Hearthstone Quality Home Heating Products, Inc
® Green Mountain Insert 70 (Model 8450)
38
Troubleshooting
C
OMMON
I
SSUES
Virtually all wood insert operators experience basic
common problems at one time or another. Most are
correctable and generally require only a minor
adjustment of the insert, installation, or operating
technique. In cases where weather conditions
dramatically affect insert performance, the problems
are typically temporary and resolve themselves once
the weather changes.
Keep in mind that your house itself regulates
room/house temperatures. How well the walls, floors
and ceilings are insulated, the number and size of
windows, the tightness of exterior doors, and the
construction or style of your house (vaulted ceilings
or other open spaces which collect large percentages
of heat, ceiling fans, etc.) all are determining factors
of room temperature.
Your Insert's performance is also greatly dependent
on its installation. One common cause of poor
performance is inadequate draft. An oversized
chimney flue is commonly the cause. Oversized flues
result in decreased vacuum, which prevents the
smoke from rising out the chimney. Oversized flues
are also more difficult to heat effectively, especially
when burning a high efficiency insert like the Green
Mountain Insert 70. Cool flue temperatures inhibit the
establishment of a strong draft (and encourage
accumulation of creosote). The lack of a strong draft
will cause the fire to die down and may even force
smoke into the room. If your chimney is the proper
size and a strong draft is not easily established, there
is the possibility the chimney is just too cold. Again,
hot chimneys promote a stronger draft. Other draft
issues and guidelines are as follows:
1. AN "AIRTIGHT" HOUSE:
a. Inadequate infiltration air supply in a
super-insulated or especially well sealed
home.
b. Air starvation exacerbated by exhaust
fans, such as clothes dryers, bathroom vent
fans, or cook stove exhaust fans.
2. TALL TREES OR BUILDINGS:
a. These obstructions, in close proximity to
the top of the chimney can cause chronic or
occasional downdrafts.
b. Consider the placement of other objects
when selecting a site for a new chimney.
3. WIND VELOCITY:
a. Strong, steady winds generally create a
strong (better) draft.
b. “Gusty" wind conditions may cause erratic
downdrafts. Strong winds can produce a
negative pressure condition in the upwind
side of a structure.
4. BAROMETRIC PRESSURE:
a. Chimney drafts are typically sluggish on
balmy, wet or muggy days (low or falling
barometric pressure). This is generally self-
correcting as the weather changes.
5. BRISKNESS OF FIRE:
a. The hotter the fire, the hotter the chimney
and, therefore, the stronger the draft.
6. SEASONAL FACTORS:
a. Early fall and late spring are generally
difficult seasons in which to establish proper
drafts. The colder the outside air is (relative
to room temperatures) the stronger the draft.
7. OPERATING THE FIREPLACE INSERT:
a. There are days when a draft is just not
easily established. As outlined above,
seasonal factors or a cold chimney may be
the cause.
b. Starting the fire using small kindling and
small wood pieces to obtain a quick, hot fire.
Tend the fire frequently with small pieces
until the chimney is hot and the draft is well
established.
c. Briefly partially open a window in the room
with the insert to help establish a draft
quickly.
