21
Vermont Castings Madison
The Chimney System
Creosote
Your Madison is designed to reduce creosote buildup
significantly. However, regular chimney inspection and
maintenance must still be performed. For safety, good
stove performance, and to protect your chimney and
chimney connector, inspect your chimney and chimney
connector on a regular schedule. Clean the system if
necessary. Failure to keep the chimney and connector
system clean can result in a serious chimney fire.
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar,
organic vapors and moisture that combine to form
creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the
relatively cool chimney flue. As a result, creosote
residue accumulates on the flue lining. When
ignited, this creosote makes an extremely hot fire
within the flue system that can damage the chim-
ney and overheat adjacent combustible material.
If you do have a chimney fire, promptly:
• Close the thermostat lever.
• Get everyone out of the house.
• Call the Fire Department.
You should inspect the system every two weeks
during the heating season as part of a regular
maintenance schedule. To inspect the chimney, let the
stove cool completely. Then, using a mirror and a
strong light, sight up through the flue collar into the
chimney flue. If it is not possible to inspect the flue
system in this fashion, the stove must be disconnected
to provide better viewing access.
If a significant layer of creosote has accumulated
—1/8" (3 mm) or more — remove it to reduce the risk
of a chimney fire.
Clean the chimney using a brush the same size
and shape as the flue liner. Flexible fiberglass rods
are used to run the brush up and down the liner,
causing any deposits to fall to the bottom of the
chimney where they can be removed through the
clean-out door.
The chimney connector should be cleaned by
disconnecting the sections, taking them outside, and
removing any deposits with a stiff wire brush. Reinstall
the connector sections after cleaning, being sure to
secure the individual sections with sheet metal screws.
If you cannot inspect or clean the chimney
yourself, contact your local Vermont Castings’
Authorized Dealer or hire a professional chimney
sweep.
Annual Maintenance
Perform a thorough cleaning, inspection and repair
each Spring, at the end of the heating season.
• Thoroughly clean the chimney and chimney connec-
tor.
• Inspect the chimney for damage and deterioration.
Replace weak sections of prefabricated chimney.
Have a mason make repairs to a masonry chimney.
• Inspect the chimney connector and replace any
damaged sections.
• Clean ash debris from under the primary air plate.
See procedure below.
• Check gasketing for wear or compression, and
replace if necessary. A 'paper test' will guide you on
this. Close and lock the door on a slip of paper and
then try to pull the paper out. If the paper pulls out
with little or no resistance, the gasket isn't snug
enough at that spot. If adjusting the latch doesn't
result in a seal that makes it hard to pull the paper
out, replace the gasketing.
• Check door handle for tightness. Adjust if needed.
• Check heat shield screws. Tighten as necessary.
• Clean dust from the inner sides of bottom, rear and
connector heat shields.
• Remove ashes from the ash pan and replace with
moisture absorbing material (such as cat litter) to
keep the stove interior dry. Close the stove door to
keep cats from using the litter.
• Touch up the paint on black stoves.
Clean the Primary Air Outlet
1. Remove the phillips head screws that retain the
Primary Air Plate.
2. Use a screwdriver to pry the plate out of the ce-
mented seams.
3. Remove ash debris from the cavity.
4. Use high-temperature furnace cement to reseal the
front seam and side seams and replace the plate.
Secure with the phillips head screws.
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