7
DO NOT BURN TREATED TIMBER
DO NOT BURN WET OR UNSEASONED WOOD
LIGHTING
On initial light up, the presence of smoke may be noticed. This is normal and will dissipate
quickly.
DO NOT BURN YOUR WOOD FIRE TOO QUICKLY TO BEGIN WITH.
Allow several small fires
to build up a layer of ash in the wood fire, and cure the paint before using maximum power.
1.
Adjust the air control knob, until it is fully open.
2. Place several pieces of crumpled newspaper in the base
of the firebox, and criss-cross with 8-10 pieces of dry split
kindling. Stack several pieces of dry split firewood no
greater than 30cm in length on top of the kindling.
3. Ignite the paper and leave the door slightly ajar (resting it
on the latch). Let the fire establish itself for 4-5 minutes,
then open the door and add some more pieces of wood.
Do not leave the fire unattended during this process.
4. Close the door fully, but leave the air control fully open until the wood is well alight
and burning brightly.
Note:
It may be necessary in some cases to leave the door ajar for longer periods and use
more small kindling in order to establish enough heat to warm up the flue. Only when the flue is
sufficiently warm to create the necessary draft to maintain the fire may the door be fully closed.
It may take trial and error to find a lighting procedure that suits your situation.
NORMAL OPERATION ONCE THE FIRE IS ESTABLISHED
The Kent wood fire requires fresh air for optimal burning, and this must come from outside the
house. A normal house will allow enough air in through incidental openings to satisfy this. We
recommend that a source of air be located near the wood fire for best performance. This can
be simply a window that is left ajar while the wood fire is in use. If this is not possible, and the
house is particularly air-tight, a vent may need to be installed next to the wood fire to provide
the air required. Lack of air will lead to a wood fire that is hard to light and get going, or in bad
cases, to smoke spilling back into the room.
While an air control is fitted, it is recommended that, for the cleanest operation, this is left fully
open and the amount of heat generated is adjusted by the amount of fuel that is used. The
heater burns cleanest when it is running at a high rate.
Once the fire is well established, the output can be regulated by the amount of wood that is
used.
To reload the fire, open the air control fully, and then open the door. Note that the fire burns
hottest at the front of the firebox and so there may be unburnt wood at the back when it
comes time to reload. This is normal. Rake through the contents to move any unburnt wood
forward and then place the desired amount of wood into the firebox. Close the door.
The view of the flame through the glass door will give you the best indication of how your wood
fire is performing. In order to accomplish maximum combustion performance, the fire should
give a rolling, boiling flame pattern. At reduced setting the flame will be slower.
For all practical purposes, the air control should be fully open when there is unburnt wood in the
wood fire. Fire holding periods may be increased by turning down the air control, this is at the
cost of greater emissions and creosote production. At low settings, creosote may condense on
the glass, reducing the visibility of the fire. The best indication that the fire is operating correctly
is that the glass remains clean, without build-up of black or brown deposits. Some whitish bloom
on the glass is normal and does not generally indicate a fault in operation.
The way you burn your wood fire will also determine what is happening up the flue. Continued
burning at high rates with a good clean flame will minimise soot and creosote deposits in the flue.
