Security Chimneys International EPA BIS ULTRA, Installation And Operating Instructions Manual

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3.2.7 Starting And Maintaining a Fire

A) Place several crumpled up balls of newspaper in the firebox.  Place small dry  pieces of

kindling on top of the paper,  criss-crossing the kindling so that  there are air spaces  in
between. Keep the fuel far back enough so that air can get underneath.

B) Open the air control fully.  Light the newspaper.  Leave the door open  until the fire is

well established.

C) Once the kindling fire is well established, add  increasingly  larger  pieces  of  cordwood

until  the  fire  is  actively  burning.    Close  the  door  and  maintain  an  accelerated
combustion air set up in order to achieve operating temperature.

D) It takes about 15 – 30 minutes to reach proper operating temperature.

After that period, you may set the air control at the desired setting.

The unit will burn best  with  2-3 pieces of cordwood spaced 1 to  2  inches  apart  and
allowing air to get under the fuel.  Criss-crossing or arranging the fuel so that air can get
underneath, will help the fire get started easily.

3.2.8 Refuelling For Best Performance

The BIS fireplace will  operate  best  if  attention  is  given  to  operating  the  unit  with  the
damper fully opened after refueling in order to  bring the firebox and the chimney system
up to their  optimum  operating temperature.  Combustion efficiency is relative to  firebox
temperature. A temperature of 500º C and up  in the upper  part  of the firebox indicates a
maximum efficiency.  To obtain this temperature, the fireplace must  be operated  with  the
damper fully opened during 15 to  30 minutes after reloading, depending on the heat and
on the moisture content of the wood.  Once you have reached the desired temperature, the
damper  can  be  closed  gradually.  You  know  you  have  reached  the  desired  temperature
when, closing the damper, you  can see a flame at the top  of the firebox.  The benefit of
this  technique  will  be  cleaner  glass,  less  creosoting,  greater  efficiency  and  the  most
pleasing fire for your  enjoyment.  If your  fireplace is equipped  with  a central forced  air
system,  make  sure  the  central  blower  is  turned  off  during  reloading  to  avoid  smoking
problems.

3.2.9 Smoking – Causes and Troubleshooting

To  reduce the likelihood of smoking when opening the doors, set  the  air  damper  to  the
"accelerated  combustion"  position  before  opening  the  doors.  Your  fireplace  has  been
designed and tested to provide smoke free operation.  Occasionally, there may be a small
amount of smoking upon lighting the fire, until the chimney heats up  but  this  should not
continue.  If the fireplace does continue to  smoke, it is probably  for one of the following
reasons:

1. The door is partly open

Open both doors fully when opening them.

2. Negative pressure in the house

As the fire burns, air goes up the chimney.  This air must be replaced through leakage into