Frequently Asked Questions

Experience has shown that you can expect up to 10 hours for Katydid™, from embers to embers and up to 8 hours for Kimberly™, from embers to embers. The species of wood, the moisture content in your wood, and the size of the load in your firebox will affect your experience. 

For example, softwoods such Douglas Fir and pine will burn to ash far quicker than hardwoods such as oak, hickory or maple. Likewise, a high moisture content in your cordwood will produce less heat and more creosote than a low moisture content in your cordwood, all other things being equal. For the cleanest burns and maximum heat output, always burn wood that is 20% moisture or less as verified by a moisture meter. For longer burn times burn the denser hardwood species.

As well, the length of the chimney can affect the length of the burn time. This makes sense when one considers that the relationship between a wood stove and its chimney is similar to that of the heart and lungs in the human body. In order for any wood stove to operate properly, it must be able to breathe properly via its chimney. Likewise, in order for one’s heart to operate properly, it must be able to breathe properly via its lungs.

The lower the temperature that a wood releases its gases, the longer the burn time in an Unforgettable Fire™ gasifier wood stove. The temperature at which cordwood can gasify varies by species and moisture content of the wood. We have found that extruded sawdust logs can gasify at a lower temperature than cordwood. The amount of BTU’s that are available in extruded sawdust logs varies by brand, as the size, shape and the amount of pressure under which the extruded logs are formed varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

We have found that the more sheen on the surface of a sawdust log and the darker the exterior color of the manufactured logs, the greater the pressure under which the sawdust log was manufactured, and the longer the burn time. The lighter the exterior color of the manufactured logs and the more sawdust fibers that are visible from the outside, the shorter the burn time. Never burn a manufactured log that is held together by wax or paraffin, as stated in our owner’s manuals.

Our Kimberly™, Katydid™, and Krikit™ wood stoves are gasifying wood stoves. Instead of burning the wood in the fast and hot fire in a typical wood stove, our Kimberly™, Katydid™, and Krikit™ wood stoves first “gasify” {i.e. vaporize} the wood by restricting oxygen in the primary combustion so that the wood smolders and deliberately creates smoke. The wood gases {i.e. smoke} are re-burned in the secondary combustion before they exit the stove to create heat. It is the burning of the smoke in secondary combustion that produces most of the heat in an Unforgettable Fire™ wood stove and the chimney goes smokeless {or nearly smokless} as a result. The process of releasing the wood gases is called, pyrolysis, which is defined as “decomposition brought about by high temperatures”.

The more wood smoke vapors one can extract from the wood to be re-burned in secondary combustion, the longer the burn time and more heat that will be produced in an Unforgettable Fire™ gasifier wood stove. Live flames will gradually diminish, leaving behind coals, which will continue to release heat into the room, until they too have extinguished. The temperature of your home when you wake up in the morning will be determined by your home’s ability to retain heat, which can be affected by one or more variables below:

• Local climate and weather conditions on any given day.
• Square footage and ceiling height of your space.
• Insulation quality and thickness in your walls and attic.
• Window quality and the size and number of windows.
• Location of your wood stove within your space.
• Air movement & humidity levels within your space.
• Wood species and wood moisture content of your fuel.
• Size of fuel load – size of individual logs as well as how full the combustion chamber is filled before going to bed.

Because dry, seasoned wood will produce more heat, burn longer, and produce less creosote than wood containing greater than 20% moisture content, your investment in a moisture meter with an accuracy of +/- 1% will help to ensure you are getting the most heat from the least amount of wood.

Summary:

• Can you expect to wake up to active, live flames in the morning? {No – when wood gases have been exhausted, live flames will cease to exist. Live embers will continue to release heat until they too have been exhausted.}

• Can you expect to wake up to a warm stove and chimney with a few hot embers, making it easy to get your fire going again? {Yes, depending on your choice of fuel, damper setting on your stove, and length and function of your chimney.}

• Will my house be cold when I wake up in the morning? {Expect your house to cool a few degrees during the night, depending on the outside temperature and wind speed. Ultimately, the temperature you will wake to will depend upon your home;s ability to retain heat, a factor of insulation and window qualities.}

In determining which wood stove is best for your needs, one should consider not only the heat output of the wood stove but also the heat retention of your space, your local climate, the placement of the stove in your home, as well as your own personal expectations – in other words, are you comfortable at 68-degrees or is 75-degrees more comfortable for you? 

