Filter
Top Products
5
3
OPERATION GUIDELINES
When a AK4 combustion air assembly and a combustion air duct are attached to the connecting point on the
left or right side of the fireplace, combustion air may enter the firebox through a dampered opening behind the
left or right side brick. This feature is designed for your benefit to reduce the room air used for combustion and
to prevent excessive loss of heat from the room. When the fireplace is in use, this damper should be open.
When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should be closed to prevent cold air from entering the firebox. The
combustion air damper is open when the lever, located on the left and right side of the firebox near the top of the
firebrick, is up and closed when the lever is down.
Outside air for combustion is optional unless required by federal, state or local building codes. See the section
of this manual providing the instructions for installation of the combustion air assembly. The design of the
fireplace allows the routing of the combustion air duct up, down, or horizontally to obtain the outside combustion
air. This permits flexibility in planning your installation. See Figure 22 for typical installation methods. Review
the precautions and recommendations in this manual pertaining to outside combustion air installation.
The fireplace also is equipped with a flue damper, which must be open when the fireplace is in use. The flue
damper control lever is located inside the fireplace. The counterweighted damper is operated by simply pushing
up to open or pulling down to close the damper. When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should be closed
to prevent cold air form entering the chimney as well as preventing warm air in the room from escaping up the
chimney.
WARNING: Fireplaces equipped with doors should be operated only with the doors fully open or doors fully
closed. If doors are left partly open, gas and flame may be drawn out of the fireplace opening, creating risks of
both fire and smoke.
WARNING: “DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MPL FIREPLACE HAS TWO OPENINGS, IT IS MORE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF DRAFTS OR PRESSURE CHANGES IN THE ROOM OR
ROOMS IT SERVES. THE FIREPLACE SHOULD BE OPERATED WITH BOTH SETS OF DOORS CLOSED
TO PREVENT SMOKE OR FLAME SPILLAGE OUT OF THE FIREPLACE OPENINGS CAUSED BY DRAFTS
OR PRESSURE CHANGES. THE DOOR SHOULD ONLY BE OPENED DURING THE VERY BRIEF PERIOD
REQUIRED TO ADD WOOD TO THE FIRE OR TO REMOVE ASHES.
All fireplace chimneys are in direct contact with cold air on the exterior of the structure. Consequently, when
the fireplace is not in use, cold air can fall down the chimney of the fireplace to cool off the fireplace chase.
Therefore, the fireplace chase must be insulated to minimize the risk of cold air infiltration to the home. Even
if the fireplace chase is adequately insulated, this cannot completely ensure that cold air infiltration into the
structure will be eliminated. Cold air infiltration is a possibility with any fireplace or device that freely
communicates with the air on the outside of the structure. Today’s homes are more energy-efficient and,
therefore, better insulated and tightly constructed. Unfortunately, when air is removed from the house, as by
a bathroom fan, or consumed by a furnace, additional air is needed to replace the air consumed. Unless the
additional air is supplied, this can cause a negative pressure in the home. When this happens, the house will
draw in outside air form the cracks in the windows, down the fireplace flue or other locations of air leakage in
the home. Because cold air infiltration may be unavoidable in some structures, Martin Hearth & Heating is not
responsible for heat loss or air infiltration through or around the fireplace.
53D9042. Rev 1 03/03