SECTION V - COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY
WHAT IS IT?
Combustion efficiency measures
how well an appliance burns the fuel
it is given. If the air supply is not
obstructed or controlled in any way,
and dry wood is used, your Temp-
Cast masonry heater will achieve
high combustion efficiency, well over
90 %. Good combustion efficiency
reduces the amount of pollution
created by burning wood and
extracts the maximum amount of
heat from the gases formed during
burning.
GOOD BURNING TECHNIQUES
Although your Temp-Cast fireplace
will burn well without much thought
on your part, there are a few
techniques you can employ to
maximize combustion efficiency.
• Ensure that your wood supply is
dry, with 20% moisture content or
less.
• For starting the fire, use cedar
shavings or a little newspaper,
and dry softwood kindling only
• Split all logs over 5" in diameter.
• Use firewood that is
approximately the same size for
any one fire. In this way, the
entire fire will burn out at the
same time and dampers can be
closed more quickly, without
having to wait for that one large
chunk.
• Stack wood in alternating layers,
front to back and across the
firebox. (Long pieces can also be
leaned against the back wall of
the firebox.)
• Use the "top-down" burn
technique described in Section III
to create the absolute minimum
emissions during start-up.
THE RIGHT FUEL
Your Temp-Cast fireplace will
perform equally well with all kinds of
wood. Softwood, scrap lumber,
branches, etc., are all equal to the
best hardwoods in terms of heat
value by weight and are cheaper to
obtain. However, no matter what
type of wood you burn, the following
fuel guidelines are essential to good
combustion and safe burning.
• Burn only wood or
commercially prepared wood
fuel products.
• Split all cordwood (regardless
of size) and all pieces thicker
than 5" in diameter.
• Ensure that wood is dried to
20% moisture or less.
• Do not burn chemically treated,
stained or painted wood.
• Do not use any chemical or
combustible liquids to start the
fire.
• Do not attempt to burn coal in
the fireplace.
• Do not burn plastics or
garbage.
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