4
Draught is caused by the rising hot air in the flue when the fire
has been lit.
The position, height and size of the flue can affect the
performance of the flue draught. Refer to installation guide
for details on flue installation.
Factors affecting the flue draught include:
Insufficient flue height
Trees or other buildings nearby causing turbulence
High and gusty winds
Outside temperature and weather conditions
Blocked flue
For advice on the correction of persistent flue problems
consult your supplier/installer for more detail.
1.9.
ASH REMOVAL
Depending on the type of wood burnt and frequency, the
ashes will need removing every 2 to 6 weeks.
Leave a 10mm layer of ash to insulate the firebox bottom.
Excess ashes should be removed when necessary, placed in a
non-combustible container with a tightly fitting lid and moved
outdoors immediately to a location clear of combustible
materials.
1.10.
FLUE/CHIMNEY FIRE
If a flue/chimney fire occurs:
Shut air controls fully to smother the fire.
Do not use the appliance after a flue fire until an
accredited installer has assessed the cause and any
resultant damage.
1.11.
CLEANING PAINT WORK AND GLASS
The appliance, when cool, can be cleaned with a damp
cloth.
Over the years, the black paint will fade and can be
touched up with Stove Bright metallic black paint.
To clean the glass, we recommend using a household
window cleaner or general purpose cleaner with a soft
cloth.
Do not use abrasive cleaner or scourer pads.
1.12.
CLEANING THE FLUE
Check inside of flue prior to each season for any build-up of
creosote (wood tar).
To check the flue:
1)
Remove the baffle plate (refer to ‘Replacing the Baffle
Plate’ under Maintenance & Servicing).
2)
Hold a small mirror on an angle below the flue, with a
torch shining towards it, and look for black creosote
build-up. It is normal to see a fine black powdery layer,
but if built up layers of creosote can be seen, the flue
requires cleaning.
3)
If no cleaning is required, re-fit the baffle plate.
To clean the flue:
1)
A flue cleaning brush can be purchased from most wood
heater retail outlets or large hardware stores.
Alternatively, hire a flue cleaning service to do the job for
you (it’s a dirty job).
2)
With the baffle plates removed, tie a rope to one end of
the brush, and drop the rope down the flue (from outside
on top of the roof).
3)
Grab the end of the rope from inside the firebox and pull
the brush down through the flue.
4)
Check the inside of the flue with the mirror and torch.
5)
Repeat cleaning process if necessary.
6)
Once the flue is clean, remove any excess creosote from
the firebox.
7)
Replace the baffle plate.
Only pull brush downwards through flue, as pulling upwards
may separate the flue sections at their joins.
1.13.
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
Glass in door blackening
This can have several possible causes:
Burning unseasoned wood — If the wood is too wet, it
will cause the glass to blacken.
Appliance operated at low temperature — After an
overnight burn where the air control has been fully
closed, the glass may have blackened. When the fire is re-
stoked and burning on the high heat setting, the
blackened glass should self-clean.
Problems with the flue — Insufficient flue draught can
cause the glass to blacken. If the flue is too short, not
properly insulated, or in a position that results in a
downdraught, then there will be insufficient flue draught.
Contact the installer should this happen.
Trouble starting the fire
When cleaning, it is best to retain some ash in the base of the
firebox. A layer of ash insulates the base, helping to maintain
a high temperature for combustion. Also, if all the ash has
been removed from the firebox, it can affect the supply of air
to the base of the fire.
