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Burning
If you do not use a fireplace or
masonry heater continuously,
especially during the cold season,
smoke channels become damp and
cold and therefore circulation
problems may occur when trying to
burn it. This happens because the
cold air in smoke channels and
chimney prevents hot gas from
traveling through them. In other
words, there is no circulation.
Experienced stove makers suggest
opening the top cleaning duct
doors and burning there a piece of
paper or lath. The cold air will
warm up in the canal this way
opening the way for hot gases.
Gradually, smoke channels will
warm up and circulation will
stabilise as well as smell of
smoke will disappear.
To
aid the ignition of the stove, it
is advisable to place a piece of
paper followed by few laths and
small logs. Then light up the
paper and close the burning duct
door leaving the door for air
supply open. If ignition is still
not good enough, you can slightly
open the burning duct door.
Fuel for masonry heaters and
fireplaces
It
is advisable to use birch, oak,
maple tree or black alder logs to
burn in masonry heaters and
fireplaces as they give out more
heat as well as provide an equal
and quiet combustion. Birch and
oak wood is regarded as solid
wood; such logs burn with a
tranquil flame and masonry stove
heats up well. Soft type wood
(fir, pine, etc.) burns faster,
produces lots of sparks and less
heat. It is not worth using logs
that are too dry as they will burn
quickly. The best is to use
firewood that is kept in the
woodshed with the roof. Such wood
is naturally moist and burns well.
Birchwood produces lots of soot
but it burns for a long
time. Burning black alder,
alder or aspen logs emit soot
which settles onto smoke channels.
When burning damp wood, stove
heats up slower and moisture
builds up on the walls of smoke
channels, more ash appears in the
main burner chamber and as a
result masonry heater efficiency
ratio
decreases.
Firewood logs should be not too
big nor too small – they should be
2/3 or 3/4 of depth comparing to
the burning duct.
When ships and small logs flame
up, 2/3 of the burning duct should
be filled up with the firewood.
Burning duct should be topped up
with more firewood before it
completely burns down.
It is not recommended to top up
burning duct often with only few
logs.
Firewood
burning
The
burning time and intensity of
firewood as well as efficiency
ratio depends on the supply of the
air to the burning duct and its
control via latches as well as
dampness, type and quantity of
logs. Smaller logs in larger
quantities are used to maintain
the intensity of combustion.
Slower combustion can be achieved
by using smaller amount of larger
logs. It is worth noting that
frequent use of a slow burning
mode is more likely to result in
contamination of the burning duct,
smoke channels and glass door.
During the optimal burning,
firewood is burning calmly, there
is no humming noise and flame is
of golden colour. Burning duct
door must be closed for the better
emission of heat as well as
reasons of fire safety. It
is not advisable to open the
burning duct door swiftly in order
to avoid retraction and smoke
appearance in the room.
Very often masonry heater or
fireplace produces smoke due to
chimney elevation or its diameter
being too small.
Exploitation
and maintenance of smoke
channels
Maintenance of smoke channels must
be carried out in accordance with
fire safety requirements.
Technical condition of smoke
channels should be checked once a
year. Cleaning of the masonry
heater including its smoke
channels – also small repairs if
needed, needs to be carried out
before the heating season. If
there is a need, this can be done
during the heating season also.
Checks and cleaning should be
carried out by specialists.
Circulation in masonry heater may
depend on meteorological
conditions, wind gusts, fog and
low atmospheric pressure.
At the end of the heating season,
smoke channels must be cleaned via
the lee door. A good cleaning
method for smoke channels is to
burn aspen logs or potato
peelings.
During the
exploitation of masonry heaters
or fireplaces it is strictly
forbidden to:
· Change the design
of the masonry heater or fireplace
without consulting with the stove
maker;
· To
use it in a non-intended manner;
· Burn
household waste, plastic and other
substances that may cause fire in
smoke ducts and chimney;
furthermore, burning of the
household waste pollutes the
environment;
· Pour
water into the burning duct or
onto coal;
· Hang
onto the stove and dry flammable
materials;
· Clean
burning duct before it completely
cooled down;
· Use
a masonry heater or fireplace that
is in disrepair (masonry heater or
fireplace produces smoke, has
cracks through which you can see
flame or how smoke travels, etc.);
· Leave
children near the masonry heater
or fireplace unattended;
· Light
up the stove or fireplace by using
flammable liquids (petrol,
kerosene, acetone, etc.)
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