Operation
Wood Selection
This heater is designed to burn natural wood only. Higher
efficiency and lower emissions generally result when burning
air-dried seasoned hardwoods, as compared to softwoods or
too green or freshly cut hardwoods.
Wood should be properly air dried (seasoned) for six months
or more. Wet or undried wood will cause the fi re to smoulder
and produce large amounts of creosote. Wet wood also pro-
duces very little heat and tends to go out often.
DO NOT BURN :
-Salt water wood *
-Treated wood
-Wet or green wood
-Coal/charcoal
-Garbage*
-Solvents
-Lawn clippings/yard waste
-Unseasoned wood
-Railroad ties
-Manure or animal remains
-Materials containing rubber, including tires
-Materials containing plastic
-Waste petroleum products, paints or paint
thinners, or asphalt products
-Materials containing asbestos
-Construction or demolition debris
-Paper products, cardboard, plywood, or particleboard.
* These materials contain chlorides which will rapidly
destroy metal surfaces and void warranty.
Burning these materials may result in the release of toxic
fumes or render the heater ineffective and cause smoke.
The prohibition against burning these materials does not
prohibit the use of fi re starters made from paper, cardboard,
saw dust, wax and similar substances for the purpose of
starting a fi re in an affected wood heater.
Do not burn anything but wood. Other fuels, eg. charcoal,
can produce large amounts of carbon monoxide, a tasteless,
odourless gas that can kill. Under no circumstances should
you attempt to barbecue in this heater.
How to Test Your Wood
Add a large piece of wood to the stove when it has a good
large bed of coals. It is dry if it is burning on more than one
side within one minute. It is damp if it turns black and lights
within three minutes. If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without
igniting in fi ve minutes it is soaked and should not be burnt.
Lighting a Fire
WARNING: Never use chemicals or any other volatile
liquid to start a fi re.
1. Adjust air control to “High” position(all the way to the left)
and open door.
2. Place crumpled newspaper in the centre of the heater
and criss-cross with several pieces of dry kindling. Add
a few small pieces of dry wood on top.
3. Ignite the paper and leave the door ajar approimately
1/2”(13mm) - 1”(25mm) until the wood kindling is fully
engulfed in fl ame.
4. After the kindling is fully engulfed add a few small logs.
Close door.
5. Begin normal operation after a good coal base exists and
wood has charred.
Curing of the Paint Finish
When burning your stove for the fi rst 2-3 times it is very im-
portant that the room be well ventilated. Open all windows
and doors. Smoke and fumes caused by the curing process
may cause discomfort to some individuals.
Normal Operation
WARNING: This wood heater has a manufacturer-set
minimum low burn rate that must not be altered. It is
against federal regulations to alter this setting or other-
wise operate this wood heater in a manner inconsistent
with the operating instructions in this manual.
1) Set air control to desired setting. If smoke pours down
across the glass (waterfall effect), this indicates you have
shut the control down too soon or you are using too low a
setting. As every home’s heating needs vary (i.e. insula-
tion, windows, climate, etc.), the proper setting can only
be found by trial and error and should be noted for future
burns.
2) To refuel, adjust air control to “H” (Start) position, and
give the fi re time to brighten. Open door slowly, this will
prevent backpuffing.
3) Use wood of different shape, diameter and length (up
to 18"(457mm)). Load your wood from side to side and
try to place the logs so that air can fl ow between them.
Always use dry wood.
4) Do not load fuel to a height or in such a manner that would
be hazardous when opening the door.
WARNING: Always keep loading door closed when burn-
ing. This heater is not designed for open door burning.
Restarting After Extended Burns
1) Open door and rake hot embers towards the front of the
heater. Add a couple of dry, split logs on top of embers,
close door.
2) Adjust air control to "H" (high) and in just a few minutes,
logs should begin burning.
3) After wood has charred, reset air control to desired setting.
4) When burning at a slow rate for extended periods,
occasionally maintain a strong fi re under supervision for
a couple of hours to relieve fi rebox and chimney deposits
as well as any of the deposits on the glass.
WARNING: This method is not a substitute for regular
chimney inspections and cleaning.
5) To achieve maximum fi ring rate, set control to "H" (Start).
Do not use this setting other than for starting or preheating
fresh fuel loads.
DO NOT OVERFIRE THIS HEATER: Attempts to achieve
heat output rates that exceed heater design specifi ca-
tions can result in permanent damage to the heater and
chimney.
WARNING: No alteration or modifi cation of the combus-
tion air control assembly is permitted. Any tampering
will void warranty and could be very
hazardous.
10
VISTA
INSERT-D
20
051
6
-2
0