Quadra-Fire 7100FP Owner's Manual - page 17
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Troubleshooting
Thisfireplacewilloperatecorrectlyonlyifadequateventila-
tionisprovidedtoallowproperdrafttothefireplacesystem.
Hearth&HomeTechnologiesassumesnoresponsibilityfor
the improper performance of the fireplace system caused
byinadequatedraftduetoenvironmentalconditions,down
drafts,tightsealingconstructionofthestructure,ormechan-
icalexhaustingdeviceswhichwillcreateanegativeairpres-
surewithinthestructurewherethefireplaceislocated.
Ifsmokespillageoccursfromafireplaceopeningwhenthe
doorisopenandtheproperchimneyheight,fluesize,and
configuration requirements for the installation have been
met,thereiseitheraleakageintheflue,ablockageinthe
flue,orsomeconditionisineffecttodrawsmokefromthe
fireplaceintothehouse.Understandinganddifferentiating
theconditionswhichcancauseeachofthesekindsofspill-
ageproblemsisessentialtotheirsolution.
• FlueLeakage
Checkforimproperlyconnectedfluejointsoradamaged
flue joint in the chimney system. Such leakage would
reducedraft(airwouldbedrawninthroughtheleaksrather
thanthroughthefireplace).Theresultmightbedifficult
start-upandsmokyfiresthatmightspillifotheradverse
draftconditionsaccompanythisproblem.
• FlueBlockage
Thedampershouldbeopen.
oryoufinditdifficulttoestablishandmaintainamoderately
highburnrate,thenthefluedraftistoolowandcorrective
measuresmustbetaken.
Besureyouhaveairavailableforcombustionandthatyour
firewoodisdryandwellseasoned.Buildyourfiresproperly
andaccordingtotheinstructionsgiveninoperatinginstruc-
tions,“StartingaFire”.Besureyourfluesystemisinstalled
correctlyandthatitistheproperdiameterandheight.Check
forthefollowing:
• Allchimneysectionsareproperlyinstalled.
Thisfireplacewilloperatecorrectlyonlyifadequateventila-
tionisprovidedtoallowproperdrafttothefireplacesystem.
Hearth&HomeTechnologiesassumesnoresponsibilityfor
theimproperperformanceofthefireplacesystemcausedby
inadequatedraftduetoenvironmentalconditions,windycon-
ditions,downdrafts,tightsealingconstructionofthestructure,
ormechanicalexhaustingdeviceswhichwillcreateanegative
airpressurewithinthestructurewherethefireplaceislocated.
Fluedraftismeasuredasnegativepressureinthechimney.
The amount of negative pressure determines how strong
thedraftis.Thedraftisimportantbecauseitdrawsthecom-
bustionairintothefireplaceandpullsthesmokeoutofthe
chimney.
Therearethreebasiccriteriaessentialinestablishing
andmaintainingfluedraft:
• Availabilityofcombustionair.
• Heatgeneratedfromthefire.
• Diameterandheightofthefluesystem.
Thesethreefactorsworktogetherasasystemtocreate
thefluedraft.Increasingordecreasinganyoneofthemwill
affecttheothertwoandthuschangetheamountofdraftin
theentiresystem.
Ifthefireishardtostartandsmokespillsoutofthefireplace,
• Thechimneyiscleanandfreeofcreosoteorsoot
buildup.
• Makesureoverhangingtreesandbranchesarecut
backwithintenfeetofthetopofthechimneyandis
freeofdebrisfromanimals.
• Ensure the chimney cap is clean and free of any
buildupofsootorcreosote.ifcapisequippedwitha
sparkarrestorscreen.
• Besuretheceramicblanket(abovethebaffle)and
thebaffleareintheirproperpositions
• Thewoodbeingusedindryandwellseasoned.
Ifyoustillsuspectyouhavealowdraftproblemitmaybe
necessarytoincreasethevolumeofairinyourfluesystem.
Sincethediameterofyourfluesystemismatchedwiththe
sizeofthefluecollarandshouldnotbechanged,thenthe
heightofthesystemmustbeincreased.Addchimneysections
alittleatatimeuntilthedraftimproves.
Insomecases,regardlessofwhatyoudo,itcanstillbedif-
ficulttoestablishtheproperfluedraft.Thisisespeciallyevi-
dentwhenusinganexteriorfactory-builtchimneyorexterior
masonry chimney.Try placing several sheets of crumpled
paperontopofyourkindlingasclosetotheflueoutletof
thefireplaceaspossible.Lightthispaperfirstthenthepaper
under the kindling. The heat generated from the rapidly
burningpaperontopofthekindlingshouldhelpgetthedraft
established.
Stillotherfactorscanaffecthowwellyourfluesystemper-
forms. Neighboring structures, high winds, tall trees, even
hillsides can affect air currents around the chimney. Well
designedchimneycapsareavailablethatcanhelp.Yourfire-
placedealeristhelocalexpertinyourarea.Hecanusually
makesuggestionsordiscoverproblemsthatcanbeeasily
corrected allowing your fireplace to operate correctly as it
hasbeendesigned,providingsafeandeconomicalheatfor
yourhome.
B. Draft Problems
A. Understanding Vent Problems