Lighting BIO BLOCK Firewood
We know how cozy it is to sit by a hot fire on a bitterly, cold Winter night. However, it can be challenging to know how to light a fire! The best way to build a fire in a fireplace, or wood stove, is to start with dry wood. According to a study at The University of Buffalo in New York, BIO BLOCK Firelogs have a moisture content of 8.5%. When you purchase a pack, or pallet, of BIO BLOCKS the wood is already kiln-dried and ready to burn. Traditional firewood is considered seasoned when it has a moisture content of 20%. Using traditional wood requires advanced planning. It can take up to a year for wood to be properly seasoned.
Four Steps to Lighting a Fire
When you’ve decided what to burn, the first step is to open the drafts to allow for good airflow. It is important that the fire is established, and burning hot, before reducing the airflow. Compressed sawdust blocks provide both ambience and heat! If you are sitting by the fire, and want more flames, the drafts can be open a little more. If you are interested in just heat, the airflow can be cut back so the fire burns slower. BIO BLOCKS will turn bright red, and produce an incredible amount of heat because of their tight compaction.
The second step to a successful fire is arranging the wood properly. With traditional wood, you will always arrange several pieces in your fireplace or stove. Sometimes it will be necessary to cut the length of the wood to fit your stove. BIO BLOCKS are 2 1/4″ x 6″ x 3 5/8″. This size is ideal for tiny stoves that are used in RV’s or sailboats, to larger wood stoves that heat an entire house! The secret to having a successful fire with compressed sawdust blocks, is to arrange the blocks in a group, as you would traditional firewood. In most stoves, we recommend starting with eight BIO BLOCKS. Build a group of four BIO BLOCKS in a teepee, leave a 1″ space and build another group of four blocks in front of the first group.
The third step to building a fire is to cut a BIO BLOCK Fire Starter into four pieces. Place 1/4 of a fire starter in the center, as shown in the picture, and ignite. BIO BLOCK Kindling can be used in addition to, or instead of BIO BLOCK Fire Starters, to light cordwood or compressed sawdust blocks.
The final step is to adjust the airflow once a fire is established. Additional blocks can be added on either side of the teepee, depending on the size of your firebox. Blocks can be stacked on top of each other, beside the teepee, to provide “one brick” which produces a longer fire. As the fire burns down, additional blocks can be placed onto hot coals. Increase the airflow after adding more blocks, until the a fire is burning hot again.
BIO BLOCK Firewood can be burned alone, or added to traditional cordwood in wood stoves or fireplaces. https://bio-blocks.com/testimonial/bio-blocks-burn-better-than-logs-and-pellets/
Troubleshooting
A question I am often asked is, “How long does one block burn?” I am sure this question is asked because BIO BLOCKS are manufactured and so they think the blocks are similar to a wax log. For the most part, wax logs are burned for ambience only with instructions to place one on the fire grate, and ignite. Because wax, or another additive, has been added to these logs, only one log is necessary to enjoy a short fire. On the other hand, BIO BLOCKS need to be arranged in a group to enjoy a long, hot fire. Remember, there are no binders, wax, or additives added to BIO BLOCK Firewood.
It is very important to have an established fire before cutting back the draft. If a fire is not burning hot enough, any wood product can produce creosote.
Summary
I recently received a call from a man that just wanted to tell me two things:
1.) How much he enjoyed burning BIO BLOCKS
2.) He found the blocks are easy to light if you just follow the directions.
I heat my home with BIO BLOCKS and concur with his conclusion! Lighting a BIO BLOCK Fire can be summarized with FOUR WORDS: JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!
