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Step 3. Keep the combustion air damper and
the by-pass damper opened for 10 minutes
before closing it. It will ensure sufficient tem-
peratures for combustor light-off.
To refuel the Villa Vista™ fireplace when the
unit is still hot (Some burning fuel remaining
or a glowing combustor)
Step 1. Open the by-pass and air controls
fully.
Step 2. Open the door approximately 1 inch,
wait five seconds until the draft is stable and
then open it completely. Load the fuel, close
the door and by-pass (temperatures within the
firebox should be enough to maintain catalytic
operation)
Smoking – Causes and Troubleshooting
To reduce the likelihood of smoking when
opening the doors, set the air damper to the
"accelerated combustion" position and open
the by-pass damper 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 the door fully.
2. Negative pressure in the house
As the fire burns, air goes up the chimney.
This air must be replaced through leakage
into the house or through the outside air
duct. When operating the Villa Vista fire-
place, open a nearby window temporarily
to check if there is adequate air replace-
ment.
3. Fans operating (e.g. range hood)
These fans draw air out of the house and
may actually cause a negative pressure in
the house. Turn off all fans and open a
nearby window to determine if this is the
cause of the problem.
4. Wet wood
Wet or tarred wood will smoulder and smoke
instead of burn properly.
5. Dirty or blocked chimney
Check to make sure the chimney is clear
and reasonably clean.
6. Chimney not long enough
The minimum chimney height is 12 feet, not
including the fireplace height. The chimney
must extend at least 3 feet (915 mm) above
its point of contact with the roof and at least
2 feet (610 mm) higher than any roof or
wall within 10 feet (3 m) of it.
7. Poor chimney draft
With no fire, there should be sufficient
draft to exhaust cigarette smoke introduced
under the baffle. Chimneys installed against
an outside wall without protection may
generate back draft problems which will
cause start-up problems. To prevent this,
open a nearby window, roll up a piece of
paper and light it.
6
Then, hold it in the upper part of the firebox
to warm up the chimney. Wait until the draft
is sufficient, then start the fire.
Important Notes
1. Do not block the hot air vents of the fire-
place as this will cause the fireplace to
overheat.
2. Never start a fire using gasoline, kero-
sene, charcoal lighter fluid or any other
combustible liquid.
3. Do not burn coal. The sulphur in coal will
corrode the firebox.
4. Do not burn driftwood which has been
in the ocean or salt water. The salt will
corrode the firebox and chimney.
5. Do not operate the unit with the door partly
open since this may cause smoke to be
drawn into the room.
6. Do not burn wood in the area in front of
the log retainers.
7. Do not abuse the unit by burning paper,
or cardboard or construction material
such as pressed wood, plywood or
lumber.
8. Do not allow the wood to smoulder or burn
without flame, since this will produce
excessive creosote in the unit.
MAINTAINING YOUR FIREPLACE
Creosote
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar
and other organic vapors which combine with
expelled moisture to form a black deposit called
creosote which accumulates on the flue lining.
When ignited, this creosote makes an extremely
hot fire. If the creosote accumulation is large,
a creosote fire in the chimney can damage the
chimney and overheat the surrounding wood
framing. Creosote formation in a chimney can
be minimized by making small hot fires rather
than slow burning, smouldering fires and by
proper refuelling techniques.
Chimney Maintenance
Regular chimney inspection and maintenance
combined with proper operation will prevent
chimney fires. Keep your chimney clean. Do not
allow more than 1/16" creosote build up in your
chimney. The amount of creosote will depend
on variables such as frequency of use and type
of fire. We recommend that you:
1. Initially inspect the chimney system weekly.
From this, you will learn how often it will
be necessary to clean your chimney.
2. Have your chimney cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep. If you wish to clean it
yourself, we recommend using a stiff plastic
or non-metallic brush. If a metal brush is
used, its size should be slightly smaller than
the flue to avoid damaging the chimney.
Do not use a brush that will scratch the
stainless steel interior of the chimney.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE.
3. Do not expect chemical cleaners to keep
your chimney clean. The rain cap can be
removed for inspection and/or cleaning of
the chimney. Using gloves, firmly grip the
lower portion of the rain cap. Turn the cap
1/8 of a turn counter-clockwise and lift it
off the chimney.
Dealing With A Chimney Fire
Regular chimney maintenance and inspection
can prevent chimney fires. If you have a chimney
fire, follow these steps:
1. Close the fireplace doors and the combus-
tion air damper.
2. Alert your family of the possible danger.
3. If you require assistance, alert your fire
department.
4. If possible, use a dry chemical fire extin-
guisher, baking soda or sand to control the
fire. Do not use water as it may cause a
dangerous steam explosion.
5. Check outside to ensure that sparks and hot
embers coming out of the chimney are not
igniting the roof.
6. Do not use the fireplace again until your
chimney and fireplace have been inspected
by a qualified chimney sweep or a Fire
Department Inspector.
Catalytic Combustor
The Villa Vista™ fireplace is designed with a
catalytic combustor which will reduce pollution
emissions and creosote build up while improv-
ing thermal efficiency. In order to optimize and
maintain the combustor performance, it is im-
portant to visually check the combustor at least
3 times during the heating season to determine
if physical degradation has occurred.
Catalytic combustors require little maintenance.
Cleaning the combustor once a year, preferably
when your flue system is serviced, is sufficient
for most users.
WARNING
To prevent damage to your com-
bustor, do not:
•
Drop the combustor (which is
fragile compared to the rest
of the unit – so handle with
care)
•
Run water or compressed air
through the combustor
•
Try to clean the combustor
with any sharp tool
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