FUEL
WHAT DOES “WELL-SEASONED” MEAN?
When a tree is cut down, the wood is green,
full of sap and moisture. This moisture content
can exceed 80%, which must be reduced to
less than 20%. Wood properly seasoned is
then capable of generating the heat the stove
was designed to provide.
Green wood does not burn easily. Attempting to
burn green wood often results in a lot of smoke
and very little fire. Time is the most important
factor in seasoning wood. Ideally the moisture
content should be reduced to 11-20%.
NOTE:
The use of a firewood moisture meter is rec-
ommended to ensure the firewood contains
less than 20% moisture.
Seasoning Guide
Softwoods - 6 months to 18 months
Hardwoods - 12 months to 24 months
Logs that are 5” diameter across or larger should
be split in half, three pieces if over 8 inches, and
four pieces when over a foot across. If a tree
has been dead for 2 - 4 years it still needs to
be cut, split, and seasoned for 6 to 24 months
depending on the wood.
4'
4'
8'
Standard
Cord of
Wood
8 Ft.
(2.4M)
4 Ft.
(1.2M)
4 Ft. (1.2M)
Figure 6
• solvents;
• grease; or
• coal
Burning these materials may result in release
of toxic fumes or render the heater ineffective
and cause smoke. Intense firing with these
materials may overheat the fireplace, causing
damage to the unit, a fire or even possibly ignit-
ing a chimney fire if the chimney is creosoted.
Burning unapproved fuel, resulting in excessive
pollutants being emitted, may be prohibited and
subject to a fine or other penalty by the authority
having jurisdiction in your area.
The prohibition against burning these materials
does not prohibit the use of fire starters made
from paper, cardboard, saw dust, wax and
similar substances for the purpose of starting
a fire in an affected wood heater.
MAINTAINING YOUR FIREPLACE
Have your product inspected at least once
a year by a qualified service technician to
ensure gaskets, air tubes, baffles, and vent-
ing are in good repair to ensure proper per-
formance. Have degraded items replaced
by a qualified service technician.
This wood heater contains a catalytic com-
bustor, which needs periodic inspection
and replacement for proper operation. It
is against federal regulations to operate
this wood heater in a manner inconsistent
with operating instructions in this manual,
or if the catalytic element is deactivated
or removed.
Creosote - Formation and Need for Removal
When 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.
The chimney shall be inspected at least twice
a year during the heating season to determine
when a creosote buildup has occurred.
When creosote has accumulated it shall be
removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
When the creosote accumulation is large, a
creosote fire in the chimney can damage the
chimney and overheat the surrounding wood
framing. Creosote formation in a chimney can
be minimized by making sure there is always
visible flame burning, avoid smoldering fires
and by proper refueling techniques.
Chimney Maintenance
Regular chimney inspection and maintenance
combined with proper operation will prevent
chimney fires. Keep your chimney clean. Do
not allow more than 1/16” (1.6 mm) creosote
build up in your chimney.
Prohibited Fuels
This heater is designed to burn natural wood
only. Higher efficiencies 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:
• Garbage;
• Lawn clippings or yard waste;
• Materials containing rubber, including tires;
• Materials containing plastic;
• Waste petroleum products, paints or paint
thinners, or asphalt products;
• Materials containing asbestos;
• Construction or demolition debris;
• Railroad ties or pressure-treated wood;
• Manure or animal remains;
• Salt water driftwood or other previously salt
water saturated materials;
• Unseasoned wood;
• Christmas tree branches;
• Paper products, colored paper, cardboard,
plywood, or particleboard;
• gasoline;
• naphtha;
• engine oil;
• flammable liquids;
The amount of creosote will depend on variables
such as frequency of use and type of fire. We
recommend that you:
A. Initially inspect the chimney system weekly.
From this, you will learn how often it will be
necessary to clean your chimney.
B. Have your chimney cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep. If you wish to clean it
yourself, we recommend using a stiff plastic
or non-metallic brush. If a metal brush is
used, its size should be slightly smaller than
the flue to avoid damaging the chimney. Do
not use a brush that will scratch the stainless
steel interior of the chimney.
C. Do not expect chemical cleaners to keep
your chimney clean. The rain cap can be
removed for inspection and/or cleaning of
the chimney.
CAUTION: It is necessary to remove the deflec-
tor from the top of the firebox before cleaning
the chimney.
Before performing chimney sweep, open the
bypass and remove the combustor. Remove
dust accumulation after chimney sweep and
put the combustor back in place.
CATALYTIC COMBUSTOR
This fireplace is designed with a catalytic com-
bustor which will reduce pollution emissions
and creosote build up while improving thermal
efficiency. In order to optimize and maintain
the combustor performance, it is important to
visually check the combustor at least 3 times
during the heating season to determine if physi-
cal degradation has occurred.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE.
9
The combustor supplied with this heater is
an Innovative Hearth Products Combustor.
Consult the catalytic combustor warranty
also supplied with this wood heater. War-
ranty claims should be addressed to:
Innovative Hearth Products
1769 East Lawrence Street,
Russelville, AL 35654
Phone: 800-655-2008
The packaging of the combustor must be
robust enough to protect against any ship-
ping damage that may occur.
WARNING
To prevent damage to your com-
bustor, do not:
• Drop the combustor (which is
fragile compared to the rest of
the unit – so handle with care)
• Run water or compressed air
through the combustor
• Try to clean the combustor with
any sharp tool
