Valcourt FM0400 Installation And Operation Manual - page 13
Heater model installation and operation manual
Maintenance of your Wood-Heating System
Heater Maintenance
Your new stove will give many years of reliable service if you use and maintain it correctly. Some of the internal components of the
firebox, comme les briques de stéatite pourront avoir de légères fissures pouvant survenir mais n’affectent en rien le bon fonction-
nement de l’appareil. Si vous allumez chaque charge à chaud au début d’un cycle comme décrit ci-dessus, cela ne causera pas de
détérioration prématurée du foyer.
Cleaning Door Glass
Under normal conditions, glass doors shoud remain relatively clean. If your firewood is dry and you follow the directions in this
document, a dusty whitish deposit will appear on the inner surface of the glass after using the appliance for about a week. This is
normal, and the deposit can be easily removed when the heater is cold by wiping the glass with a damp cloth or paper towel, and
letting it dry. Never clean the glass when the stove is hot.
If you do get brown stains on the glass you can remove them with special cleaners for wood stove glass doors. Do not use abrasives
to clean your stove’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
stove. 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 stove retailer
to get the self-adhesive glass gasket and follow the instructions below for installation.
Replacing the Door Gasket
After a year or more of use, the door gasket will compress and become hard, which may allow air to leak past it. You can test the
condition of the door gasket by closing and latching the door on a strip of paper. Test all around the door. If the paper slips out
easily anywhere, it is time to replace the gasket.
Use the correct replacement gasket that you can purchase from your retailer. The diameter and density of the gasket is important
to getting a good seal.
Place the door face-down on something soft like a cushion of rags or piece of carpet. Remove the old gasket from the door by pull-
ing and prying it out with an old screw driver. Then use the screwdriver to scrape the old gasket adhesive from the door. Now run
a 1/4” (6 mm) bead of high temperature silicone in the door gasket groove. Starting from the middle of the hinge side, press the
gasket into the groove. Do not stretch the gasket as you place it. Leave the gasket about 1/2” long when you cut it and press the
end into the groove. Tuck any loose fibres under the gasket and into the silicone. Close the door and do not use the stove for 24
hours.
Replacing the Glass Gasket and/or the Glass
It is a good idea to replace the glass gasket when the door gasket is replaced. The gasket is flat, adhesive-backed, woven fibreglass.
Remove the glass retaining screws and clips. Lift out the glass and pull off the old gasket. This is a good time to clean the glass
thoroughly.
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