TOPAZ Owner's Manual
10
RSF Woodburning Fireplaces
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. Use an 7" round brush. The baffle
in the firebox can be removed to gain access to the flue from below.
Follow the directions in the Refractory Brick Installation section to remove and replace the baffle. If you prefer,
you can simply lift the baffle and move it forward and let the debris fall in the firebox. Do not forget to push the
baffle back in its place after cleaning the chimney. This second option is much easier than removing the baffle.
DISPOSAL OF ASHES
Remove the ashes before they become too deep, i.e., before you have a spillage problem when you open the
door.
The ashes should be placed in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. The closed container of ashes should be
placed on a non-combustible floor or on the ground, well away from all combustible materials pending final
disposal. If the ashes are disposed of by burial, or otherwise locally dispersed, they should be retained in the
closed container until all cinders have thoroughly cooled.
DOOR ADJUSTMENT
The door hideaway mechanism can be adjusted for proper sealing of the door. The latch pin can also be adjusted
to provide a positive seal without too much effort at closing.
To check for a proper door seal, insert a thin sheet of paper between the door and the front of the fireplace and
latch the door. Pull gently but firmly on the sheet of paper. If the paper either tears or is hard to retrieve, the
adjustment is correct. Repeat this procedure along all sides of the door.
The most important factor for controlling the burning rate of the TOPAZ is a good seal on the door gasket. If the
door gasket is worn or damaged to the point where the seal is not adequate as described above, then remove
and replace the gasket. Replacement kits are available from your RSF dealer.
To insure a proper seal, you need to adjust the tightness of the door against the front of the fireplace as follows:
1. With the door properly closed, unlock the locking ring by turning it counter-clockwise until it is horizontal (see
Figure 4).
2. Loosen the locking nut of the 2 depth screws.
3. Tighten each of the depth screws until the door is tight against the firebox.
4. Tighten the locking nut of each of the depth screw.
5. Verify the seal with the sheet of paper as described above.
6. If required, the right side of the door can be tightened/loosened by adjusting the eccentric screw that latches
the door: just loosen the nut on the inside of the firebox, turn the eccentric screw on the outside of the firebox
so as to tighten/loosen the door latch and retighten the nut.
7. Once the door is adjusted for a proper seal, turn the locking ring clockwise until you can feel a moderate
amount of tension when it is in the vertical position. There is no need to over-tighten it.
8. Now hide and unhide the door while looking carefully at the door. If you find that the door binds up
excessively when you are sliding the door in and out, you need to adjust the height of the door support roller.
It is located beside the bottom depth screw as shown in Figure 4.
NOTE:
At least once a year, lubricate the upper sliding rod with a small quantity of the high temperature grease
provided with the fireplace (regular grease will not withstand the heat in the fireplace). Slide the door in and out a
few times to distribute the grease along the rod.
NOTE:
An improperly adjusted door seal can have a significant effect on the performance and durability of the
fireplace. A poorly adjusted door can result in reduced efficiency, over firing, excessive wood consumption and
premature fireplace failure.