Les Foyers Don-Bar 9000 Installation, Operation And Maintenance Manual page 24

PART 2: OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
1. Precautions before lighting
your first fire
1.1 Adequate air supply: A wood fire requires
plenty of air. Always be sure there is enough air
supply to maintain the combustion. The fireplace
can be installed with its own outside air intake.
But if the room is under negative pressure, if the
house is too airtight or if a ventilating device is in
operation, the fireplace outside air intake could be
insufficent and it may be necessary to open a door
or window to compensate
1.2 Preventing smoke returns: Your fireplace
is designed to operate without smoke returns
during normal operating conditions and when
installed according to the instructions outlined in
the manual. However, some conditions out of our
control can create smoke returns. Don-Bar
Fireplaces cannot guarantee the absence of smoke
returns, but if this phenomenon occurs special
attention should be given to the following
situations: mechanical ventilators in operation
(kitchen hood, dryer, air heating system, air
exchanger) drafts, room or house negative
pressure, inadequate chimney height, exterior
structures harmful to the chimney draft or capable
of causing smoke returns, an indoor moisture
level that is too high and causes ice build-up in
the flue and reduces the chimney draft, too many
elbows in the chimney, crushed outside air intake
duct, strong winds, etc.
2. Firewood
2.1 Allowed fuels: Your fireplace is designed to
burn wood and charcoal only. To start a fire, use
only newspaper and small pieces of firewood.
2.2 Forbidden fuels:
pressure-treated or painted wood, wood particle
boards and other composite materials. These
REV. 2014-10
.
Anthracite, melamine,
materials reach very high temperatures and
release corrosive gases, which may irreparably
damage your installation and void the warranty.
Recommended wood species: For an
2.3
efficient and economical operation, use only
dry hardwood, such as maple, oak, wild cherry,
birch, etc. The use of dry hardwood reduces
creosote formation.
coniferous, and green woods. These produce a
lot of creosote.
2.4 Green wood: If your firewood is too
green, place it in a well ventilated space,
sheltered from rain, as long as necessary to
allow it to dry.
it is cracked at the ends and much lighter
because it contains less water.
3. The fire
3.1 Opening the outside air intake control
valve: Before lighting a fire, open the air
intake control valve by pulling the steel rod
located on the pedestal under the fireplace
table.
3.2 Opening the hood flue damper: Before
starting a fire, completely open the hood flue
damper.
3.3 How to start a fire: To light a good fire,
begin by placing 4 or 5 newspaper balls on the
steel grate. Next, place 5 to 8 small pieces of
dry firewood over the newpaper. Then, add 2
or 3 small-sized logs. Light the newspaper in 4
or 5 spots. When the small firewood begin to
burn, add 1 or 2 medium-sized logs.
3.4 Firescreen is mandatory: In order to
prevent dangerous spark discharges and falling
embers, always use a firescreen when a fire is
going. Embers and ignited logs should never
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Avoid softwoods,
Dry wood is easy to identify: