High Valley 2500, Owner'S Manual, Page: 18 / 28

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The Bypass Damper is closed Open the Bypass Damper fully for star ng and loading.
Air Controls aren't full open Open (pull-out) both Air Controls fully for startup.
The chimney is cold Use extra paper or other to warm the chimney before ligh ng.
The kindling is not dry Use enough fully dry so wood kindling to establish a coal bed.
It is too warm outside Wait for colder weather before ligh ng the fi re.
The hand damper is closed Open the hand damper fully (if so equipped).
The chimney is obstructed Have the chimney, connector pipe, and cap cleaned.
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See all of the above Use enough kindling to establish a hot fi re before loading logs.
Green or wet wood Use well seasoned wood that is not wet or covered with snow.
Bypass Damper closed early Allow the Catalyst to ac vate fully (500°F to 600°F).
The Air Controls are closed Allow the fi re to become fully established before adjus ng.
Nega ve house pressure Open a window. Make-up air supply may be needed.
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L D .
The Bypass Damper is closed Open the Bypass Damper before opening the Loading Door.
The Air Controls are closed Open the Air Controls before unlatching the Loading Door.
Door opened too quickly Unlatch the Loading Door, pause, then open the door slowly.
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Bypass Damper closed early Allow the Catalyst to ac vate fully (500°F to 600°F).
Catalyst obstructed The Cataly c Combustor elements may need cleaning.
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Too much combus on air Close the Start-up Air Control and use the Primary Control.
Loading Door unlatched Close and latch the Loading Door securely.
Worn Loading Door gasket Replace the Loading Door gasket.
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Wood heater performance issues are most o en related to poorly seasoned or wet fuel, poor chimney performance, and/or
maintenance. Wood heaters are manually operated and, as such, depend on the operator to follow good burning prac ces
and to use properly seasoned cord wood of the best quality available. With experience the operator will learn to quickly
spot changes in performance that may indicate the need for chimney cleaning or other maintenance. Chronic dra or smoke
leakage problems should be discussed with your High Valley dealer or a professional chimney sweep and resolved. (Refer to
Chimney Performance on
Page 6 .) Use well seasoned hardwood and keep it dry and protected from rain and snow with an
appropriate cover. Refer to Appendices A & B on Pages 24 & 25 .
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Always operate the wood heater according to the guidelines on Page 16 & 17. You must develop
and use good wood burning habits; always open the Bypass Damper and Air Controls before opening the Loading Door, and
always open the Loading Door slowly to avoid pulling smoke from the
fi rebox into the home. A modern wood heater, properly
installed and connected to a good chimney which provides adequate dra , should not leak smoke into the home. Air is drawn
into the wood heater, and into any small gaps in the connector pipe, by nega ve pressure (dra ). If smoke is leaking into the
home from the wood heater or the connector pipe there is inadequate dra or the chimney is blocked in some way. A smoke
alarm or CO detector sounding will signal smoke leakage, and they should be installed throughout your home. See
Page 2 . A
whi ff of smoke will also alert you to the fact that there is inadequate dra . By-products of wood combus on contain carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide, tars, water vapor, etc., but the dis nc ve aroma of wood smoke always accompanies them. If you
are smelling wood smoke on a regular basis, not associated with ligh ng or loading, or your CO detector is ac vated,
have the
problem inves Ɵ gated and addressed . Carbon Monoxide (CO) is par cularly dangerous. Atmospheric condi ons, tall struc-
tures, wind pressures, etc. can nega vely a ff ect dra on occasion, but a system that consistently leaks smoke into the home
needs to be corrected. Dra is measured with a manometer, which accurately measures nega ve pressure in "inches of water
column," to eliminate guesswork. The di
ff erence of a few hundredths of an inch of water column can spell the di ff erence
between poor performance and clean, e ffi cient burning. Your High Valley dealer or a chimney professional, using experience
and all of the tools available to them, should be able to diagnose the problem and recommend solu ons.
Nega ve pressure in the home can overcome natural dra and cause smoke leakage. Today's homes are constructed to
be much ghter and be er insulated than older homes. Those older homes tended to "breathe" as fresh air was drawn in
through myriad cracks to replace the air that rose up the chimney. Today well designed homes are equipped with "replace-
ment air" systems to bring fresh air into the home. Without replacement air, ght homes can inhibit chimney dra and the
fl ow of the chimney may be reversed when a vented appliance, such as a kitchen hood or a clothes dryer, is turned on. Tight
homes and house pressures are complicated subjects, but they can be analyzed (also with manometers) and corrected. Fresh
air may need to be brought into the room with the wood heater to help relieve nega ve house pressure condi ons.