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© 2021 United States Stove Company
17
TROUBLESHOOTING
CHIMNEY CONNECTOR PIPE-
CORROSION INSPECTION
Chimney connector pipes do not last forever.
Corrosion is particularly a problem if the inside of
the pipe tends to get damp from condensation
of ue gases or from rain or snow getting into the
chimney. Just being on an ocean coast can also
accelerate chimney connector pipe corrosion.
Chimney connector pipe replacement may be
necessary more than once a season, but once every
few years is more typical. Every time the chimney
and chimney connector are checked for creosote
buildup, the strength and integrity of the chimney
connector pipes should also be checked.
Problems can arise during the operation of any coal
heater. These problems can usually be traced to such
things as the venting system, draft, aged or failed
parts, fuel, and operator error. The troubleshooting
suggestions contained in this section of the
manual apply to the operation of all coal heaters.
Experience has shown that correct installation and
good operating practices-including routine heater
and venting system maintenance, along with a
good sound chimney, will eliminate most of the
problems mentioned by this section of the manual.
Nonetheless, coal heater operators should make
themselves aware of the nature, cause and solution
to possible problems so as to help themselves
obtain the best possible service from this heater.
VENTING SYSTEM-KEY TO GOOD
HEATER PERFORMANCE
A majority of performance problems with coal
burning heaters can be traced to some factor in
the venting system that is adversely affecting the
heater. Air will ow into the heater and smoke
will ow up the chimney only if there is sufcient
difference between the air pressure in the room
where the heater is located and the air pressure
inside the chimney. As hot gases and smoke ow up
a chimney, the pressure in the chimney is lowered,
creating a difference in pressure inside and outside
the chimney. When this pressure difference, often
referred to as “draft pressure” or simply as “draft”, is
sufcient, air will be drawn into the heater through
its thermostatically controlled inlet air damper.
This air supplies the oxygen necessary for the coal
to burn. If the draft is not sufcient, insufcient
oxygen will reach the burning fuel and it will burn
poorly. This condition can also cause smoke and
dangerous gases to spill or backpuff from the
heater into the room. Backpufng occurs when the
air ow through the heater is insufcient to burn all
the gases being released by the coal causing them
to build up until they ignite as a minor explosion.
This causes smoke to puff out of every opening in
the heater and venting system. Too much draft
may cause excessive temperature in the heater. An
uncontrollable burn or a glowing red heater part
or chimney connector is an indication of excessive
draft. The amount of draft in the chimney depends
on the length of the chimney, local geography,
nearby obstructions (even a tree that has grown tall
can affect the draft of a chimney that was previously
trouble-free), and other factors. The common unit
used to measure draft is “INCHES IF WATER”. To
determine the draft of your chimney, a draft pressure
reading should be taken with a DRAFT METER or a
WATER MANOMETER. This requires someone with
proper equipment and knowledge of how to use it.
Your heater dealer should be able to preform this
task for you or recommend someone who can. For
this heater, installations with a draft of .02 inches of
water or less are considered marginal and will not
burn reliably as noted above. For this heater, it is not
recommended that the draft exceed .06 inches of
water or over ring can occur as noted above. The
recommended operating range for this heater is .03
to .06 inches of water.
IF THE HEATER SMOKES OR BURNS
POORLY OR EXCESSIVE CREOSOTE
ACCUMULATES IN THE CHIMNEY
1. Open a window slightly to see if the conditions
improve. If opening a window improved the
performance of the heater or stops the spillage
of smoke into the room, the problem is caused
by a slight vacuum in the room. The vacuum
can be the result of the room being so tightly
constructed that the air removed from the
room by the heater is not replaced by normal
inltration of air from outside the room.
MAINTENANCE
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