Isokern Standard 36 - Summary

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Summary
1. WARNING: Fireplace and chimney systems will only draft
properly when they are installed according to the instructions,
in an appropriate location and with the proper chimney
height. Installing the replace according to the manufacturers
instructions, choosing an appropriate location, and choosing an
appropriate chimney height are the responsibility of the designer
and the building contractor.
Tightly insulated and sealed homes, two story interior
spaces and high vaulted ceilings can cause negative air pressures
within the house which can impair drafting performance. HVAC
return air ducts near the replace opening will adversely affect
the replace drafting performance.
It is the responsibility of the designer, the building
contractor and their mechanical contractor to determine that
the building’s internal air pressures are conducive to positive
replace drafting.
Avoid placing any replace in an area near tall trees,
tall buildings, or high land masses. These structures can reduce
ambient air ow pressure as well as produce down drafts, either
of which can impair replace drafting performance.
Earthcore Industries L.L.C. does not warrant drafting
and is not responsible for it.
2. Fireplace Curing Instructions:
It is critical that the refractory elements in the Isokern
rebox and smoke dome components be dry before ring of the
unit. Moisture left in the Isokern components from exposure
during storage and shipping, as well as moisture from the
installation phase, must be eliminated before the unit is put to its
intended use.
The rst step in reducing the ambient moisture is to be
sure that the completed replace rest in a dried-in setting for a
minimum of 28 days after construction of the unit is complete.
The next step in curing the replace is to be sure that the
rst ve or six res are of short duration.
The rst re of the unit can take place once the minimum
twenty-eight day drying period has passed. This re should be
especially short.
Start the rst re slowly with a small amount of paper
and kindling (small dry wood splits or twigs) and a maximum
load of four to six pounds of dry rewood, estimated to be no
more than two or three logs each of about three inches (3”) to
four inches (4”) diameter.
The rst re should burn for no more than thirty to sixty
minutes and then allowed to go out. Do not refuel the replace
during the rst lighting.
A cooling off period of twenty-four hours, at a minimum,
should follow the rst re.
The second re should be the same as the rst re.
A twenty-four hour cooling off period must be observed
following second lighting.
After rst and second re, continue use of the unit with
three or four small res of short duration (sixty minutes or so)
and small fuel loads.
After these rst ve or six small res of short duration,
normal use of the replace can proceed. For normal use the
maximum recommended fuel load is twelve to sixteen pounds
of dry rewood at a time. This fuel load is considered to be
approximately three to ve cured hardwood logs of about three
inches (3”) to six inches (6”) in diameter. As the re burns
down, refueling should be only one or two logs added at a time.
Important: Do not burn construction debris or trash of any
kind in the replace.
It is not uncommon for construction debris and refuse
to be burned in a replace by site personnel on a project that is
under construction, this activity must be avoided.
It is the responsibility of the building contractor
to insure that the required dry-in period is met and that the
required lighting sequence is performed by the owner or by the
owner’s agent.
3. Log grates are required for burning solid fuel in the
Isokern replace. Grates allow for easy air ow up through
the burning logs thus creating a more complete and efcient
burning of the fuel.
4. How to Build a Fire:
First set the replace damper in the full open position.
Begin laying the re by placing several pieces of wadded up
paper directly on the log grate. Place kindling (small splits of
dry pine or other dry softwood) on top of the paper, enough
to loosely cover the paper. Next arrange several small, dry
hardwood or softwood logs or log splits on top of the kindling
layer.
Finally, arrange two or three larger hardwood logs
(oak, hickory, etc.) or log splits on top of the stack. Ignite the
paper at the bottom of the stack. The burning paper will ignite
the kindling which will, in turn, set the remaining fuel on re.
Be sure to stack all rewood in such a way that it will
settle into the log grate as the paper and kindling layers are
burned away. Additional logs can be set onto the re as each
fueling burns down.
Ideally, fuel logs should be of a hardwood species that
have been air dried for one year or longer. Use of cured or
uncured pine logs and uncured hardwood logs for fuel should
be avoided. Pine logs and uncured hardwood logs will tend
to smolder and burn at relatively low temperatures producing
high levels of soot and creosote.
Important: Do not throw, toss, jam, kick or otherwise force
logs into the replace.