26
Section
7
– Trouble Shooting
1.
Stove burns lazy at start up.
2.
Stove back-puffs or smokes into the room at start up.
3.
Stove smokes out the door when it is open.
4.
Stove won’t shut down.
5.
Stove won’t burn hot enough. Lazy burn.
6.
Burn time too short.
Stove burns lazy at start up.
1.
The chimney is still cool, allow more time to warm up. Burn longer with door slightly cracked.
2.
Wood is not seasoned (still green). Wood should sit for about 1 year, split and loosely stacked if it
was cut green.
3.
Wood is well seasoned but has a lot of surface moisture. Your wood supply must be covered.
Check your tarps or other covering to see that no rain or snow is getting to your wood. Wood
should be covered on top, but open on the sides to allow air movement to aid in drying.
4.
Check the air supply to the stove. If you have installed outside air, check the ducts for blockage.
Stove back-puffs or smokes into the room at start up.
1.
Chimney is cold. Cold chimneys can produce a “reverse draft” where cold air is rushing down the
chimney into the stove. Open a door or a window for about 5 minutes to equalize pressure in the
house then try restarting with small strips of newspaper. Using small strips of newspaper or an
approved fast burning firestarter and small pieces of kindling will create heat faster to help reverse
the cold air.
2.
Chimney and/or the chimney cap needs to be cleaned. Your chimney should be checked and
cleaned if necessary every few months. Even a small amount of build up can cause a draft
restriction, for example: ¼ inch of build up on the side wall of a 6” chimney reduces the effective
area of the chimney by about 20%. Pay close attention to the chimney cap, especially if it has a
screen. Screened chimney caps can become blocked enough to restrict flow in just a few weeks.
Screened caps are required by H.U. D. code on mobile homes only. Non-mobile residential
installations may remove the screen part of the cap. Check local codes.
Stove smokes out the door when it is open.
1.
The door was opened too quickly. Crack the door open just a small amount and let the stove
“breathe” a few seconds before opening all the way.
2.
Chimney and/or the chimney cap needs to be cleaned. Your chimney should be checked and
cleaned if necessary every few months. Even a small amount of build up can cause a draft
restriction, for example: ¼ inch of build up on the side wall of a 6” chimney reduces the effective
area of the chimney by about 20%. Pay close attention to the chimney cap, especially if it has a
screen. Screened chimney caps can become blocked enough to restrict flow in just a few weeks.
3.
Chimney is too short or other conditions exist such as a hillside home location, high winds, trees,
etc.
Stove won’t shut down.
1.
The ash pan may not be sealing correctly (pedestal model). Check the ash pan gasket for tearing
or fraying. See the ash pan instructions in section 5. Even a small amount of undesired air can
keep the stove from shutting down.
2.
Check the main door gasket and glass gasket for proper seal. See section 5 for instructions on
checking your gaskets.
