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Page 19
5. Do not attempt to extend the burn time by using
wet wood. Not only does burning wet wood rapidly
build up creosote, but it reduces the heat output by
up to 25 percent.
6. Burn the stove with the air inlet control wide open
for 10-25 minutes every time fresh wood is loaded
into the stove. Do not load more than ¼ to ½ of the
fuel capacity at one time. Loading too much wood
at once will cause excessive smoke which contains
creosote. Mature fires or coals produce very little
creosote-producing smoke.
7. Burn with the control open for several minutes at
numerous intervals throughout the day, being care-
ful not to over fire the unit. Following this process
will help to warm the chimney and reduce the
amount of creosote forming condensation within
the chimney.
8. Establish a routine for the handling of fuel, firing,
and operating the stove. Check daily for creosote
build up until experience shows how often you need
to clean for safe operation. Be aware that the hotter
the fire, the less creosote is deposited and weekly
cleanings may be necessary in mild weather even
though monthly cleanings may be enough in the
colder months.
WARNING: IN CASE OF CHIMNEY FIRE:
(1) CLOSE AIR INLET CONTROL(S)
(2) GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
(3) CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CHIMNEY DRAFT
The chimney is critical to the proper operation of
the stove.
It is the chimney that creates draft; THE
STOVE DOES NOT AND CANNOT CREATE DRAFT.
The chimney provides two vital functions for proper
stove operation. First, it is the passage to exhaust
smoke and hot gases created in the combustion pro-
cess. Secondly, it supplies the draft (or pressure) to
bring oxygen to the fire to sustain combustion. Draft is
the natural movement of air or gases through a chimney.
Chimney draft comes from the natural tendency for
hot (less dense) air to rise. As the hot air rises within
the chimney it creates a lower pressure at the bottom
of the chimney to which the stove is connected. The
higher pressure air outside the stove then rushes into
the stove where the lower air pressure level exists, thus
bringing oxygen to the fire. This constant flow of air is
referred to as the draft. Many factors or combination
of factors can act together to build or impede the draft.
Without the correct amount of draft, the stove will not
operate properly.
If there is excessive draft, an unsafe condition will
arise with too much air being drawn into the stove and
creating an excessively hot fire. This could cause over
firing which runs the risk of igniting structural elements
around the stove and chimney.
The most common experience is that of insufficient
draft. Under insufficient draft conditions, the fire will be
starved for oxygen, improper or incomplete combustion
occurs resulting in smoke spillage into the area around
the stove. A fire that is starved for oxygen will not burn
well. Such a fire will produce excessive smoke that will
cool and condense in the chimney creating creosote.
Excessive amounts of creosote buildup can ignite
causing a chimney fire with the possibility of structural
elements igniting as well.
Correct any draft related issues before using the
stove. The following are some possible causes of
insufficient draft. Please note that one or more factors
may play a role in a draft issue and certain factors may
change over time as conditions vary.
1. Atmospheric Pressure and Air Supply
Atmospheric pressure that affects the draft may oc-
cur from outside the structure, inside the structure,
or both. High pressure weather (clear and cold)
usually produces a better chimney draft than low
pressure (overcast and damp) conditions. Negative
pressure can be created inside a home by appli-
ances that expel air from within such as bathroom
vents, range hoods, clothes dryers, and forced air
furnaces. Do not allow such appliances to over-
come the natural draft. Note that newer homes
tend to be built more tightly allowing less make up
air to seep freely in. Negative pressure may be
overcome by opening a nearby door or window. In
extreme conditions of negative draft, the airflow in
the chimney will reverse direction. This is known
as “down drafting.”
2. Environmental Factors
Wind or air deflecting off external objects such
as the roof, neighboring structures, trees, or hills.
These can cause a pressure change in the air sur-
rounding the chimney.
3. Chimney Temperature
The temperature of the chimney is an important
factor in how well it drafts. Warm chimneys draft
better than cold chimneys. This is based upon the
principle that hot air rises while cold air sinks. Hot
gases going up a cold chimney will cool rapidly.
Warm the chimney by allowing a hot fire to burn for
the first fifteen to thirty minutes after starting the fire.
Be careful not to over fire the stove. If any part of
the stove or chimney starts to glow, you are over
firing the stove. Masonry chimneys will take longer
SERVICE HINTS continued . . .
