10
POSSIBLE FLUE OR CHIMNEY DEFECTS
From the foregoing basic principles for the regulation of chimney flues, it will be seen that unsatisfactory stove operation
may be the result of any of the following possible chimney flue defects:
1. Insufficient height.
2. Surrounding nearby objects throwing air currents down the chimney.
3. Flues enlarged or contracted at some point.
4. Rubbish or soot obstruction in the flue.
5. Air leakage in cracks where mortar has fallen out.
6. Floor support or a pipe passing through or entering the flue.
7. Too abrupt offsets.
8. Other connecting flues
9. Chimney being used for ventilating basement
10. Chimneys too large for stove being used.
11. Flues being long and narrow
12. More than one smoke-pipe connected to the flue.
13. Chimney connector protruding too far into the chimney.
FUEL
Seasoned cordwood will give the most heat. Your heater will burn most any type of cordwood. Seasoned hardwood
produces more heat, and will hold a fire longer, leaving a hotter coal bed than seasoned softwood. Coal should never
be used in a heater designed for burning wood. Never use driftwood that has been in salt water. The salt content
will cause corrosion that will destroy the stainless steel in the Class A chimney, the flue connector and the firebox.
Hard wood cut to 20” maximum length, and split 3” to 6” cross section is recommended for best operating efficiency.
CAUTION: Burn untreated cordwood only. Wood containing preservative, metal foils, coal, plastic, garbage, sulfur or
oil is environmentally hazardous and will damage the appliance.
LOADING OF FUEL
Do not overfill the firebox above the firebrick. Wood should be 3 to 4” below top of firebrick. A burned-out heat chamber
may result. Do not use artificial or wax logs.
Build fire on the floor of the stove. Do not use additional grates or andirons to support the fire as these may create
excessive heat.
For the most heat, combustion air must be able to circulate around and through the fire. Do not block the air entrances
inside the firebox with ashes. When loading each additional fuel charge, clear the ashes away from the lower primary
air orifices behind the bottom of the door opening.
PREPARATION AND STORAGE OF FUEL
Solid fuel should be cut and split prior to the heating season and stored in a well, aired dry place. Do not store fuel
within the room heater clearances or within the space required for fuelling or ash removal. Fuel should be kept at least
5ft clear (1.5m) from the heater. The space around the heater should be kept free of litter and wood residue.
TYPES OF COMBUSTION AIR FOR WOOD HEATING
Unlike older airtight box stoves, low emission woodstoves have more than one location and control for supplying
combustion air into the firebox. These additional air inlets allow for complete combustion of wood gases and
particulates. Thus it is important to understand how these different air supplies work.
PRIMARY AIR starts the fire. Opening or closing this air supply then regulates how fast the stove will burn. Primary air
is supplied by the following: a dial with settings for burn rates and a thermostat. Use the Primary Air Control (PAC) dial
(on right) to control the burn. Adjust the settings to obtain the desired heat output. Always start a fire with the PAC set
on high and leave it on high until the secondary flames continue to burn after the PAC has been adjusted to a lower
setting. Reset the PAC to high when reloading.
The thermostat also controls the amount of primary air entering the unit. Set it on “Open” when starting a fire and leave
it on “Open” until the stove has been burning long enough to keep the secondary flames burning when it is closed. Set
the thermostat on “Open” for 10 to 20 minutes when reloading.
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