Hi! So happy to be here. You don't know it, but your info and all these posts helped me choose my Clydesdale to replace my puny Drolet 1400 Escape. The installers were awesome, and its beautiful--and quite a relief, considering it was a calculated risk to buy it without exact inner dimensions of my fireplace. (The Drolet was here when we moved, so i just shoved my tape around it, said a prayer and ordered!!)
Did I break it in right? I did a small (10 min) kindling fire, another 15 minute fire, and a third fire for a half hour or so. Then I tried to do a small start to a normal fire, which burned for an hour but then went out because my son pushed the damper in. So I technically got a few fires in to break it in. And then I lit a good fire with four 4" nice logs 22"'or so. And as it lit up and heated up, I got nervous...but I'm sure its fine. Im gonna let this one go to cooler coals and then light it up good for the night and see what it looks like in the morning. I had to load that Drolet up every 3-3.5 hours, so I'm sure I wont be disappointed! The paint smell is pretty bad. Moved the finches to the laundry room for the night. But I expected that.
So give me some guidance on keeping a thermometer on the fire...we burned full loads of locust in that old one, just to get enough heat for the coldest days and nights. Now we have hickory, cherry, and oak, split and stacked in May this year, and some that was split and stacked in August this year (which I doubt I'll need this season). It may not be fully seasoned, but it's what I have. Is that OK? And how/why do i keep track of my fire temps. I never knew you could "burn up" a wood stove...what do I want to avoid??
Thanks...and I'm so glad for you and the resource this community is!! Merry Christmas
Did I break it in right? I did a small (10 min) kindling fire, another 15 minute fire, and a third fire for a half hour or so. Then I tried to do a small start to a normal fire, which burned for an hour but then went out because my son pushed the damper in. So I technically got a few fires in to break it in. And then I lit a good fire with four 4" nice logs 22"'or so. And as it lit up and heated up, I got nervous...but I'm sure its fine. Im gonna let this one go to cooler coals and then light it up good for the night and see what it looks like in the morning. I had to load that Drolet up every 3-3.5 hours, so I'm sure I wont be disappointed! The paint smell is pretty bad. Moved the finches to the laundry room for the night. But I expected that.
So give me some guidance on keeping a thermometer on the fire...we burned full loads of locust in that old one, just to get enough heat for the coldest days and nights. Now we have hickory, cherry, and oak, split and stacked in May this year, and some that was split and stacked in August this year (which I doubt I'll need this season). It may not be fully seasoned, but it's what I have. Is that OK? And how/why do i keep track of my fire temps. I never knew you could "burn up" a wood stove...what do I want to avoid??
Thanks...and I'm so glad for you and the resource this community is!! Merry Christmas