6
Step 3.
Keep the combustion air damper and
the by-pass damper opened for 10 minutes
before closing it. It will ensure sufficient tem-
peratures for combustor light-off.
To refuel the Villa Vista™ fireplace when the
unit is still hot (Some burning fuel remaining
or a glowing combustor)
Step 1.
Open the by-pass and air controls
fully.
Step 2.
Open the door approximately 1 inch,
wait five seconds until the draft is stable and
then open it completely. load the fuel, close
the door and by-pass (temperatures within the
firebox should be enough to maintain catalytic
operation)
Smoking – Causes and Troubleshooting
To reduce the likelihood of smoking when
opening the doors, set the air damper to the
“accelerated combustion” position and open
the by-pass damper before opening the doors.
Your fireplace has been designed and tested to
provide smoke free operation. Occasionally,
there may be a small amount of smoking upon
lighting the fire, until the chimney heats up but
this should not continue. If the fireplace does
continue to smoke, it is probably for one of the
following reasons:
A. The door is partly open -
Open the door
fully.
B. Negative pressure in the house -
As the
fire burns, air goes up the chimney. This
air must be replaced through leakage into
the house or through the outside air duct.
When operating the Villa Vista fireplace,
open a nearby window temporarily to check
if there is adequate air replacement.
C. Fans operating (e.g. range hood) -
These
fans draw air out of the house and may
actually cause a negative pressure in the
house. Turn off all fans and open a nearby
window to determine if this is the cause of
the problem.
D. Wet wood -
Wet or tarred wood will smoul-
der and smoke instead of burn properly.
Your dealer can help you determine if you
have properly seasoned wood for burn-
ing.
E. Dirty or blocked chimney -
Check to make
sure the chimney is clear and reasonably
clean. If dirty call a certified chimney sweep
or use a properly sized chimney brush to
clean.
F. Chimney not long enough -
The minimum
chimney height is 12 feet, not including the
fireplace height. The chimney must extend
at least 3 feet (915 mm) above its point of
contact with the roof and at least 2 feet (610
mm) higher than any roof or wall within 10
feet (3 m) of it.
G. Poor chimney draft -
With no fire, there
should be sufficient draft to exhaust cigarette
smoke introduced under the baffle. Chim-
neys installed against an outside wall without
protection may generate back draft problems
which will cause start-up problems. To
prevent this, open a nearby window, roll up
a piece of paper and light it.
Then, hold it in the upper part of the firebox
to warm up the chimney. Wait until the draft
is sufficient, then start the fire.
H. Blower for forced air kit operating -
Make
sure that the blower is at the “off” position
when you open the fireplace door for reload-
ing.
IMPORTANT CAUTIONS
A. Do not block the hot air vents to the fire-
place as this will cause the fireplace to
overheat.
B. Never use gasoline, gasoline-type lantern
fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter fluid, or
similar liquids to start or ‘freshen up’ a fire
in this fireplace. Keep all such liquids well
away from the fireplace while it is in use.
C. Do not burn coal. The sulphur in coal will
corrode the firebox and chimney.
D. Do not burn driftwood which has been in the
ocean or salt water. The salt will corrode
the firebox and chimney.
E. Do not operate the unit with the door partly
open since this may cause smoke to be
drawn into the room.
F. Do not burn wood in the area in front of the
log retainers.
G. Do not abuse the unit by burning paper, or
cardboard or construction material such as
pressed wood, plywood or lumber.
H. Do not allow the wood to smoulder or burn
without flame, since this will produce exces-
sive creosote in the unit as well as increased
particulate emissions.
MAINTAINING YOUR FIREPLACE
Creosote
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar
and other organic vapors which combine with
expelled moisture to form a black deposit called
creosote which accumulates on the flue lining.
When ignited, this creosote makes an extremely
hot fire. If the creosote accumulation is large,
a creosote fire in the chimney can damage the
chimney and overheat the surrounding wood
framing. Creosote formation in a chimney can
be minimized by making small hot fires rather
than slow burning, smouldering fires and by
proper refuelling techniques.
Chimney Maintenance
Regular chimney inspection and maintenance
combined with proper operation will prevent
chimney fires. Keep your chimney clean. Do not
allow more than 1/16" creosote build up in your
chimney. The amount of creosote will depend
on variables such as frequency of use and type
of fire. We recommend that you:
1.
Initially inspect the chimney system weekly.
From this, you will learn how often it will
be necessary to clean your chimney.
2.
Have your chimney cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep. If you wish to clean it
yourself, we recommend using a stiff plastic
WARNING
To prevent damage to your com-
bustor, do not:
•
Drop the combustor (which is
fragile compared to the rest
of the unit – so handle with
care)
•
Run water or compressed air
through the combustor
•
Try to clean the combustor
with any sharp tool
or non-metallic brush. If a metal brush is
used, its size should be slightly smaller than
the flue to avoid damaging the chimney.
Do not use a brush that will scratch the
stainless steel interior of the chimney.
3.
Do not expect chemical cleaners to keep
your chimney clean. The rain cap can be
removed for inspection and/or cleaning of
the chimney. Using gloves, firmly grip the
lower portion of the rain cap. Turn the cap
1/8 of a turn counter-clockwise and lift it
off the chimney.
Before performing chimney sweep, open
the by-pass and remove the combustor.
Remove dust accumulation after chimney
sweep and put the combustor back in place.
Dealing With A Chimney Fire
Regular chimney maintenance and inspection
can prevent chimney fires. If you have a chimney
fire, follow these steps:
1. Close the fireplace doors and the combus-
tion air damper.
2. Alert your family of the possible danger.
3. If you require assistance, alert your fire
department.
4. If possible, use a dry chemical fire extin-
guisher, baking soda or sand to control the
fire. Do not use water as it may cause a
dangerous steam explosion.
5. Check outside to ensure that sparks and hot
embers coming out of the chimney are not
igniting the roof.
6. Do not use the fireplace again until your
chimney and fireplace have been inspected
by a qualified chimney sweep or a Fire
Department Inspector.
Catalytic Combustor
The Villa Vista™ fireplace is designed with a
catalytic combustor which will reduce pollution
emissions and creosote build up while improv-
ing thermal efficiency. In order to optimize and
maintain the combustor performance, it is im-
portant to visually check the combustor at least
3 times during the heating season to determine
if physical degradation has occurred.
Catalytic combustors require little maintenance.
Cleaning the combustor once a year, preferably
when your flue system is serviced, is sufficient
for most users.
