FOCUS 250 Owner's Manual
9
RSF Woodburning Fireplaces
❖
WARNING: USE ONLY THE RSF ANDIRONS PROVIDED WITH THE FIREPLACE. DO NOT USE ANY
OTHER TYPE OF GRATE.
❖
WARNING: MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE FIRE BEHIND THE ANDIRONS. REPLACE THE LOGS IF THEY
FALL AGAINST THE GLASS.
REFUELING
Have your next wood load ready when you open the door. The temperature in the firebox will decrease as the door
is open, so decreasing the amount of time the door is open will allow the firebox to remain hot. Do not rush.
Turn off the fans, if installed. The fans may cause smoke to spill out of the fireplace if they are running.
The door should be opened slowly to keep smoke from spilling into your room. If you have a problem with smoke
spillage, check to see that all kitchen and bathroom fans have been shut off. They can cause negative pressure in
the house which pulls smoke out of the fireplace.
Take the time to poke and stir the unburnt wood that is left in the firebox. This will help revive the fire. Place the
new logs in the firebox. Try to maintain a clear a path in front of the pilot, which is the metal tube centered between
the two andiron posts. The pilot brings an influx of air close to the coals that will help to keep the fire going. Once
the new wood has been loaded, keep the door slightly ajar for about 3-10 minutes to get the fire going depending
on how well seasoned is your cordwood and how much coals were left in the firebox. Once the new wood it well lit,
close the door.
TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEMS
If smoke comes into the house when the door is opened:
•
You may have opened the door too quickly and created a suction of air into the room, this can be avoided by
opening the door more slowly.
•
Ensure your chimney is clean and your chimney cap is not plugged. Chimney caps with screens are more likely
to become clogged with creosote buildup.
•
Make sure you have adequate chimney height for your system. Refer to the Chimney section of this booklet
and make sure to take altitude, and number of elbows into consideration.
•
If you have purchased the inline fan, make sure the blower is off before opening the door.
•
Check to see if other fans in the home are running, particularly a kitchen range hood, or bathroom exhaust fan.
This can affect the pressure in the home.
•
Try opening a window near the fireplace a little, this will equalize the pressure in the home and should correct
a draft problem. Once proper draft is established the window can be closed.
•
Make sure you’ve used enough kindling to establish a hot fire quickly. The most likely time that smoke will enter
the home is during the lighting process.
If your fireplace burns excessively fast, seemingly uncontrollably:
•
Check all door seals and gaskets to ensure that air is not leaking into the firebox. See “Door Adjustment” for
details of how to verify the tightness of the door.
•
Inspect the secondary air tubes in the top of the fireplace to ensure they are in good condition. An unwanted
hole in the secondary air tubes can bring additional unwanted air into the fireplace.
MAINTENANCE
CHIMNEY CLEANING
Check the chimney for creosote buildup every week or so until experience shows how often you need to clean it. A
buildup of ¼" or more should be cleaned before more creosote accumulates. Close the fireplace door prior to
sweeping. Use an 7" round brush.
