3
S
TARTING
A
NORMAL
FIRE
:
“T
OP
D
OWN
B
URN
”
1) Make sure basement cleanout and thimble is
closed tight.
2) Open slide damper.
(Pull it out approximately 10-11”).
3) Open by-pass weighted handle. In the open
position the handle points towards the chimney.
In the closed position the handle is typically
vertical, in the same position as the damper
within the by pass channel.
4) Open the draft slides in both doors.
5) Leave draft slide in oven door closed.
(Occasionally, there may be a desire to use the
oven when the heater has not recently been
fired. The oven itself can be used as a firebox
and a small fire can be lit in it to bring it to
a baking temperature. In this case, the draft
control can be opened. In no case should the
oven be fired with the by pass damper left in the
open position as this can put flame directly into
the chimney flue tile.)
6) Open draft slide in ash box door.
7) Stack split, dry (approx. 16”- 18” long)
cordwood in log cabin fashion on base of
firebox.
8) Add three or four crumpled sheets of
newspaper.
9) Add several sticks of kindling on top of split,
dry cordwood.
10) On top of kindling add three or four more
sheets of crumpled newspaper.
11) Light the top layer of newspaper.
12) Close the large loading doors and stay with
the fire.
13) Once the fire is clearly established and
drafting well (5 minutes approx. on first start----
less once heater is on line during heating season)
you can shut the by-pass channel. If any smoke
enters the room, open the by-pass and wait
another 5 minutes. In no case should the by-
pass be left open for an extended period of time
during the burn (with the main doors closed).
A closed door and open by-pass extended burn
can over heat the by-pass and chimney flue at
the by-pass connection. For summer open fire
viewing, the by-pass can be left open as long as
the loading doors (with the spark screens closed)
are left open. The volume of room air entering
the firebox and by-pass will keep the system
sufficiently cool.
14) If smoking persists, recheck basement
openings and all soot doors on heater for an open
one. Positive chimney draft on a tight system
always is readily established in five minutes or
less in cool weather. Almost all smoke problems
are a result of a closed damper or an open soot
door.
15) Once a burn is well established and the by-
pass is closed, start to adjust the slide damper,
closing it by one third and also close the ash box
door draft slide.
An open ash box door draft slide or a slightly ajar
