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A. Negative pressure in the house - As the fire
burns, air goes up the chimney. This air
must be replaced through leakage into the
house or through the outside air duct. When
operating the Montecito fireplace, open a
nearby window temporarily to check if there
is adequate replacement air supply.
B. Fans operating (e.g.: range hood) - These
fans draw air out of the house and may
actually cause a negative pressure in the
house. Turn off all fans and open a nearby
window to determine if this is the cause of
the problem.
C. Wet wood - Wet or tarred wood will smoulder
and smoke instead of burn properly.
Your
dealer can help you determine if you have
properly seasoned wood for burning.
D. Dirty or blocked chimney - Check to make
sure the chimney is clear and clean.
If dirty
call a certified chimney sweep or use a
properlysizedchimneybrushtoclean.
E. Chimney not long enough - The minimum
chimney height is twelve (12) feet (3.7 m)
not including the fireplace height. The
chimney must extend at least three (3) feet
(915 mm) above its point of contact with
the roof and at least two (2) feet (610 mm)
higher than any roof or wall within ten (10)
feet (3 m) of it. When installed with offsets,
the minimum chimney height is fifteen (15)
feet (4.6 m). Additional height will increase
draft and will decrease the tendency to
smoke.
F. Poor chimney draft - With no fire, there
should be sufficient draft to exhaust cigarette
smoke introduced under the baffle. Chimneys
installed against an outside wall without
protection may generate back draft problems
which will cause start-up problems. To
prevent this, open a nearby window, roll up
a piece of paper and light it. Then, hold it in
the upper part of the firebox to warm up the
chimney. Wait until the draft is sufficient,
then start the fire.
IMPORTANT CAUTIONS
A. Do not block the hot air vents to the fire-
place as this will cause the fireplace to
overheat.
B. Never use gasoline, gasoline-type lantern
fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter fluid, or
similar liquids to start or ‘freshen up’ a fire
in this fireplace. Keep all such liquids well
away from the fireplace while it is in use.
C. Do not burn coal. The sulphur in coal will
corrode the firebox and chimney.
D. Keep combustible materials at least 48”
(1.2 m) away from the front of the fireplace
opening.
E. Never leave children unattended when
there is a fire burning in the fireplace.
F. Do not use the fireplace as an incinerator
to burn paper, cardboard or construction
material such as pressed wood, plywood
or lumber. Use only untreated wood.
Wood protectors, metallic paper, coal,
plastic, waste, beach wood, Christmas
tree, sulphur and/or oil will damage the
fireplace.
G. Do not burn driftwood which has been in the
ocean or salt water. The salt will corrode
the firebox and chimney.
H. Do not burn wood in the area in front of the
grate.
I. Do not allow the wood to smoulder or burn
without flame, since this will produce
excessive creosote in the unit as well as
increased particulate emissions.
J. Blower for forced air kit operating - Make
surethattheblowerisatthe“off”positionwhen
you open the fireplace door for reloading.
MAINTAINING YOUR FIREPLACE
Creosote - Formation and Need for Removal
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar
and other organic vapors, which combine
with expelled moisture to form creosote. The
creosote vapors condense in the relatively
cool chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As
a result, creosote residue accumulates on the
flue lining. When ignited this creosote makes
an extremely hot fire.
The chimney shall be inspected at least twice
a year during the heating season to determine
when a creosote buildup has occurred.
When creosote has accumulated it shall be
removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
When the creosote accumulation is large, a
creosote fire in the chimney can damage the
chimney and overheat the surrounding wood
framing. Creosote formation in a chimney can
beminimizedbymakingsurethereisalways
visible flame burning, avoid smouldering fires
and by proper refuelling techniques.
Chimney Maintenance
Regular chimney inspection and maintenance
combined with proper operation will prevent
chimney fires. Keep your chimney clean. Do not
allowmorethan1/16”(1.6mm)creosotebuild
up in your chimney. The amount of creosote will
depend on variables such as frequency of use
and type of fire. We recommend that you:
A. Initially inspect the chimney system weekly.
From this, you will learn how often it will be
necessary to clean your chimney.
B. Have your chimney cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep. If you wish to clean it
yourself, we recommend using a stiff plastic
or non-metallic brush. If a metal brush is
used,itssizeshouldbeslightlysmallerthan
the flue to avoid damaging the chimney. Do
not use a brush that will scratch the stainless
steel interior of the chimney.
C. Do not expect chemical cleaners to keep
your chimney clean. The rain cap can be
removedforinspectionand/orcleaningof
the chimney.
Caution: It is necessary to remove the baffle
from the top of the firebox before cleaning the
chimney. See “Top Baffle Removal Prior To
Chimney Sweep.”
Finish Door Casing Care
Useaglasscleanerandasoftclothtopolish
the casing. Do not use abrasives such as steel
wool, steel pads or an abrasive polish for they
may scratch the casing’s finish.
Figure 2B - Top Baffle Removal
Figure 2A - Top Baffle Removal
Dealing With a Chimney Fire
Regular chimney maintenance and inspection
can prevent chimney fires. If you have a chimney
fire, follow these steps:
1. Close the fireplace door and the combustion
air controls.
2. Alert your family of the possible danger.
3. If you require assistance, alert your fire
department.
4. If possible, use a dry chemical fire extin-
guisher, baking soda or sand to control the
fire. Do not use water as it may cause a
dangerous steam explosion.
5. Check outside to ensure that sparks and hot
embers coming out of the chimney are not
igniting the roof.
6. Do not use the fireplace again until your
chimney and fireplace have been inspected
by a qualified chimney sweep or a Fire
Department Inspector.
Top Baffle Removal Prior to Cleaning The
Chimney
Before starting to clean your chimney, we
recommend that you remove the top baffle to
avoid creosote dust collection at the top of the
baffle. Follow these steps to set the top baffle
out of the way:
1. Remove the side refractory holder. They are
located at the top of the refractory.
2. Lift the front baffle.
3. Slide the back baffle under the front baffle.
You now have access to the chimney.
NOTE:DIAGRAMS&ILLUSTRATIONSARENOTTOSCALE.
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