5 Operating Tips to Keep your Warranty Valid

Hello Everyone!

As you may already know, (or just in case you don't) the purchase of a Hawken Energy Outdoor Wood Furnace comes with our 20-Year Warranty guarantee. Hawken has recently put together "5 furnace Operation Tips". Not only will these tips validate your warranty, they will also maximize the life of your Hawken Furnace. They are:

1.) Water Treatment

2.) Ash Removal

3.) Chimney Extensions

4.) Overfilling the Furnace

5.) Aquastat Temperature

To Elaborate a little, 

1.) Water Treatment - Make sure you take an annual water sample from your furnace and send it to the Hawken Lab for free testing. Hawken recieves these test results and this ensures that your warranty remains valid. For more on Hawken water treatment procedure, refer to our previous newsletter, Issue 63 "Periodic Water Testing," or watch our Instructional Water Treatment video: 

Water Treatment Procedure

2.) Ash Removal - You must remove ALL the ashes from your furnace at least once a month. If you do it more than once a month, that is fine, but the minimum should be once per month. This means you scrape the bottom of the firebox completely clean. 

3.) Chimney Extensions - This tip is easy to follow: if you want a chimney extension you must have a "triple-wall" INSULATED chimney extension. If you have an UN-insulated chimney extension installed in your furnace, remove it immediately. Without the insulation a highly acidic condensation forms on the inside of the chimney, drips down into the firebox and will eat through any steel. If you have any questions, or need to purchase a triple wall chimney extension, please feel free to contact your authorized Hawken Rep, or visit our online store for more info.

4.) Overfilling the Furnace - Here's another easy one: Hawken furnace owners are strongly encouraged NOT to overfill their furnaces, specifically no pieces of wood placed in the furnace should pile above the level of the top door hinge. Also, do not allow coal or wood to touch the door or the door frame. To prevent this, wood should be loaded into the furnace at least eight inches away from the inside lip/ledge of the door frame. If you do not follow this tip, excessive heat may warp the door frame, damage the door seal and shorten the life of your furnace.

5.) Aquastat Temperature - Keep your aquastat set at 180 degrees with a 20 degree differential. Your furnace actually came pre-set from the factory at this temperature. If you lower your aquastat temperature below 160 degrees, your furnace will operate at temperatures below 140 degrees. If this happens it will be harmful to your furnace because moisture will accumulate, corrosion will take place, and your furnace will NOT function properly. Please be sure to follow the instructions in your owner's manual and keep your aquastat set at 180 degrees with a 20 degree differential (10 degree differential for the GX series furnaces).

Follow these procedures and your warranty will retain its validity.

Posted by Alex Walborn - Hawken Energy Outdoor Wood Furnaces