Heat & Glo • RHW-485 • 33221 Rev O • 08/06
32
Diagnostic Questions
Possible Causes of Condition
Solutions
Is the damper open?
• No draft
Open damper.
Is there enough paper/starter?
• Insuf
fi
cient heat to ignite kindling
Use more paper/starter.
Is there enough kindling?
Is the kindling dry?
• Insuf
fi
cient heat to ignite fuel
Use more dry kindling.
Is there enough or too much
wood? Is it too large? Is it dry
enough?
• Insuf
fi
cient heat to establish draft
Use small split wood that is well seasoned (split, covered on top at
least 6 months, preferably a year).
• Insuf
fi
cient air passage
• Insuf
fi
cient surface area
• Ignition temperature high due to moisture
Are there adequate air spaces
between fuel pieces?
• Insuf
fi
cient combustion air and exposed
surface area
Arrange kindling and wood for air movement.
Is the chimney pre-warmed?
• Exposed, cold chimney down drafting
Use lighted rolled newspaper at throat or
fl
ue opening to start
upward movement.
Is there smoke in the house?
• Damper closed
Check damper; have chimney checked if it worked previously;
pre-warm chimney, shut off exhaust devices, open window slightly.
• Obstruction in chimney
• Down draft from chimney temperature or
from negative house pressure
Does the kindling, wood not
ignite?
• Condition, amount, arrangement of kindling
and fuel
Use more, drier, well-spaced kindling and fuel.
Does the kindling ignite, but the
fuel doesn’t?
• Amount of kindling
Use more kindling; use smaller, dry wood.
• Condition of fuel
Does the fuel ignite, but not
burn well?
• Condition of fuel
Use well-seasoned wood and suf
fi
cient amount; turn exhaust fans
off; open window slightly. Perform Simpli
fi
ed House Pressure Test.
• Draft problem
B. Diagnostics and Problem Solving
I don’t get enough/any heat from the
fi
replace. What can I do about it?
Diagnostic Questions
Possible Causes of Condition
Solutions
How much wood is used for
fi
re?
• Insuf
fi
cient fuel
Make larger
fi
res.
How well seasoned is the
wood?
• Condition of fuel
Burn seasoned wood: covered on top, split and stacked for 9
months to 2 years.
How much heat output do you
expect?
• Unrealistic expectations
Explanation of decorative nature of
fi
replace; suggestion of
approved
fi
replace insert.
I can’t get a good
fi
re going. What am I doing wrong?