7. GENERAL HINTS
7.1. TIPS
• Burn dry wood only. Damp wood not only burns poorly, it causes more
pollution in the appliance (window), the chimney, your room (when opening
the door of the appliance, for instance) and the environment. Wood can
only be classied as dry if it has been stored under a Dutch barn for at least
two years (not covered with plastic). Never use painted or impregnated
wood. The gases emitted when burning painted or impregnated wood are
aggressive and will affect the appliance, the environment and your health.
• Ensure that your re burns well. The smoke generated should be translucent
or white and the windows of the re will remain clean. We recommend that
you do not ‘pinch off’ your stove (by closing all air openings). Doing so will
hinder combustion which, apart from polluting the atmosphere, will lead to
deposits of soot and tar in your chimney (which, unchecked, will increase the
risk of chimney re).
• Keep the door shut when the re is burning. Doing so improves the
performance of your re 8 - 10 times, beneting the environment and the
heat in your home (less topping up, see section 7.2). You will also prevent re
damage from any particles the re ‘spits’ out (this is a particular problem with
softwood from conifers). If your oor contains ammable material, an extra
oor plate is required.
• Avoid lighting a re in misty or still conditions. If the wind is still, there is
hardly any draught in the cold chimney. As smoke is heavier than air, there
is a chance that smoke will enter the room. If there is mist in the air, smoke
coming out of your chimney will cool quickly and fall, causing problems in
your area.
• Do not extinguish your re with water - let it burn out.
The part of the inner lining that is in direct contact with the re is clad with
sections of metal and re-resistant material. Sudden changes in temperature
may lead to it deforming or cracks appearing.