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With a simple understanding of Heat Management also known as Flame Height Management it is possible to control temperature in any Wood Stone gas-fired oven. 

For general operation we've found there are three basic flame heights:  Heat Up Flame, Holding Flame, and Cooking Flame.  A good reference for measuring flame height is our standard 8" Utility Peel.   

The Flame Height Cycle is: Heat Up Flame until you reach your target temperature (in this example we use heights for 570F°).  Then turn the flame down to the Holding Flame until you are ready to place food in the oven.  As you put food in the oven, turn the flame up to the Cooking Flame.  When there is no food in the oven, return to the Holding Flame.

Heat Up Flame	Holding Flame	Cooking Flame	Holding Flame

The following example refers to a Mt. Adams 5' gas-fired oven.  It should result in a temperature of around 570F° to 600F° if you are using Natural Gas (NG).  (Note: if you have a different size oven, or you run the oven on Liquid Propane, or you wish to maintain a different temperature, some adjustments will be necessary, but the basic concept holds true). If you have any questions, please contact our chefs at 800-988-8103 or Frank Milward at frankm@woodstone.net and Tim Green at timg@woodstone.net.

Heat Up Flame At the start of your production day turn flame all the way up. On NG with good gas pressure this is approximately a 16" flame.  Leave the flame here until you reach the target temperature.  Time for heat up will vary depending on what oven you have and how long the oven was off since its last use.  For most applications expect 1-2 hours.
Holding Flame When you reach your target temperature turn the flame down to approximately 8".  The 8" Utility Peel is a great visual aid for finding this height.  Keep in mind that the Holding Flame is ultimately the flame height that maintains a consistent temperature when there is no product in the oven so that you can walk away for 5 minutes or 5 hours and come back to an oven that is still at your target temperature.
Important Note: The actual height of the Holding Flame may vary depending on your needs.  Some operators find they want a higher temperature and thus work with a higher flame.  Some want a lower temperature and therefore work a lower flame.   But we've found the suggested temperatures and flame heights a good starting point.  From here you can establish a consistent pattern to adapt to your specific situation.
Cooking Flame When you begin production and  introduce food into the oven you should increase the flame height 2-3 inches above your Holding Flame.   The increase in flame height will help you maintain temperature while you move cold energy (the food) in and out of the oven.
Holding Flame  (Again) Whenever you take the last food item out of the oven, and there is nothing on the prep table waiting to enter the oven, return the flame to a Holding Flame.  This habit insures you will return to a consistent oven environment.  For instance, if you forget and leave the oven at a cooking flame for 30 minutes unattended you will return to a very hot oven.

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