Starting/Maintaining; Formation Of Creosote; Adding Fuel; Starting And Maintaining A Fire - Jøtul F3 USA Installation And Operating Instructions Manual

Never overfire the stove
If any part of the stove or chimney glows, you are
overfiring, and a house fire or serious damage to the stove
or chimney could result. Immediately close down the air
control if you notice this condition.

Starting and maintaining a fire

Burn only solid wood directly on the bottom grate of the
stove, do not elevate the fire in any way.
The ash pan door on the stove must always be securely
closed when the stove is in operation.
Burning the stove with the ashpan open will over-fire the
stove and cause interior damage.
With the primary air control lever and the start-up air
control lever in the full open position (far right), start with
several sheets of crumbled newspaper placed directly on
the grate. On top of the newspaper, place several pieces
of small dry kindling (approx. 1" in diameter) with two to
three larger logs (approx. 3" to 5" in diameter) on top.
Light the fire and close the door, slowly building the fire by
adding larger and larger logs. Close the start-up air control
lever after the fire is established and new fuel lights easily.
Be sure to follow the break-in procedure before creating
a fire that will damage the stove.
Once the stove has reached a surface temperature range
of between 400° and 600°, adjust the primary air control
lever as necessary to generate the heat output and burn
time desired.
Jøtul recommends the use of a magnetic stove top
thermometer to monitor the surface temperature of the
stove. The optimum surface temperature range for the
most efficient burn is between 400° and 600°.
See figure 16 below for the optimum locations of a stove-
top thermometer.
Fig. 16
Stove top thermometer

Adding fuel

When reloading the stove while it is still hot and a bed of
hot embers still exist, follow this reloading procedure:
• Always wear gloves when tending to the stove.
• Push the air control lever to the full open position (far
right).
• Wait a few seconds before opening the door.
• Use a stove tool or poker to distribute the hot embers
equally around the firebox.
• Load the fuel, usually with smaller logs first.
• Close the door, be sure to latch the door tightly.
• Wait 5 – 10 minutes before adjusting the primary air
to the desired heat output setting.
(If you have at least a 2" thick ember bed when
reloading, it may be possible to close the door and
immediately adjust the air control setting).
Creosote and Soot Formation and the Need
for Removal
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other
organic vapors which combine with expelled moisture
to form creosote. These creosote vapors condense in the
relatively cool chimney flue of a slow burning fire. The
creosote that accumulates in the flue is highly flammable
and is the fuel of chimney fires. To prevent a chimney
fire, the creosote needs to be removed by sweeping the
chimney and flue connector. The frequency of sweeping
will depend on how you operate your stove, but it is
important to inspect the flue after every two weeks of
use. An accumulation of 1/4" or more on the sides of the
flue or connector is considered hazardous and should be
removed.
In the event that creosote in your chimney or flue connector
ignites, the resulting fire is often accompanied by a roaring
noise and a crackling sound as flakes of burned creosote
break loose. lf you suspect you are having a chimney fire,
immediately close the draft regulator and make sure the
stove door is closed. Call the fire department and get
everyone safely out of the house.
Trying to extinguish the fire in the stove will not help. In
fact it can make the matter worse by allowing oxygen
through the door, which then supports the fire in the
chimney. When the roaring and crackling has stopped, you
should resist the temptation to open the door and look at
the fire. The fire may have suffocated, but could rekindle
when you open the door. After a chimney fire, do not use
your stove until the chimney and the flue connector has
been cleaned and inspected to ensure that no damage
has been sustained.
USA/Canada
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