Superior BC36MH - Manual (Page 3)

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NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE.
5. Closed screens prevent fire, sparks and
embers from popping out of the firebox while a
fire is burning. Pull screens back when adding
wood to the firebox.
6. Why use a fuel grate? Besides positioning
the firebed properly, it protects the refractory
floor, back and sides of the fireplace. Further,
it ensures a proper flow of combustion air into
and around the firebed. The grate must be used
at all times when burning. Your warranty may
be voided without the use of this grate.
7. Remember, your fireplace is not intended to
heat your entire home. Their unique designs
are intended for architectural, decorating and
aesthetic considerations. Using this fireplace
to heat large areas may lead to overfiring and
void your warranty.
FuELs
Never use coal in Your Fireplace
Your fireplace system is not designed to be
used with coal derivative products. The com-
bustion process of certain types of coal can
deposit corrosive materials in the fireplace and
chimney system which can lead to premature
product failure. Never use coal as a fuel in this
fireplace system.
dEcoRAtiVE GAs LoG sEts
If your fireplace system was installed with a gas
line, you may wish to install one of two types of
gas log sets. This fireplace has been tested and
approved for use with a decorative gas appliance
incorporating an automatic shut-off device and
complying with the Standard for Decorative Gas
Appliances for installation in vented fireplaces,
ANSI Z21.60 - latest edition.
Decorative gas appliances may be installed
in these fireplaces. Installation must be in
accordance with the national Fuel Gas Code,
ANSI Z223.1-latest edition for compliance with
the revised U.L. 127 Standard.
Prior to installing any gas log set, refer to the
fireplace installation instructions for verification
of mantel heights and placement of combustible
materials around the firebox opening.
Wood Fuel Pointers
Wood is a wonderful renewable fuel source.
Normally it burns clean, leaving only a mini-
mum of waste ash, provides comforting heat
and can provide a variety of aromas and visual
images.
You will want to know which woods are best for
use. Sometimes you may want a quick, short fire
to offset a morning chill. Soft woods are prefer-
able in this case. Other times you would want
more slow burning and a uniform heat output.
Hardwoods are preferable for this use.
The amount of heat available from the logs will
be about equal on a weight basis. However,
logs are generally not weighed so the amount
of heat will depend on:
. The type of wood used.
2. How dry it is.
3. How many logs you put in.
4. The size of the logs.
The last statement means that one big log weigh-
ing 10 pounds has as much heating potential
as 10 pounds of twigs. However, air cannot get
at the solid log to feed the fire so the solid log
will burn slowly. While you would get the same
amount of heat out of either fire, the smaller the
pieces of wood and the more air space around
them, the faster the fire will burn.
disPosAL oF AsHEs
Ashes should be placed in a metal container with
a tight fitting lid. The closed container of ashes
should be placed on a noncombustible floor or
on the ground, well away from all combustible
materials, pending final disposal. If the ashes
are to be disposed of by burial in soil or other
wise locally dispersed, they should be retained
in the closed container until all cinders have
thoroughly cooled.
soFtWood Vs HARdWood
Softwoods contain about 15 percent highly
flammable resin which generates creosote soot
in the chimney flue. Burning softwood exclu-
sively may not be as desirable nor as safe as
burning denser hardwoods. Many experienced
fire-builders use small amounts of softwood
kindling and newspaper in conjunction with
starting a fire with split hardwood logs. Here
are some guidelines to remember:
cAutioN
When using the decorative gas
appliance, the fireplace damper
must be set in the fully open
position.
WARNiNG
this fireplace has Not been
tested with an unvented gas log
set. to reduce risk of fire or
injury, do not install an unvented
gas log set into this fireplace.
. Softwoods produce fast warming and shorter
fires. Hardwoods burn less vigorously, have
shorter flames and produce steady, glowing
coals.
2. As a general rule, denser woods contain
more potential heat per pound. Most softwoods
offer moderate heat value per pound.
3. Different woods vary widely in flame heights,
flame intensities, smoke characteristics and in
sparking. Most hardwoods do not spark.
4. Most freshly cut “green” wood will not burn
well and will smoke. Green wood can be from
10 to 40 percent less efficient than air-dried
seasoned wood.
5. Moisture and resin found inside unseasoned
wood cells will build up pressure under heat
and explode as sparks.
6. Most wood needs to be seasoned 9 to 12
months to reduce the moisture content and
produce good steady fires. When moisture
content is reduced from 60 to 20%, the gain
in heat potential is nearly 7%.
7. Proper storage of wood, especially during
seasoning, is essential. We recommend that
you:
a. Never store wood on the ground. This will
cause rotting and insect infiltration. Raise wood
on flat rock or scrap wood.
b. Stack wood loosely to allow air circula-
tion.
c. Store wood where it will not be excessively
exposed to weather, such as under a tarp or
under a roof.
d. Do not stack wood directly against the walls
of your home.
8. Be a knowledgeable wood buyer. There is a
difference in cord sizes. A standard cord stack
of logs is 4 ft. high by 8 ft. long by 4 ft. deep or the
equivalent of this cubic footage, (Figure 1).
• A face cord is the same height and length as
a standard cord but the depth is only the length
of the logs (12, 18 or 24 inches). A face cord
can contain as little as 25% of the wood found
in a standard cord.
• If you buy by the ton, remember that wood
becomes lighter as it dries. When buying green
or wet wood, ask for some extra poundage to
allow for the extra water you will be getting.
9. When comparing woods of the same mois-
ture content and same species, we find most
woods have approximately the same heating
potential per pound. However, most wood is
sold by volume, not by weight. To determine
the best heating source, look at the density of
various wood types (density is the weight for
a given size). The higher the density, the more
potential heat output. A standard cord has
a volume of 128 cubic feet. This figure also
includes the air space between and around the
wood. The actual volume in a standard cord is
between 60 and 100 cubic feet; depending on
how tightly the wood is packed. Assuming that
you are comparing two standard cords of differ-
ent species but the same volume and moisture
content, the denser species will provide more
BTU’s. The table of wood species/densities
reveals more helpful guidelines.