Sunco SH3000 - Using Your Heater; Wood Selection

USINGYOURHEATER
Page6
3BWOODSELECTION
22BTHEIMPORTANCEOFSEASONEDHARDWOOD
Inourexperience,thereisverylittledifferencebetweendifferenttypesofhardwood(egboxgums,
stringybarketc).Whatisfarmoreimportantishowwellthewoodisseasoned.Whenwoodisfirstcut
down,ithasaveryhighmoisturecontent.Ifthewoodiscuttosmallerpiecesthenstoredinadry,airy
locationfor12months,themoistureescapes,leavingdry,qualitywoodfuel.
Ifunseasonedhardwoodisburned,themoistureinthewoodpreventstheheaterfromreachingproper
temperatures,resultinginmoresmoke,lessheat,andacreosote(soot)buildupintheflue.
23BBUYING,COLLECTINGANDSTORINGWOOD
Buywoodfromareputablemerchantthatoffersdryseasonedwoodcuttoconvenientlengths.Buying
unseasonedwoodisawasteofmoney,partlybecausewoodissoldbyweight,andunseasonedwood
hasahighwatercontent.
Whencollectingwood,ensureyoucollectonlyhardwood,andarrangeforittobestoredforatleast12
monthspriortouse.
Evenseasonedwoodcanabsorbmoistureifexposedtorain.Storethewoodundercover,allowingplenty
ofairflowbetweenthelogs.Acriss‐crosspatternworksbest.
24BSPLITTINGTHEFIREWOOD
Usealogsplitterratherthananaxe.Splitthepiecessothatyouhavearangeofsizes:
• Verythinpieces(kindling)areexcellentasfirestarters.
• Moderatesizedpieces50‐75mm(2‐3”)shouldbeusedtohelpencourageafirethatisstartingtobe
established,ortore‐establishafirefromembers.
• Largerlogscanbeusedoncethefireishotandwellestablished.Puttinglargelogsinbeforethefire
ishotenoughwillabsorbtoomuchheatandresultinsmokeratherthanflame.
4BFIRSTTIMEUSE–CURINGTHEPAINT
Theouterpanelsofyourheaterarecoatedwithahightemperaturepaintthatneedstobe“cured”.
Duringthefirstfewfirings,smokewillcomeofftheheatersurface–thisisnormal,andshouldcauseno
concern.Ensuretheroomisfullyventilatedduringthistime.Donottouchthepaintduringthistimeas
itmaybesoftandtacky.
Thefirstfiringshouldbeasmallfireonly,preferablylimitedtokindlingandsmallpiecesofwood,and
shouldlastabout20‐30minutes.Leavetheheatertocool,andfireupagainwithalargerfire.Thepaint
shouldbecuredafter3fires.