We recommend that you consider the following variables when making your purchasing decisions:

• Local climate and weather conditions on any given day.
• Square footage and ceiling height of your space.
• Insulation quality and thickness in your walls and attic.
• Window quality and the size and number of windows.
• Location of your wood stove within your space.
• Air movement & humidity levels within your space.
• Wood species and wood moisture content of your fuel.
• Size of fuel load – size of individual logs as well as how full the combustion chamber is filled before going to bed.
• Purpose of your wood stove. Will it be used as the sole source of heat or an additional source of heat?

Your investment in a moisture meter with an accuracy of +/- 1% will help to ensure you are getting the most heat from the least amount of wood, and the longest possible burn times.

Remember that heating 1500 square feet in Northern Oregon and heating 1500 square feet in Northern Minnesota will be a much different experience for the homeowner due to the climate, so shop accordingly according to the specific needs of your home.

Initially, Kimberly’s vertical combustion chamber can accommodate one log of 4-inches in diameter and up to 9-inches in length. However, once a bed of embers has been established, the length of your logs must decrease accordingly.

Katydid™ has a much bigger firebox and can easily accommodate three logs of 4-inches in diameter or just one 5-inch diameter log™. We have found that logs cut to 8-inches in length make loading easy.

Kimberly™ Stove:
Of our three wood burning stoves, Kimberly™ has the hottest cook stove top, easily reaching 1,000 degrees and as high as 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking on Kimberly™ a Kimberly™ stove would be like cooking on a 20,000 BTU gas burner. Kimberly™ can cook your dinner in a hurry.

Katydid™ Stove:
Cooking on a Katydid™ is similar to cooking with a slow cooker. The Katydid™ stove top can reach up to 350 degrees and may go as high as 650 degrees if you push Katydid™ on a particularly cold day in a bigger home. Slow cookers, by comparison, run 190 degrees to around 300 degrees. Katydid™ is especially good for making soup and keeping a kettle of hot water for tea. 

Krikit™ Stove:
Krikit™ offers the most stable temperature of the three models. Krikit™ quickly reaches temperatures hot enough to boil water and peaks out around 850 degrees and can sustain its peak temperature for longer periods of time than the other two models.

Kimberly™ uses 3-inch custom-manufactured insulated pellet pipe through a Class A passthrough from below the ceiling, through the attic, and above the roof. The 3-inch pipe carries the combustion gases from the stove to the top of the chimney. The Class A pipe is a thermal sleeve which protects in the event of a chimney fire and offers insulation value to the insulated pellet pipe. This is a UL-listed and approved chimney system.

Katydid™ and Krikit™ use 4-inch custom-manufactured insulated pellet pipe through a Class A passthrough from below the ceiling, through the attic and above the roof The 4-inch pipe carries the combustion gases from the stove to the top of the chimney. The Class A pipe is a thermal sleeve which protects in the event of a chimney fire and offers insulation value to the insulated pellet pipe. This is a UL-listed and approved chimney system.

Please consult the appropriate owner’s manual for the model you are considering for detailed installation instructions and diagrams. We would be most happy to help you configure your chimney from your interior-exterior photos and floor-to-ceiling measurements.

In Roger Lehet’s nearly 40 years of selling and installing wood stoves, he has always preferred to vent straight through the roof at all times. There are a few instances where this becomes impossible due to construction styles, but it is rare.

When venting any wood stove out of a wall, the cost of installation increases substantially. Also, the flue is exposed to cold outside air, which can cool the glue temperatures and negatively impact the performance of the chimney. Venting out the wall also allows heat to be transferred to the outside, rather than kept inside the home where it belongs. Additionally, horizontal runs with elbows put back pressure on the venting system, which can cause hard starts and smoke spillage when opening the door for reloading.

In effect, your Kimberly™, Katydid™, or Krikit™ is the “heart” of your wood stove installation, and the chimney is the “lungs.” The heart can not function properly if the lungs do not provide it with sufficient oxygen.

Whenever possible, always install your venting vertically inside the house, through the ceiling and roof. This is is true not only of our Unforgettable Fire™ gasification wood stoves, but it is true of all other wood stoves as well.

Kimberly™, Katydid™, and Krikit™ are warranted to burn wood and non-wax extruded sawdust logs. Never burn coal as burning coal will void your warranty. While softer species such as Douglas Fir and Pine will burn as cleanly as Oak, Maple, or Ash, the hardwood species will offer a much longer burn time.

Pellet stoves will provide a more consistent room temperature than a wood stove during the day while you are absent, or at night while you are sleeping. This is because they are self-feeding by use of electricity, or are gravity-fed. This, we believe, is where the advantage ends.

