4
1.7.
BURNING TIPS
Fuel Quality
Use wood with a moisture content of less than 20%. Logs
should not feel moist or have moss and fungal growths.
Symptoms of burning wet wood:
Difficulty starting and keeping a fire burning well
Smoke and only small flames
Dirty glass and/or fire bricks
Rapid creosote build-up in the flue/chimney
Low heat output
Short burn times, and blue/grey smoke from the
flue/chimney outlet
Run appliance at high heat output for a short period each day
to avoid large build-up of tars and creosote within the
appliance and flue.
Flue Draught
The flue has two main functions:
1)
To safely remove smoke, gases and fumes from the
appliance.
2)
To provide sufficient draught (suction) in the appliance to
ensure the fire keeps burning.
Draught is caused by the rising hot air in the flue when the fire
has been lit.
The position, height and size of the flue can affect the
performance of the flue draught. Refer to installation guide
for details on flue installation.
Factors affecting the flue draught include:
Insufficient flue height
Trees or other buildings nearby causing turbulence
High and gusty winds
Outside temperature and weather conditions
Blocked flue
For advice on the correction of persistent flue problems
consult your supplier/installer for more detail.
1.8.
ASH REMOVAL
Depending on the type of wood burnt and frequency, the
ashes will need removing every 2 to 6 weeks.
Leave a 10mm layer of ash to insulate the firebox bottom.
Excess ashes should be removed when necessary, placed in a
non-combustible container with a tightly fitting lid and moved
outdoors immediately to a location clear of combustible
materials.
1.9.
FLUE/CHIMNEY FIRE
If a flue/chimney fire occurs:
Shut spindle fully to smother the fire.
Do not use the appliance after a flue fire until an
accredited installer has assessed the cause and any
resultant damage.
1.10.
CLEANING PAINT WORK AND GLASS
The appliance, when cool, can be cleaned with a damp
cloth.
Over the years, the black paint will fade and can be
touched up with Stove Bright metallic black paint.
To clean the glass, we recommend using a household
window cleaner or general purpose cleaner with a soft
cloth.
Do not use abrasive cleaner or scourer pads.
1.11.
CLEANING THE FLUE
Check inside of flue prior to each season for any build-up of
creosote (wood tar).
To check the flue:
1)
Remove the baffle plate (refer to ‘Replacing the Baffle
Plate’ under Maintenance & Servicing).
2)
Hold a small mirror on an angle below the flue, with a
torch shining towards it, and look for black creosote
build-up. It is normal to see a fine black powdery layer,
but if built up layers of creosote can be seen, the flue
requires cleaning.
3)
If no cleaning is required, re-fit the baffle plate.
To clean the flue:
1)
A flue cleaning brush can be purchased from most wood
heater retail outlets or large hardware stores.
Alternatively, hire a flue cleaning service to do the job for
you (it’s a dirty job).
2)
With the baffle plate removed, tie a rope to one end of
the brush, and drop the rope down the flue (from outside
on top of the roof).
3)
Grab the end of the rope from inside the firebox and pull
the brush down through the flue.
4)
Check the inside of the flue with the mirror and torch.
5)
Repeat cleaning process if necessary.
6)
Once the flue is clean, remove any excess creosote from
the firebox.
7)
Replace the baffle plate.
Only pull brush downwards through flue, as pulling upwards
may separate the flue sections at their joins.
