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door is opened, Draft may be improved by increasing the height of the chimney, or, in many cases, by resizing the chimney liner to
match the diameter of
the
stove.
Intermittent Draft or Down Draft.
This type of draft is generally caused by wind patterns that are moving downward as they
pass the chimney outlet. There are a number of chimney caps available that address this problem. Shared chimney liners should
never be used.
The Coal Bed.
The coal bed in an anthracite stove must be several inches deep to ensure that there is sufficient capture and
radiation of heat to maintain combustion. It is therefore recommended that the stove be reloaded whenever the hopper empties,
and, if possible, at least a partially full hopper be maintained. It is also important that the coal bed is of constant thickness. A hole
or thin area will allow combustion air to bypass the rest of the coal bed, and eventually the fire will go out. This stove will tend to
maintain an even coal bed once it is up and running. However, when first starting the stove, it is critical that the initial coal bed
formed by the kindling fire is spread evenly over the grate prior to loading any coal.
Shake Down of Ash.
Shaking down of ash is required to maintain the flow of combustion air up through the coal bed. When the
lower window darkens, it is an indication that the grate is covered with a thick layer of ash, and it is time to shake down, the
shaking process also helps the hopper to discharge additional coal into the basket. Once the lower window is lighted and sparks
begin to shower down, stop shaking. Excessive shaking will waste fuel and add needless wear and tear to the grate system.
