Table of Contents
Advertisement
5 Maintaining Your Wood Heating System
5.1 Insert Maintenance
Your new insert will give many years of reliable service if you use and maintain it correctly. Some
of the internal components of the firebox, such as firebricks, baffles and air tubes, will wear over
time under intense heat. You should always replace broken or defective parts with original parts
(see Appendix 7: Exploded Diagram and Parts List). Firing each load hot to begin a cycle as
described above will not cause premature deterioration of the insert. However, letting the insert run
with the air control fully open for the entire burn cycles can cause damage over time. The hotter
you run the insert throughout burn cycles, the more quickly its components will deteriorate. For that
reason, never leave the insert unattended while a new load is being fired hot.
5.1.1 Cleaning Door Glass
Under normal conditions, your door glass should stay relatively clear. If your firewood is dry
enough and you follow the operating instructions in this manual, a whitish, dusty deposit will form
on the inside of the glass after a week or so of use. This is normal and can be easily removed
when the insert is cool by wiping with a damp cloth or paper towel and then drying. Never try to
clean the glass when the insert is hot.
In spring and fall when the insert is run at lower temperatures, you may see some light brown
stains forming, especially at the lower corners of the glass. This indicates that the fire has been
smoky and some of the smoke has condensed on the glass. When the weather is mild, you may
find that letting the fire go out is better than trying to maintain a continuous fire. Use the technique
described above for building a fire to take the chill off the house.
If you do get brown stains on the glass you can remove them with special cleaners for wood heater
glass doors. Do not use abrasives to clean your insert's door glass.
The deposits that form on the glass are the best indication of the quality of your fuel and how well
you are doing in operating the insert. Your goal should be clear glass with no brown stains. If you
continue to see brown stains on the glass, something about your fuel and operating procedure
needs to be changed. Stains on the glass indicate incomplete combustion of the wood, which also
means more smoke emissions and faster formation of creosote in the chimney.
If you see brown streaks coming from the edge of the glass, it is time to replace the gasket around
the glass. Visit your insert retailer to get the self-adhesive glass gasket and follow the instructions
below for installation.
Do not abuse the glass door by striking or slamming shut. Do not use the insert if the glass
is broken.
Destination 1.5 Insert Installation and Operation Manual
22
Advertisement
Table of Contents
