
18
Normal use
CHECKING THE GRATE AND ASH BOX
Before lighting the fire, clear away any surplus ashes and larger
coals from the bottom of the firebox into the ash box with a soft
brush or poker, for example. The ash box is located in the space
underneath the grate and can be accessed by lifting the grate.
Empty the ash box when needed, and at the latest when it is half full
(image 1). Otherwise the ashes may come too close to the grate and
damage it or prevent sufficient combustion air from accessing the
firebox. Also clean the grate regularly to prevent its air vents from
getting blocked. This cleaning is easiest to do using a brush. When
cleaning the grate and the firebox, set the air control lever to the
“closed” position (image A) and open the flue damper (if installed*).
You can remove the ash box only when the fireplace is cold and
is not in use. For safety reasons, handle the ashes only when they
have cooled down and make sure they do not contain any glowing
embers that could cause a fire in the waste bin. Store the ashes in
closed, non-combustible containers. Clean wood ash can be used as
a fertilizer for garden plants.
During heating, always keep the ash box in place and the fireplace
door closed.
ENSURING SUFFICIENT COMBUSTION AIR
Check that the flue damper (if installed*) is open and that the air
control lever is in the “completely open” position (images 2 and B)
5 to 10 minutes before lighting the fire. Also switch off the kitchen
range/cooker hood and the mechanical ventilation system before
lighting the fire. If the ventilation system offers the option of using a
so-called fireplace switch or an overpressure function, these options
are always recommended. When the fireplace is in use, it is essential
to ensure a sufficient supply of combustion air. This is particularly
important in modern airtight buildings and when another heater
is in use simultaneously. The required amount of combustion air is
approximately 8–15m3per kg of firewood.
ENSURING ADEQUATE FLUE DRAFT
If the fireplace has not been used for some time, check that the
flue draft is adequate. Scrunch a piece of paper lightly into a ball,
place it on the grate, light it and close the fireplace door (image 3).
If the flames are bright and vertical, the flue draft is sufficient. If
the draft is insufficient, use a hair dryer, for example, to blow warm
air into the upper part of the firebox or into the flue via its clean-
out/sweeping hatch. Be especially careful when using the fireplace
seasonally or in poor draft or weather conditions. When the fireplace
has not been used for a long time, always check the flue and the
firebox for potential blockages before taking any other measures.
AMOUNT OF FIREWOOD
The firewood consumption (kg/h) of different models is presented
in the technical table on page 3. The fireplace should be heated
using the amount of wood per hour defined in the table, because
long-lasting excessive firing can permanently damage the fireplace
structures.
LIGHTING THE FIRE
To light the fire, chop a few pieces of firewood into thin sticks,
approximately 1–2 cm thick. Then place the ignition load lengthwise
and crosswise on the grate in alternate layers to encourage air flow
(image 4). Place a firestarter block underneath it. Make sure that the
air control lever is still in the “completely open” position (image B).
Light the fire and close the fireplace door. Note that using flammable
liquid (oil, petrol/gasoline etc.) for lighting the fire is forbidden!
Let the kindling wood burn freely, keeping the air control lever in
the “completely open” position (image 5). When the ignition load
is properly lit and the draft is strong enough, you may add larger
pieces of wood to the firebox in accordance with the firewood
consumption (kg/h) defined in the technical table. When adding
more wood, always make sure to open the door very slowly. In this
way you can prevent smoke and ashes from entering the room. Let
the wood gently build up into a fire, keeping the air control lever
still in the “completely open” position (image 6). When the load
is burning properly, reduce the amount of combustion air by using
the air control lever (image 7) to reach the combustion rate (kg/h)
defined for your fireplace in the technical table.
The intensity of combustion can be adjusted using the air control
lever. Too strong a combustion, which is associated with a strong
draft, as well as a larger amount of firewood than instructed, may
cause overheating and damage both the fireplace and the flue.
Combustion that is too weak, on the other hand, may result in
collection of soot on the door glass or smoke entering the room
when opening the door and adding more wood.
The fireplace door must normally be kept closed when the
fireplace is in use. Exceptions to this are the first firing, lighting the
fire, adding wood and stoking the embers at the end of combustion,
as described in these instructions.
The fireplace and its parts will be hot during heating and even
after it. Due to the risk of burns, touch only the handle and the air
control lever using a heat-resistant glove.
Be careful when using the soapstone quick heater. Do not
leave the fireplace unattended: its operation must be monitored
throughout the heating process. When the metallic inner body of
the fireplace warms up or cools down, it produces certain sounds
which are associated with normal thermal expansion.
ADDING FIREWOOD
Firewood may be added when the previous load has burnt down to
embers and the last flames have disappeared. To prevent smoke
and ash from entering the room when adding more wood, move
the air control lever to the “completely open” position (image B)
approximately 5 to 10 seconds before opening the fireplace door.
Then open the door slightly and wait a few seconds for the flue to
suck the smoke up (image 8), and only then fully open the door.
When opening the door, be especially careful not to let hot embers
fall out of the firebox. Close the door after adding the wood. When
adding more wood, it is also a good idea to momentarily activate the
overpressure function of the ventilation system, if possible.
Keep the air control lever in the “completely open” position until
the additional load has properly ignited and it is burning with bright
flames (image 9). Then reduce the amount of combustion air by
returning the air control lever to its original position.
Continue heating according to your needs, again following the
instructions in the section “Adding firewood”. Remember that the
amount of wood added should always correspond to the actual
hourly consumption rate of the fireplace (see the technical table/
firewood consumption).
Do not overheat your fireplace. Note that the soapstone quick
heater has not been designed to provide continuous heating but
rather to provide heating for limited periods of time, mainly because
the ash box must be emptied once the ashes have completely cooled
down.
END OF FIRING
When the last firewood load has burnt down to embers,
move the air control lever to the “completely open” position
(images 10 and B). Then use a suitable tool to move the embers
from the edges of the firebox onto the grate. Stoke the embers a
couple of times until they have completely burnt out. Then move
the air control lever to the “closed” position and close the flue
damper (if installed*, images A and 11). If the combustion air is
conducted directly from outdoors to the fireplace, it is important
to always keep the air control lever closed between firings to avoid
the fireplace cooling down unnecessarily.
Do not close the flue damper (if installed*) and move the air
control lever to the “closed” position too soon, because this may
result in the formation of dangerous carbon monoxide. N.B. Carbon
monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, colorless and toxic gas, so be
sure to take special care!