Stack the firewood on skids or blocking to keep it off
the ground, cover only the top of the stack. Plastic
or tarps that cover the sides of the stack of wood
trap moisture and prevent the wood from drying. As
for stacking, an old Vermonter said, "The spaces
between the logs should be large enough for a
mouse to get through, but not for the cat that's
chasing it."
•
DO NOT STORE FIREWOOD WITHIN THE
STOVE’S SPECIFIED CLEARANCES TO
COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.
B
UILDING
A
F
IRE
Once you understand the controls of your wood
stove and have chosen the appropriate firewood,
you are ready to start a fire.
•
WARNING: NEVER USE GASOLINE, GASOLINE-
TYPE LANTERN FUEL, KEROSENE, CHARCOAL
LIGHTER FLUID, OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS TO START
OR 'FRESHEN UP' A FIRE IN THIS HEATER.
KEEP ALL SUCH LIQUIDS WELL AWAY FROM
THE HEATER WHILE IT IS IN USE.
Breaking In Your Wood Stove
It is imperative that your stove is "broken in" slowly.
Soapstone requires "seasoning"; over-firing a new
stove may cause soapstone to crack or may
damage other stove parts. Moisture in the
soapstone must be driven out slowly to minimize the
“shock” to the stone of its first exposure to high
firebox temperatures. In addition, the asbestos-free
furnace cement must be cured slowly to ensure
adequate sealing and bonding.
The bottom layer of soapstone in the firebox is
intended to prevent thermal stress and should
remain in place in the fire box at all times.
When you light your first fires, the wood stove will
emit some smoke and fumes. This is normal “off-
gassing” of the paints and oils used when
manufacturing the wood stove. If you find it
necessary, open a few windows to vent your room.
The smoke and fumes will usually subside after 10
to 20 minutes of operation. The odor and smoke will
end once the stove is “cured”.
The first fires may produce other odors from
impurities that exist in the area immediately
surrounding the stove. Some of these impurities can
be cleaning solvents, paint solvents, cigarettes,
smoke, pet hair, dust, adhesives, a new carpet, and
new textiles. These odors will dissipate over time.
You can alleviate these odors by opening a few
windows or otherwise creating additional ventilation
around your stove. If any odor persists, contact your
dealer or an authorized service technician.
If you adhere to the following break-in procedure, as
well as all other operating procedures in this manual,
the cast iron and soapstone components of your
stove will give you many years of trouble-free use.
With use, the color of the soapstone may change
and small fractures may appear on the surface of
the stone. These changes will only add character
and distinction to your stove.
Avoid the following conditions that can cause the
soapstone or cast iron pieces to break:
•
Do not throw wood into the stove.
•
Do not use the doors as leverage to force wood
into the stove.
•
Do not load wood that is encrusted with ice into
a burning stove as the thermal shock can cause
damage.
•
Do not use a manufactured grate. Burn the fire
directly on the soapstone that lines the bottom of
the firebox.
Building A Break In Fire
1. Open the front or side door and place five or six
double sheets of tightly twisted newspaper in the
center of the firebox. Arrange kindling in a
crisscross pattern over the newspaper. Kindling
should be approximately ten pieces, 1/2" (13
mm) in diameter and 10" to 18" (254 mm to 457
mm) long.
2. Fully open the primary air control by pushing the
control handle fully to the left, away from the
firebox.
3. Light the paper under the kindling. Close the
side door and leave the front door slightly ajar
momentarily until the kindling has started to burn
and draft begins to pull.
4. Close the door and allow the fire to burn. Keep
both the front and side doors closed while the
stove is in use. Make sure the grate is in the
closed position and the ash drawer is tightly
closed.
5. KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE ON YOUR STOVE to
maintain a steady, low-heat fire. Your first fire
should make the stove warm but
not hot to the
touch
. At most, a few small chunks of wood
should be added to the fire to reach safe break-
in temperatures.
6. Once the stove is warm but
not hot to the
touch,
close the primary air control by pushing it
fully to the right to allow the fire to die out
completely.
7. Let the stove return to room temperature.
Hearthstone Quality Home Heating Products, Inc.
® Heritage Model 8022
Page 20 of 30
