9
Preparation
You obtain the best fuel if you cut down, saw, and chop
the wood before the 1st May (Northern hemisphere). Do
not forget to adapt the length of the logs to the combustion
chamber of your stove. We recommend a diameter of 6 - 10
cm and a length that is approximately 6 cm shorter than the
combustion chamber in order to give space for the air circu-
lation. If the diameter is larger, you should chop it. Chopped
wood dries better.
Storage
The correct storage of the wood is one of the main conditions
of an environment-conscious combustion. Only then are you
guaranteed optimal combustion values, and that the environ-
ment is not unnecessarily polluted.
* The wood should be stored in an airy, sunny, and dry
place
(ideal: south side).
* There should be about a hand's breadth distance between
each
layer.
* Poplar and spruce should be stored at least one year be-
fore being used as fuel.
* Lime, alder, and birch should be stored at least 1½ years
before being used as fuel.
* Beech, ash, and fruit tree should be stored at least two
years before being used as fuel.
It is a good idea to keep the wood at room temperature sev-
eral days before use as the wood absorbs humidity from the
air in the autumn and in the winter.
Humidity
In order to avoid environmental problems and to obtain a
better heat economy, you should only use dry wood (max.
21% humidity). You will get the best efficiency at a humidity
of 15 to 18%. A simple way to determine the humidity of the
wood is to clack the ends of the logs against each other - if
the sound is dull, the wood is dry.
If you use wood that is too humid, a large part of the heat
is used for evaporating the water. As a consequence, the
temperature of the stove does not rise, and the room is not
heated sufficiently. This is, of course, inefficient and you
risk soot on the glass, in the stove, and in the chimney.
Furthermore, the environment is polluted.
It is absolutely prohibited to fire with
painted or chemically treated wood, or driftwood from the
sea. Nor should you fire with plastic or prepared paper, as
the content of this is bad for the environment, for your stove,
and for your chimney. In short - you should only fire with
wood.
Your stove is not constructed for the use of coal. However, it
is possible to use lignite briquettes if you use a special coal
insert of cast iron (accessory).
The thermal value of wood
The thermal value of wood differs from one type of wood
to another. This means that you must use more wood of
some types than of others in order to obtain the same heat
quantity. In our firing instructions we use beech, which has a
very high thermal value, as a starting point. If you use beech
or oak, you should keep in mind that they have a higher
thermal value than other types of wood, so you should use
a smaller quantity. Otherwise, you risk damaging your stove.
See table below.
Handling of wood
D I R E C T I O N S F O R U S E A N D S TO K I N G
Type of wood
Dry wood, kg/m3 Compared to beech
Hornbeam
640
110%
Beech/oak
580
100%
Ash
570
98%
Maple
570
93%
Birch
510
88%
Mountain pine
480
83%
Spruce
390
67%
Poplar
380
65%
