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Stratford Fireplace Installation and Operation Manual
4 OPERATING YOUR FIREPLACE
4.1 THE USE OF A FIRESCREEN
This fireplace has been tested for use with an open door in conjunction with a firescreen
(AC01560, sold separately). Make sure the firescreen is properly secured on the fireplace to avoid
any risk of sparks damaging your flooring. When the firescreen is in use, do not leave the fireplace
unattended so that you can respond promptly in the event of smoke spillage into the room.
Potential causes of smoke spillage are described in Section 8: The Venting System of this manual.
See Appendix 5: Installing the Firescreen (AC01560) for installation instructions.
OPERATING WITH THE FIRESCREEN INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF GENERATING CARBON
MONOXIDE. CARBON MONOXIDE IS AN ODOURLESS GAS THAT IS HIGHLY TOXIC AND WHICH
CAN CAUSE DEATH AT HIGH CONCENTRATION IN AIR.
4.2 YOUR FIRST FIRES
Two things will happen as you burn your first few fires; the paint cures and the internal
components of the fireplace are conditioned.
As the paint cures, some of the chemicals vaporize. The vapors are not poisonous, but they do
smell bad. Fresh paint fumes can also cause false alarms in smoke detectors. So, when you first
light your fireplace, be prepared by opening doors and/or windows to ventilate the house. As you
burn hotter and hotter fires, more of the painted surfaces reach the curing temperature of the
paint. The smell of curing paint does not disappear until you have burned one or two very hot
fires.
Burn one or two small fires to begin the curing and conditioning process. Then build bigger and
hotter fires until there is no longer any paint smell from the fireplace. Once the paint smell
disappears, your fireplace is ready for serious heating.
4.3 LIGHTING FIRES
Each person who heats with wood develops their own favorite way to light fires. Whatever
method you choose, your goal should be to get a hot fire burning quickly. A fire that starts fast
produces less smoke and deposits less creosote in the chimney. Here are three popular and
effective ways to start wood fires.
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