8
Red Maple
38
3200
.3
Fair
22.6
Paper Birch
37
3100
.3
Easy
22.1
Elm/Sycamore
34
2900
.2
Very Dif
fi
cult
20.1
Red Spruce
29
1800
.1
Easy
16.1
WOODSTOVE UTILIZATION
It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you use DRY WOOD only in your wood oven. The wood should have dried for 9 to 15
months, such that the humidity content (in weight) is reduced below 20% of the weight of the log. It is very important to keep in mind
that even if the wood has been cut for one, two or even more years, it is not necessarily dry, if it has been stored in poor conditions.
Under extreme conditions it may rot, instead of drying. This point cannot be over stressed; the vast majority of the problems related
to the operation of a wood oven is caused by the fact that the wood used was too damp or has dried in poor conditions.
These problems can be:
•
Ignition problems
•
Creosote build-up causing chimney
fi
res
•
Low energy yield
•
Blackened windows
•
Incomplete log combustion
Smaller pieces of wood will dry faster. All logs exceeding 6” in diameter should be split. The wood should not be stored directly
on the ground. Air should circulate through the cord. A 24” to 48” air space should be left between each row of logs, which should
be placed in the sunniest location possible. The upper layer of wood should be protected from the elements but not the sides.
This heater is designed to burn natural wood only. Higher ef
fi
ciencies and lower emissions generally result when burning air dried
seasoned hardwoods, as compared to softwoods or to green or freshly cut hardwoods.
DO NOT BURN:
Burning these materials may result in release of toxic fumes or render the heater ineffective and cause smoke.
Dead wood lying on the forest
fl
oor should be considered wet, and requires full seasoning time. Standing dead wood can usually
be considered to be about 2/3 seasoned. Splitting and stacking wood before it is stored accelerates drying time. Storing wood on
an elevated surface from the ground and under a cover or covered area from rain or snow also accelerates drying time. A good
indicator if wood is ready to burn is to check the piece ends. If there are cracks radiating in all directions from the center then the
wood should be dry enough to burn. If your wood sizzles in the
fi
re, even though the surface is dry, it may not be fully cured, and
should be seasoned longer
Waste and other
fl
ammable materials should not be burned in your oven. Any type of wood may be used in your oven, but speci
fi
c
varieties have better energy yields than others. Please consult the following table in order to make the best possible choice.
1. Garbage;
2. Lawn clippings or yard waste;
3. Materials containing rubber, including tires;
4. Materials containing plastic;
5. Waste petroleum products, paints or paint thinners, or
asphalt products;
6. Materials containing asbestos;
7. Construction or demolition debris;
8. Railroad ties or pressure-treated wood;
9. Manure or animal remains;
10. Salt water driftwood or other previously salt water saturated
materials;
11. Unseasoned wood; or
12. Paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particleboard.
The prohibition against burning these materials does not
prohibit the use of
fi
re starters made from paper, cardboard,
saw dust, wax and similar substances for the purpose of
starting a
fi
re in an affected wood heater.