Vermont Casting 2463 manual Cleaning the Chimney System, Inspect Regularly, Clean As Required

Cleaning the Chimney System

The chimney system is composed of the chimney and the pipe that connects the stove to the chimney. Inspect the chimney and chimney connector at least twice monthly, and clean if necessary.

When you first begin using the stove, check daily for creosote — a substance that can look like either thick tar or black, crisp flakes. Experience will show how often you need to clean to be safe. The frequency may even vary during the year. In the colder months when the hottest fires producing the least creosote are burned, you may need to clean only every couple of months. During the warmer months when creosote is more likely to result from cooler-burning fires, weekly cleaning may be necessary.

At the very least, inspect the chimney connector and chimney at least once every two months during the heating season to determine if a buildup of creosote or soot has occurred. If a significant layer of creosote has accumulated (1/8” [3 mm] or more), or if soot has accumulated, either should be removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire. Failure to keep the chimney and connector system clean can result in a serious chimney fire.

The conditions for a chimney fire develop as follows: When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other organic vapors which combine with expelled moisture to form creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the relatively cool chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the flue lining. Creosote is flammable and, when ignited, makes an extremely hot fire within the flue system which can damage the chimney and overheat adjacent combus- tible material.

To reduce the amount of creosote that may form, re- member to provide adequate air for combustion and to strive for small, intense fires rather than large, smolder- ing ones.

You can never be too safe. Contact your local fire authority for information on what to do in the event of a chimney fire, and have a clearly understood plan on

how to handle one.

Inspect Regularly, Clean As Required

Inspect the chimney and chimney connector twice monthly and clean if necessary. Let the stove cool completely before you inspect the chimney. Use a flash- light and mirror to sight up the flue through the chimney clean-out door or chimney connector inspection tee. If no inspection access is available, disconnect the pipe from the stove.

Dutchwest

Clean the chimney using a specially designed chimney cleaning brush, the same size and shape as the flue liner, attached to flexible fiberglass rods designed for this purpose. Run the brush up and down the liner so that any deposits fall to the bottom of the chimney where they can be removed through the clean-out door.

Clean the chimney connector by disconnecting the sec- tions, taking them outside, and removing any deposits with a stiff wire brush. You can use a chimney brush of correct size to clean chimney connector pipe. Reinstall the connector sections after cleaning, being sure to secure the individual sections with three sheet metal screws per section.

If you are unable to inspect and/or clean the chimney system yourself, contact your local Dutchwest dealer or hire a qualified chimney sweep in your area to do the

job.

Maintenance Schedule

THE STOVE:

DAILY:

•Ashes should be removed before they reach the top of the ash pan. Check accumulation at least once a day.

•Keep the area around the stove clear of any combus- tible materials such as wood, furniture or clothing.

TWO MONTHS:

•Check door handle to be sure it is working properly. Gasketing becomes compressed after a period of time. Adjust handle tightness if necessary.

•Check leg bolts and heat shield screws; tighten if necessary.

Annual Spring Cleaning

•Check gasketing for wear, and replace if necessary.

•Remove ashes from the ash pan and replace with a moisture absorbing material (such as kitty litter) to keep the interior of the stove dry.

•Inspect and clean the refractory package and cata- lyst.

•Clean the dust from the inner sides of bottom, rear or pipe heat shields if your stove is equipped with them. Clean surfaces are better heat reflectors than dirty surfaces.

•Touch up the black paint.

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