A. Truthfully, that can only be best done if the entire floor plan of the home,
insulation value and needs are all considered. It is always
best to speak with a dealer, tell them about your home, life style and describe
what your goals are for heating with wood.
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Q.
How
do catalytic wood stoves work?
A. Basically, a substrate material such as
cordierite, is plated with two or more precious metals. During the
combustion process, the gases that are released result in friction between the
plating materials, which can create extremely high temperatures. Since
smoke and other gases are load with energy, the catalyst coverts these into
usable heat fro your home.
Q.
Do catalysts need replacing?
A. Yes. After a number of years, catalysts
can loose their efficiencies. It is not uncommon to get up to 10 years or
more service from a catalyst. Burning well-seasoned dry cordwood only can
best prolong the catalyst life. If you are planning on burning boards with
nail, paint or chemical treatments, or using your stove to burn household trash,
you should not use a catalytic wood stove. Of course, all catalysts
installed in Blaze King wood models are covered by a 6 year prorated warranty.
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Q. Sometimes
when I load the wood into my stove, a small amount of
smoke comes into the room. What can I do to help prevent this?
A. Inefficient wood stoves let lots of heat escape
up the chimney and that is a fact. Blaze King catalytic stoves are so efficient,
they convert every possible Btu of heat into usable heat for the inside
of your home. However, optimal draft requires a few elements, including
velocity, heat and no obstructions. Blaze King catalytic wood stoves are
far more efficient (82.5%) than other wood stoves. This higher efficiency
results in less heat going up the chimney. This lower flue temperature can
result in less than optimal draft when the use of 90 degree elbows and length
horizontal runs come into play. The best installation for optimal draft is
always straight up and out through ceiling and roof. But this isn't always
possible, resulting in a wall exit. To minimize the problems associated
with this type of installation, Blaze King recommends the use of double wall
stove pipe on the stove to the wall or ceiling. Blaze King also suggests
the use of two 45 degree elbows back to back, which smoothes out the radius and
also shortens any horizontal run of pipe. Lastly, open the by-pass handle
5-10 minutes prior to reloading fuel. Doing so will help to increase the
flue temperature and improve the draft dramatically. Also, make certain
the spark arrestor on the cap remains clean and deposit free.
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Q. How
do I know if my wood is dry and seasoned?
A. The use of green or wet wood is the single largest
contributor to less than peak performance. The combustion of fuels
produces water, regardless of moisture level of your firewood. A piece of
dry wood has only so many Btus and if the wood is green or wet, then the
combustion process will require heat to eliminate this added moisture.
That is heat not being used to heat your home. Many wood stove owners
believe that their wood is dry since it is cracking on the ends. It is a
fact that wood that has been cut, stacked and dried for two years can still have
up to 20% moisture content. Just because a tree is dead and either
standing or down on the ground, does not mean the wood is ready to burn.
In fact, for peak heating performance, cutting, splitting and stacking off the
ground on pallets should be done at least one year in advance.
Q. Where
is my nearest Blaze King dealer?
A.
There are hundreds of dealers throughout the United
States, Canada and Japan. If you do not find a dealer near you
posted on this site, please contact
us as we are always adding to our family of great retailers.
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Q. How
do I know if my Blaze King wood stove is EPA approved?
A.
You need to determine which model of Blaze King you own
first. Since there have been dozens of models made over the years,
determining which model you own by general description is usually not possible.
At the time all stoves are manufactured, a metal or foil decal is applied to the
rear of the stove. (Right hand side on inserts). This label contains all
the information pertaining to the model and serial number. Basically, all
Blaze King King and Princess model stoves that are non-catalytic are not EPA
approved. At the same time, the earliest catalytic models were designed
and manufactured and testing for emissions was not required. Therefore,
not all catalytic models are EPA approved either. The original owners
manual that accompanied the stove at the time of sale indicated the model number
and a copy of the label for that specific model is in each Owners and Operators
Manual. Once you positively identify which model you own, feel free to download a copy of the manual at no charge.
Click Here
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Q.
How does a fresh air kit help my stove?
A.
Since all wood stoves require oxygen for the combustion
process, the oxygen most often is obtained from within your home. A fresh
air kit brings cold air from outside your home to the air intake. Doing so
assures that enough fresh air is available for efficient combustion. It
also means you are not burning the air you already warmed.
Q.
Are Blaze King wood stoves mobile home approved?
A.
Yes, all Blaze King wood stoves are mobile home approved.
Of course this requires that side shields, rear shield or fans, fresh air kit
and double wall stove pipe are used in the installation. Unfortunately,
Blaze King wood inserts are not mobile home approved, as there is no design for
a fresh air intake for these models.
Q.
How can I obtain a brochure on Blaze King products?
A.
The easiest way is to visit with your local Blaze King
dealer. You can also download a brochure
from this web site and print it in the convenience of your home. Or,
contact us and well put one in the mail to you today! Be
certain to include your complete mailing address and mention which type of Blaze
King you are most interested in.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Blaze King Gas Stoves:
Q.
What is the main difference between a B-vent and direct-vent
gas product?
A.
Direct-vent products derive their combustion air from
outside of the home. This is often achieved through either side by side
vent pipes or pipes designed with one pipe inside another. One of the two
pipes brings in the fresh air and the other expels exhaust gases.
Direct-vent products are generally considered to be more efficient than B-vent
models.
Q. What
is a heat exchanger and how does it work?
A.
Blaze King gas appliances are unique to the industry in
that most Blaze King gas models have heavy-duty heat exchangers. Superior
engineering and design has allowed Blaze King to fit the maximum amount of
square inches of surface area of heat absorbing steel into each model. The
more surface area of steel, the more energy absorbed during the combustion
process. Then, the variable speeds fans that are standard in all gas
models then moves that heat into your home. Its all about getting the
most heat from every Btu into your home.
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Q.
How do I clean the glass on my Blaze King gas appliance?
A.
Over time, deposits can form on the glass of any gas
appliance. These deposits are the result of combustion and should be removed
from the glass by using an approved glass cleaner. Do not use household
glass cleaner as the residue from the ingredients can ruin your glass.
There are several suitable products on the market and are available through
professional hearth products retailers.
Q.
Can Blaze King gas appliances burn propane?
A. Definitely
and efficiently. Dealers can perform a simple conversion at the time of
installation so that your Blaze King can use propane gas. Propane gas is
packed full of energy and is an excellent, safe way to heat your home.
Q.
Do Blaze King gas appliance have remote controls?
A. Blaze King does offer a remote control for the
millivolts appliances.
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Q.
Sometimes my Blaze King gas appliance pilot stays lit and other
time it does not. What's happening?
A. Since
Blaze King gas appliances are designed to run without electricity, they are
millivolts systems. When the pilot is lit, the flame makes contact with
the thermocouple or thermopile, creating less than of a volt of electricity.
This current is designed to keep the valve open and allow gas to continue to
flow. When the pilot goes out, the current ceases and the valve shuts
down. After a period of time, wire connections can either loosen or become
dirty, resulting in a decrease in the voltage going to the valve. With
less than volt to begin with, it takes very little loss to cause pilot
ignition problems. Cleaning or crimping lose connections will usually fix
the problem.
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Wood Stove 10 Questions
Wood Stove Trouble Shooting Guide
