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User manual Martin Fireplaces, model 400BWBIA

Manafacture: Martin Fireplaces
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Cover the logs with ashes. A “banked” fire will hold glowing coals for 8-10 hours, thereby saving a fire for later use. 34 61D0008 FIREPLACE OPERATION WOOD VS. FOSSIL FUELS Compared to fossil fuels, a full cord of dry hickory weighs about two tons and is approximately equal in heating value to a ton of hard coal. On a per pound basis, heavy hardwoods have about half the heating value of coal. The table below shows the relative densities and heat values of a variety of dry woods. Varieties at the top of the list (Dogwood) burn longer and those near the bottom (White Pine) ignite and burn quicker. A combination of both light and heavy wood is desired. SPECIES VALUE DENSITY HEAT Dogwood .70-.79 100-107 Hickory .70-.74 100 Oak .60-.73 86-99 Black Locust .69-.70 95-98 Beech .64-.66 89-91 Hard Maple .58-.65 83-88 Birch .55-.64 79-86 Apple .58-.62 83-84 Ash .57-.61 81-82 Southern Pine .51-.60 73-81 Elm .50-.59 71-80 Cherry .50-.52 70 Douglas Fir .45-.51 64-69 Spruce .41-.44 59 Redwood .33-.40 47-54 White Pine .35-.37 50 A FEW WORDS OF CAUTION Do not burn plastics, poison ivy twigs and stems and chemically treated woods such as discarded poles and railroad ties in your fireplace. These create air pollution and can cause extreme irritation for some people. Use hemlock, spruce, juniper and other resinous woods with caution. They contain moisture pockets which, upon heating, “pop” with considerable vigor. Always use a fire screen.Always “bank” a fire (or at least push all unburned fuel to the rear of the grate) before leaving a fire unattended. Do not use this fireplace as an incinerator. The termination of the chimney above the roof is exposed to wind, cold, and pressure changes. These and other environmental conditions may make it hard to get a sufficient chimney draft at times. At other times the draft may be sufficiently disrupted and cause smoke to spill from the fireplace opening. If problems with chimney draft occur, help start chimney draft before you build a fire by holding a piece of burning paper near the flue opening at the top of the firebox to preheat the chimney. If smoke spills from the fireplace opening after the fire is burning, open a window on the up wind side of the house that is far enough away form the fireplace that the wind will not blow across the fireplace opening. Push burning wood as near the back of the fireplace as possible. If your fireplace has glass doors, close them. IMPORTANT: Do not leave children or physically or mentally handicapped, or senile persons alone with a burning fireplace. 61D0008 35 MAINTENANCE FUEL STORAGE Wood can be dried sufficiently for burning within a few weeks if protected form rain in a low humidity area. It is better to cut wood and allow it to dry for a year. In all cases, the wood should be stacked so that both ends of the sticks are exposed to the air and protected from rain. The drier the wood, the more usable heat produced by the fire and less likely rapid accumulation of soot and creosote within the chimney is to occur. See Chimney Maintenance for information on the hazards of soot and creosote accumulation. Small quantities of wood required for fire tending must be kept at least 30" from the fireplace. DISPOSAL OF ASHES Ashes should be placed in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. The closed container of ashes should be placed on a noncombustible floor or on the ground well away from all combustible materials until they are finally disposed of. If the ashes are buried or locally dispersed, they should be kept in the closed container until all cinder has thoroughly cooled. Ashes should never be placed in a container with combustible materials. CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE Creosote, Formation and Need for Removal hen wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other organic vapors which combine with expelled moisture to form creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the relatively cool chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the flue lining. When ignited, this creosote makes an extremely hot fire. Note: The chimney should be inspected at least twice a year during the heating season to determine if a creosote buildup has occurred. If creosote has accumulated it should be removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire. The chimney cap can be removed for inspection, maintenance and cleaning by removing three screws from the support legs and lifting upward. When the fireplace is new, inspect the chimney often and clean the chimney any time creosote is seen on the flue walls. Once you see a pattern of how often creosote is accumulating, you can determine how often the chimney should be inspected. Also changes in the outside environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity or changes in the operation of the fireplace can lead to rapid buildup of soot and/or creosote. Have a a qualified and reputable chimney sweep clean the chimney or remove creosote or soot with brushes on wooden or fiberglass poles. Note: Do not ...