When your power goes out due to a winter storm or during a long-term emergency, a pellet stove will leave you cold because they need electricity. While many pellet stoves have a 72 battery for back-up, how will you keep warm if your electricity is out for a longer period? Also, a pellet stove will be hostage to the availability and affordability of pellets. If you are unable to purchase pellets, you cannot burn an alternative fuel.

The charm of a wood stove over any other heat source is not only the warm glow of the flames, but the unquestioned reliability of wood heat.

With that said, some wood stoves need electricity for startup or monitoring moisture content in their fuel, and this type of wood stove will still be inoperable when the grid goes down.

Your fuel options are much greater with an Unforgettable Fire™ gasification wood stove. With no moving parts and no electricity required to start or operate, your Unforgettable Fire™ gasification wood stove will keep you warm in good times and in bad.

For optimal performance always burn dry wood that is 20% moisture content or less. Your investment in a moisture meter will ensure that you enjoy the most heat with the least amount of creosote.

Our Kimberly™ stove, Katydid™ stove, and Krikit™ stove are gasification wood stoves, not rocket stoves.

When a Kimberly™, Katydid™, or Krikit™ wood stove is dampered down, the fuel maintains an approximate 450-degree Fahrenheit temperature as it burns, thus creating massive amounts of smoky gases. As the smokey gases rise to the top of the combustion chamber in our Kimberly™, Katydid™, or Krikit™ wood stoves, the gasses ignite in a second combustion and burn at a very high temperature to produce heat. Our two-phase combustion process, produces a very efficient and clean burn, with very little smoke emitting from the chimney. Perhaps as important, less heat exits the chimney so that more heat stays in your house. Cut less trees, split less wood, have more time for fun.

On the other hand, while rocket stoves burn very hot and clean, they are not very efficient. Rocket stoves are hungry and consume lots of fuel.

In our early days, we spent a great deal of time and effort to develop our own baking oven, but clients quickly discovered that a cast iron Dutch oven which they already owned, or had purchased at a garage sale, was just as effective and a less costly, so we abandoned the project. [Insert laughter]. We do suggest that you place a metal trivet inside your Dutch oven so as to create airspace under your baking pan and place the lid on top to keep retain the heat.

Clients have excitedly reported back about their success in baking cookies, brownies, breads, meats, and poultry on top of their Unforgettable Fire™ wood stove in such a manner. Some clients have taken it one step further by drilling hole in the top of their Dutch oven, so as to accommodate a thermometer.

While a cast-iron Dutch oven works very well for off-grid baking, consider that aluminum will get up to temperature more quickly, and because it must make direct contact with the top of your Unforgettable Fire™ wood stove, your Dutch oven should not have feet.

It is not necessary to use cast iron cookware on your Unforgettable Fire™ stove, however, we appreciate cast iron for its ability to heat evenly, which is helpful when the size of your cooking vessel is larger than the cooktop of your stove.

Costly—compared to what? When considering the price of any new wood stove, always consider TOTAL installation costs, not just the cost of the stove itself. Even a “FREE” wood stove can quickly become a $2,000+ investment by the time you add in the cost of Class A chimney pipe, hearth pad, and installation labor.

Unforgettable Fire™ has been able to hold the price on our wood stoves since mid-2013 because of increased volume and eliminating our dealer-chain, selling directly to our clients. 

Because Kimberly™ is approved to vent with 3-inch double-wall stainless steel pellet stove pipe (and Katydid™ with 4-inch double-wall stainless steel pellet pipe) which is much less costly than Class A chimney pipe, the reduced cost of installation makes Kimberly™ and Katydid™ competitive with other high-end wood stoves. 

Six years were devoted to the research and development, and the EPA & CSA certification testing alone cost $40,000. When the EPA lowered the emissions standards, we had to re-engineer Kimberly™ and re-test again. It will be some time before these costs have been recouped. 

We’re a boutique wood stove manufacturer with small production runs. We buy our steel in smaller lots than bigger companies, so it comes at a higher price. Kimberly™ is made of high-quality heat and corrosion resistant stainless steel. There are 118 laser-cut and hand-welded parts inside, from domestic feedstock by American workers, all of whom pay taxes and support our country. 

On the other hand, by replacing expensive or environmentally unfriendly options such as gas, electric, or oil heat, Kimberly™ and Katydid™ a sound investment, which can be recouped in as little as 1-2 years. Given the global uncertainty and abnormal weather events, Kimberly™ or Katydid™ might even save your life in a natural or man-made disaster, when other options fail. Remember Texas? At that point, your Unforgettable Fire™ wood stove becomes priceless.