Seasoned Wood; Starting A Fire; Grate; Firescreen - Heatilator A36C Owner's Manual

B. Seasoned Wood
Properly seasoned wood is important for successful
operation of your fireplace. Most woodburning fireplace
problems are caused by burning wet, unseasoned wood.
Seasoned firewood is wood that is cut to size, split and air
dried to a moisture content of around 20%.
Imagine a wooden bucket that weighs about eight
pounds. Fill it with a gallon of water, put it in the fireplace
and try to burn it. This sounds ridiculous but that is exactly
what you are doing if you burn unseasoned wood.
A tree cut down a year ago and not split is likely to have
almost as high a moisture content now as it did when it
was cut.
Please refer to Section 2.N. for more detail.
C. Starting a Fire
NOTICE: You must establish a good draft to prevent smoke
spillage into the room.
WARNING! Risk of Fire! Keep combustible materials,
gasoline and other flammable vapors and liquids clear of
the fireplace.
DO NOT:
• store flammable materials close to the fireplace
• use gasoline, lantern fuel, kerosene, charcoal lighter
fluid or similar liquids to start or "freshen up" a fire in this
fireplace.
Keep all flammable liquids well away from the fireplace while
it is in use. Combustible materials may ignite.
• The first three or four fires should be of moderate size to
allow the oils and binders to be burned from the fireplace
and the refractory and paint to cure. You may notice
an industrial odor the first few fires. This is considered
normal.
• Use well-seasoned wood (see Section 2.N.).
• Open the flue damper to a fully open position.
• Place crumpled or twisted paper under the fireplace

grate.

• Loosely arrange kindling or small pieces of wood to form
a 'tent' on the fireplace grate.
• Pre-warm the flue to establish a draft to help reduce
smoke spillage during start-up. Hold a rolled up piece
of burning newspaper under the flue damper for a few
moments.
• Light the crumpled paper to ignite the kindling.
• Add small pieces of wood until a hot bed of embers has
been established.
• Add a minimum of three average size pieces of split
firewood, placed to allow combustion air and flames
between them.
CAUTION! Odors and vapors released during initial
operation may be irritating to sensitive individuals.
Open windows for air circulation.
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Heatilator • A36C & A42C • 28396 • Rev AQ • 10/12
D. Grate
This fireplace is designed to be used with the grate sup-
plied with this unit or one approved by HHT. The grate will
break down over time and will need occasional replace-
ment.
WARNING! Risk of Fire! Use only the factory-supplied
integral grate.
• Keeps logs in place.
• Allows proper air circulation around the fire.
E. Firescreen
The firescreen is provided to control sparks. Keep it
closed when the fireplace is in use.
WARNING! Risk of Fire or Burns!
• Screen will not prevent burning materials from falling
out.
• Screen pulls or handles may be hot.
F. Flue Damper
• Refer to Figure 2.1 for location of control.
• Must be in fully open position (handle up toward the top
of the fireplace) during operation of the fireplace.
• Before lighting the fireplace, verify fully open position by
looking up from the inside of the fireplace.
WARNING! Risk of Fire and Asphyxiation! Open
damper prior to operating fireplace. A closed damper
overfires the fireplace and spills smoke and flames
into the room.
G. Refractory
• The refractory is supplied to contain heat and provide
an attractive interior.
• It will break down over time and will need occasional
replacement. Small hairline cracks and discoloration are
normal and do not affect its safety.
• (See refractory maintenance Section 3.C.)
WARNING! Risk of Fire! DO NOT burn fireplace with-
out refractory. Use only refractory supplied by Hearth &
Home Technologies, Inc.