Optima Installation and Operation Manual
16
4 Operating Your Stove
4.1
The use of a fire screen
This stove has been tested for use with an open door in conjunction with a fire screen (AC01319, sold
separately). Make sure the fire screen is properly secured on the stove to avoid any risk of fire. When
the fire screen is used, it is important not to leave the stove unattended to respond promptly in the
event of smoke spillage into the room. Potential causes of smoke spillage are described in section
height of this manual. See Appendix 2: Installing the Fire Screen (AC01319) for installation
instructions.
4.2
Your First Fires
Two things will happen as you burn your first few fires; the paint cures and the internal components of
the stove are conditioned.
As the paint cures, some of the chemicals vaporize. The vapors are not poisonous, but they do smell
bad. Fresh paint fumes can also cause false alarms in smoke detectors. So, when you first light your
stove, be prepared by opening doors and/or windows to ventilate the house. As you burn hotter and
hotter fires, more of the painted surfaces reach the curing temperature of the paint. The smell of
curing paint does not disappear until you have burned one or two very hot fires.
Burn one or two small fires to begin the curing and conditioning process. Then build bigger and hotter
fires until there is no longer any paint smell from the stove. Once the paint smell disappears, your
stove is ready for serious heating.
4.3
Lighting Fires
Each person who heats with wood develops their own favorite way to light fires. Whatever method
you choose, your goal should be to get a hot fire burning quickly. A fire that starts fast produces less
smoke and deposits less creosote in the chimney. Here are three popular and effective ways to start
wood fires.
