C.Diagnostics and Problem Solving
1.If I can’t get a good fire going, what am I doing wrong?
Diagnostic Question |
| Possible Causes of Condition |
| Solutions |
Are the air controls open? | • | No draft | Open air controls | |
| • | No combustion air |
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Is there enough paper? | Insufficient heat to ignite kindling | Use more paper | ||
Is there enough kindling? | Insufficient heat to ignite fuel | Use drier kindling | ||
Is the kindling dry? |
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Is there enough or too much wood? | • Insufficient heat to establish draft | Use small split wood that is well sea- | ||
Is it too large? | • | Insufficient air passage | soned (split, covered on top minimum 6 | |
Is it dry enough? | • | Insufficient surface area | months, preferably a year) | |
| • Ignition temperature high due to |
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| moisture |
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Are there adequate air spaces | Insufficient combustion air and | Arrange kindling and wood for air move- | ||
between fuel pieces? | exposed surface area | ment | ||
Is the chimney | Exposed, cold chimney downdrafting | Use lighted rolled newspaper at flue | ||
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| opening to start upward air movement | |
Is there smoke in the house? | • | Obstruction in chimney | • Have chimney checked if it worked | |
| • Downdraft from chimney tem- |
| previously | |
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| perature or from negative house | • | |
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| pressure | • Shut off exhaust devices | |
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| • | Open window slightly |
Does the kindling wood not ignite? | Condition, amount, arrangement of | Use more, drier, | ||
| kindling and fuel | and fuel. | ||
Does the kindling ignite, but the fuel | • | Amount of kindling | • | Use more kindling |
doesn’t? | • | Condition of fuel | • Use smaller, dry wood | |
Does the fuel ignite, but not burn well? | • | Draft problem | • Use | |
| • | Condition of fuel |
| ficient amount |
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| • Turn exhaust fans off | |
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| • | Open window slightly |
2. I smell smoke in the house after we have had a fire. What is the cause/what can I do?
Diagnostic Question | Possible Causes of Condition | Solutions |
Is the chimney clean? | No: Creosote odor | Have chimney cleaned |
3. I smell smoke in the house during operation. What is causing it?
Diagnostic Question |
| Possible Causes of Condition |
| Solutions |
Do fires start and burn well? | No: | No: | ||
| • | Chimney obstruction | • Check & clean chimney if needed | |
| • Not enough kindling and/or fuel to | • Use adequate kindling & fuel | ||
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| establish draft | • | Open air controls |
| • | Inadequate combustion air | • | Open window |
| • Air controls not open | • Check for need for balanced air | ||
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| Yes: | • Check door rope for seal. | ||
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| Competition with exhaust devices | Yes: | |
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| • Do not use exhaust fans during | |
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| startup |
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| • Check for need for balanced air | |
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4/20/11 | Heatilator • Constitution EPA Fireplace • | Page 19 |