Hearth and Home Technologies Montana-36 - Manual (Page 23)

01/04 4039-150 Rev B 23
MONTANA INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
SEASONING: Seasoned firewood is nothing more than wood
that is cut to size, split and air dried to a moisture content of
around 20%. The time it takes to season wood varies from
around nine months for soft woods to as long as eighteen
months for hardwoods. The key to seasoning wood is to be
sure it has been split, exposing the wet interior and increasing
the surface area of each piece. A tree that was cut down a
year ago and not split is likely to have almost as high a
moisture content now as it did when it was cut.
The following guideline will ensure properly seasoned wood:
a. Stack the wood to allow air to circulate freely around
and through the woodpile.
b. Elevate the woodpile off the ground to allow air circulation
underneath.
c. The smaller the pieces, the faster the drying process.
Any piece over six inches in diameter should be split.
d. Cover the top of the woodpile for protection from rain
and snow. Avoid covering the sides and ends completely.
Doing so may trap moisture from the ground and impede
air circulation.
The problems with burning wet, unseasoned wood are twofold:
First, you will receive less heat output from wet wood because
it requires energy in the form of heat to evaporate the water
trapped inside. This is wasted energy that should be used for
heating your home. Secondly, this moisture evaporates in the
form of steam which has a cooling effect in your fireplace and
chimney system. When combined with tar and other organic
vapors from burning wood it will form creosote which
condenses in the relatively cool fireplace and chimney.
WARNING!
Burning wet, unseasoned wood can cause ex-
cessive creosote accumulation. When ignited
it can cause a chimney fire that may result in a
serious house fire.
6. Wood Fuel
FIREWOOD: Your fireplace performance depends on
the quality of the firewood you use. All seasoned wood,
regardless of species, contains about 8,000 BTU’s per
pound, and hardwoods have a greater density than
soft woods. A piece of hardwood will contain about 60%
more BTU’s than an equal size piece of soft wood.
Firewood is commonly sold by the cord (128 cu. ft.). A
cord of seasoned oak (hardwood) would contain about
60% more potential energy than a cord of seasoned
pine (soft wood).
Soft woods are generally considered coniferous. These
are trees with needle-like leaves that stay green all
year and carry their seeds exposed in a cone.
Examples of soft wood trees are Douglas fir, pine,
spruce, and cedar. Soft woods require less time to dry,
burn faster and are easier to ignite than hardwoods.
Hardwoods are generally considered deciduous.
Deciduous trees are broadleaf trees that lose their
leaves in the fall. Their seeds are usually found within
a protective pod or enclosure. Some examples are oak,
maple, apple, and birch. It should be noted that there
are some deciduous trees that are not considered
hardwoods, such as poplar, aspen, and alder.
Hardwoods require more time to season, burn slower
and are usually harder to ignite than soft woods.
The best wood fuel is a combination of soft wood and
hardwood. Start the fire with soft wood; the fire will give
off quick heat to bring the appliance up to operating
temperature, and then the hardwood can be added for
slow, even heat and longer burn time.
MOISTURE: Regardless of which species of wood you
burn, the single most important factor that effects the
way your fireplace operates is the amount of moisture
in the wood. The majority of the problems fireplace
owners experience are caused by trying to burn wet,
unseasoned wood.
Freshly cut wood can be as much water as it is wood,
having a moisture content of around 50%. Imagine a
wooden bucket that weighs about eight pounds. Fill it
with a gallon of water, put it in the fireplace and try to
burn it. This sounds ridiculous but that is exactly what
you are doing if you burn unseasoned wood.