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Problems like those listed here are usually due to some difficulty with the installation, chimney or
fuels, so please check back through these instructions carefully. If necessary seek specialist advice.
Smoke from the chimney:
It is quite normal for a little smoke to be emitted from the chimney when
the fire is cold, so start the fire using only a very little fuel. When using wood always adjust the
burning rate using the control. Use only very dry wood.
Poor Heat Output:
A stove can heat a typical room of about 12m
3
volume for each kW of output, so
a 5kW model can heat up to (12 x 5) 63m
3
, a room of about 5m square. The actual size depends
on the insulation and air-change ratio of the room. To attempt to heat a larger room will result in
excessive fuel consumption and damaging overheating.
Lack of Controllability:
Wood and some other fuels may burn excessively until the gasses in them
have been used up. You can reduce this effect by making sure that the fire is set to ‘low’ for a
while before refuelling and checking that the door seals fully.
Condensation:
Condensation onto cool surfaces inside the stove can be severe if fuel is in any way
damp, use only very dry fuel.
Over-Firing:
It is possible to leave the fire too long with the control set too high leading to ‘over-firing’
seen as glowing metal parts, excessive chimney temperature and risk of parts failing or chimney
fires. Always set control to the lowest practical setting. A chimney thermometer, from your local
stove shop, can help.
Smoke Coming Into Room
Fumes are poisonous – smoke emission must never be tolerated, causes might be:
New stove: There is often a smell and sometimes visible fumes as the paint cures. This normally
stops after an hour or so and we advise that you open a window when firing up a new stove for
the first time.
Inadequate seals: Are all flue pipes and connectors absolutely gas tight? Even the tiniest crack
or gap can spoil the draught. Does an inset appliance fully seal against the fireplace?
Blocked throat plate: Has soot or ash collected on the throat plate above the inner back part
of the firebox?
Unsuitable, blocked or un-swept chimney: The first requirement for correct operation is a sound
chimney. Check the requirements earlier in this document and in case of any doubt engage a
professional sweep or chimney engineer.
Poor air supply: Lack of air to the fire is a common cause of smoking and poor performance.
Air supply problems may be worse in certain wind conditions (often incorrectly ascribed to
‘downdraft’ which is in fact very rare), where air can be sucked out of the room. The answer is to fit
an air vent, as near to the fire as possible, facing into the usual wind direction.
Downdraught: Wind can blow down a chimney if there is something higher nearby such as a
tree, hill or high building. Fitting an anti-downdraught cowl to the chimney top can cure this. Types
which cannot be swept through are not recommended.
Poor chimney draught: Chimney draught in use MUST be at least 12Pa.
TROUBLESHOOTING
