Hearthstone Break-in Fires

[jmhpsu93]

I'm getting my Hearthstone Phoenix installed today and the manual says to run a couple of break-in fires. How was that experience for you Hearthstone owners, and how did you do it?

My problem is that I don't have the driest wood in the world. I was thinking of burning one Enviro Log. letting it cool down, repeat a couple of times.

Also, I've read about folks using the Enviro Logs to supplement their wood supply, but the manual says not to use the sawdust/wax composite products (and the Enviro Log box says it's OK, of course).

Thanks!!

 

[MGC67]

.....from a newbe here, i also have a hearthstone shelburne that i am waiting for install, as far as the logs go, i am pretty sure that there are bio-logs that are 100 %,

no wax fillers. they go by different names depending on your part of the country. good luck with your stove, i cant wait for mine.

-mike

 

[kniffin50]

With my Homestead Idid several small fires with Kindling wood.You might hear the stones hissing As mine did, but thats the moisture coming out of the stone. Then I let it rip and enjoyed.
Rusty

 

[rydaddy]

With my Homestead Idid several small fires with Kindling wood.You might hear the stones hissing As mine did, but thats the moisture coming out of the stone. Then I let it rip and enjoyed.
Rusty

Ditto.

 

[SteveT]

Last May or June I started a thread to ask if folks here thought BioBricks would be OK for a break in fire on my Hearthstone Clydesdale. The answer was a resounding no.

So I went with the advice and did the first fire with a handful or so of kindling -- just a few dry twigs. Got some moisture out of the soapstone (you can see it "weeping" out through the glass). A few hours later after a complete cool down I did a second break in with about twice as many small twigs -- even though the manual requires only one break in I figure it can't hurt to progress gradually). Third fire was a bit bigger -- twigs plus a few pieces 3 inches or so in diameter.

The whole process took less than a day. I just felt that it can't hurt to go with a conservative approach and it may help protect your investment.

EDIT: If the Enviro Log you are talking about is a sawdust/wax product I think it would be unwise to use it at all. There are many pure wood products (BioBricks, Envilogs and others) that work well provided you learn how to use them in your set-up so you don't overfire. But a product with wax simply doesn't belong in a wood stove.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We have a soapstone although not Hearthstone. But here is a good way break-in any stove:

1. Build very small fire; kindling only. Let the fire go out.

2. After cooling, build another fire using kindling and a couple small splits. Let the fire go out.

3. Build another fire using kindling, a couple of small splits and another larger split or even two larger splits.

4. Let stove cool.

5. Build a nice fire.

6. Enjoy.


Now a word about your situation. It does not sound good for you because of what you said. "My problem is that I don’t have the driest wood in the world." That is definitely not the way to start burning wood with a new or even an old stove. You will become very, very disappointed with this wood burning thing if you insist on burning green wood.

You will be very hard pressed to find any good seasoned wood at this time of the year. Caution: Do not necessarily believe all wood sellers because a good share seem to just want to say the wood is seasoned and can be burned immediately. With not properly seasoned wood, you will have problems getting a good fire going. You definitely will not get very good heat from it and you are definitely asking for problems with creosote and your chimney plugging, and it can plug very fast.

If you insist on burning that green wood, then please check your chimney at least ever other week. If, when you open the firebox door smoke starts to come into the house, beware that more than likely your chimney or cap is almost plugged. Clean it immediately or no later than tomorrow.

Good luck.

 

[swestall]

If you can't get your hands on dry wood, buy some of that wood they sell at C stores in plastic packs. Its very dry.
Also, if there is a saw mill in your area, they may have some ends that are very old.

As for the fires: advice here is great. Just a few splits and let them burn right throuh the cycle. Once or twice and your done and ready to go for the long burn.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Thanks, everyone. The first fire has been burned and is cooling as we "speak," using only a cut up 2x4 and some paper. Next fire will be with the pallet the wood stove came with (now how's that for eco-friendly, burning the packaging it came with??). The draft is phenomenal so far (as well it should with 33' of 6" stainless pipe), not a wisp of smoke in the house.

As for the Envirologs, I'm scared away for now, but don't all pressed cardboard/wood waste product need some sort of binding agent to hold them together such as wax?

Thanks again, the real fun starts tomorrow!!

 

[Highbeam]

No they don't need wax at all. Intense pressure when they're being formed causes the resins in the wood to glue everything together. Similar to wood pellets for a pellet stove there is no binder. No binders are allowed in your stove, read the manual for that.

My break in fires were all done with kindling. The 2x4 was a great idea.

 

[jmhpsu93]

I read how these things are "made from recycled wax-coated cardboard". When I burn them in the fireplace they leave a very light ash. Oh, well, don't want to gum up the new flue pipe.

 

[Harley]

Definately use some good dry wood for a few small break in fires, as all of the above have indicated.

For mine, there really was not any noticible moisture coming out of the stones, but that's not to say that there was none. I would stay away from any of the "logs" that have wax type binders in them.

Just do a few small fires and build up gradually and you should be fine. If you are questioning the wood at this point as far as being dry and seasoned, then I would say not to use it and keep it for next year, and find a better source for the wood if you need it for this year.

And after a good cleaning before next winter, it's always a good idea to go through the "break in" fires for it's first firing in the fall as well.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Ran the second break-in fire with a small pallet of wood. Some steam, but not much (which would've have FREAKED out the wife if I hadn't told her about it...). I wouldn't expect it as our RH is pretty low right now (dewpoint 9 by my outdoor weather sensor).