Drafting
Your wood stove is dependent upon a properly functioning chimney for optimum performance. It is a high efficiency appliance that loses much less heat up the chimney than older appliances and fireplaces. For this reason it is important to match the stove to the chimney. The chimney has two functions: 1) It draws combustion air into the appliance (without air, no fuel will burn) and 2) It exhausts combustion by-products. Your new Country™ Collection stove is what is known as a “natural draft” appliance. The appliance depends solely on the natural draft of the chimney system to draw combustion air into the unit. Draft is the force that moves air from the appliance up into the chimney. The amount of draft in your chimney depends on the length of the chimney, local geography, nearby obstructions, and other factors. Too much draft may cause excessive temperatures in the appli- ance. Slow or inadequate draft equals poor combustion and possible smoking problems. The two main culprits of poor chimney draft are: 1) A chimney too large for your ap- pliance and 2) A chimney with not enough height to produce adequate draft for your particular stove model. Your Lennox Hearth Products dealer will be able to advise you on matching a proper system for your new stove. Inadequate draft will cause the appliance to leak smoke into the room through the stove and the chimney connector joints. An uncontrol- lable burn or a glowing red stove or chimney part indicates excessive draft. Also see Troubleshooting on page 16.
Negative Pressure Warning
This appliance is not designed to be operated in a negative pressure. Very airtight homes with large kitchen exhaust fans, or homes with furnace cold air returns located in close proximity to the wood stove or fireplace insert may create negative pressure in the same room as the heating appli- ance. This can create dangerous back drafting of the stove and chimney joints, drawing combustion by-products into the home. Be sure your home has adequate makeup air to eliminate negative pressures caused by the above-mentioned sources. Outside air connected to the appliance probably will not resolve such a problem as the stove or fireplace insert is not the source of negative pressure. Lennox Hearth Products accepts no liability for damages resulting from
negative pressures described above.
Creosote
Creosote---Formation and Need for Removal---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 accumu- lates on the flue lining. When ignited, this creosote makes an extremely hot fire. The chimney and chimney connector should be inspected at least once every two months during the heating season to determine if a creosote buildup has occurred. If creosote has accumulated, it should be removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
