R6 Instruction Handbook

30
vigorous flame, it is then hard to control the
flame and extend the life of the logs because
there are simply not enough calories of heat
left within the remaining fuel to extend the
burn cycle as well as deliver sufficient heat.
Check the air control is used correctly
Ensure that you fully understand how to
correctly use the air control. See the section
on operating your stove (pages 22 to 25).
A stove with the air control turned down too
soon in the burn cycle will cause the wood
to smoke and smoulder so that it will provide
limited heat output. Ensure that flames cover
all of the wood and that all of the wood
surfaces are ash grey before you begin to
turn the stove down. Never allow the fuel to
smoke as this indicates poor and incomplete
combustion as well as it delivering an
inefficient and ineffective heat supply.
Consider the combustion air supply
Check that any permanent air vent fitted to
specifically supply the combustion air required
for the stove (including any external air inlet)
has not been accidentally blocked and that
this is consequently starving the stove of a
sufficient supply of combustion air.
A simple way of confirming whether or not
the stove is receiving enough combustion air
is to open a window in the same room as the
stove. If this improves the problem then this
would certainly indicate that the stove does
not have an adequate air supply and therefore
the advice of the original installer should be
immediately sought.
Check for blockages in the flueway
When safe to do so, examine the flueway
above the baffle plate as well as the flue pipe
and chimney system via the appropriate
inspection hatches and clear any soot
blockages. Excessive deposits could also
indicate that the complete chimney or flue
itself also needs cleaning. If this soot produces
an acrid odour then this indicates the use of
unseasoned or wet wood (see page 32).
6 Glass staining or blackening
Please note that it can be perfectly normal to
see some small sooty deposits along the base
of the glass after the fire has died down,
simply because the airwash system is no
longer hot enough to work. This should be
very easy to wipe off the next time you use
the stove. However, if this staining is brown
or sticky and difficult to remove without the
aid of stove glass cleaner, then this could
indicate the use of unseasoned or wet wood.
Glass can be cleaned easily if it is undertaken
regularly and if the deposits are not allowed
to build up. A proprietary stove glass spray or
gel is strongly recommended.
Check the airwash is used correctly
Ensure that you fully understand how the
Airwash system works – the lower you turn
down the stove then the less effective the
airwash becomes as this relies on the
pre-heated air being as hot as possible to
keep the glass clean. As you begin to use your
stove you will be able to determine, through
some trial and error, the minimum air setting
to ensure that the glass always stays clean.
Never turn the stove down until all of the logs
are fully alight and their surfaces are a light
ash grey colour. Turning down the stove too
soon will create sooty smoke and a cooler air-
wash both of which will promote smoky glass.
Never use unseasoned or wet wood
Burning damp or unseasoned wood will cause
the glass to stain as the moisture from the
fuel considerably reduces the firechamber
temperature in turn reducing the effectiveness
of the Airwash system. Burning ’green’
wood will also encourage sticky deposits on
the glass which will prove difficult for the
impaired airwash system to remove.