– the time between refills. All of this is
providing it is fully seasoned wood.
Never use wet or unseasoned (green)
wood as this will cause nuisance smoke
and a very disappointing fire.
It could quickly result in the build up of
soot and creosote which, because of
the higher temperatures of stove flue
gases, could easily cause a flue or
chimney fire. In addition, burning wet
wood creates other environmental
problems, a less efficient fuel economy
and can eventually clog your flue
system and cowl. It will also reduce the
effectiveness of the stove’s Airwash
system thus causing staining and
blackening of the glass.
Wet or unseasoned would produces the
following poor performance:
• Hard to light fires
• Fires that are difficult to keep going
or to keep burning well
• Smoky fires with fewer flames which
are also of a dull orange colour
• Increased dense grey / blue smoke
from the chimney
• Shorter burn times
• Low heat output
• Dirty glass and firebricks
• Excessive and rapid creosote build-up
in the flue system and chimney
• Unpleasant smoky smells both inside
and sometimes outside the house
Manufactured or finished wood
products, such as plywood and
chipboard, must also be strictly avoided
because of the high chemical adhesive
13
RECOMMENDED FUELS
The Alpha III AL910 stove
allows the
burning of wood in non-Smoke Control
Areas and approved smokeless multi
fuels only, in Smoke Control Areas. It
must, at all times, be operated in
accordance with the instructions to
minimise the amount of smoke
produced.
The following fuels are approved by
Alpha Stoves for use in the AL910:
•
Wood Logs
Only ever use dried, fully
seasoned chopped wood logs with a
moisture content of less than 20%.
Wood which is well seasoned makes
a distinctive ‘clack’ rather than a dull
‘thud’ when knocked together. It will
also feel much lighter than an
unseasoned log. Other indicators
include bark peeling away and cracking
and splitting around the outside.
Ideally wood should be seasoned
outdoors for between 18 to 24 months
– the harder the wood then the longer
the seasoning. It should be stacked off
the ground with plenty of space
between the logs to allow air
movement and with the top covered
to keep rain and snow out. Seasoned
wood will give you approximately 50%
more heat output than the equivalent
unseasoned log.
Most types of hardwood, for instance
Ash (generally regarded as the best),
Birch, Beech, Oak and Elm can be used.
However, avoid woods with a high
resin content. As a rule of thumb, the
heavier the wood, then the greater the
heat output and the longer burn time
