2009 House with Fireplace Insert - What do these levers do?

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trrueda08

New Member
Dec 28, 2023
1
Iss1AU2ng!
I have read several threads about new homeowners inheriting a wood stove and not knowing how it works so I am hoping the great folks here can help me as well.
Our house was built in 2009 and it has a beautiful fireplace with an insert. We didn't do too many fires last winter (maybe 1) but this year are wanting to use it more.
The issue is, it has (3) levers under the doors - in addition to a knob in the lower right. We have no idea which way these should go or what they do. At this point we're trying to figure out how to get a nice hot fire going, close the doors and let the wood burn for as long at it can. Problem? We can't figure out how to adjust anything! :-)

Here are some pictures of the insert and the levers. Any guidance would be fantastic!
Thank you,
Teresa

[Hearth.com] 2009 House with Fireplace Insert - What do these levers do? [Hearth.com] 2009 House with Fireplace Insert - What do these levers do? [Hearth.com] 2009 House with Fireplace Insert - What do these levers do?
 
First step- get it inspected by a reputable chimney sweep
2nd step - try to find the manual for the stove online. One of the levers likely control air flow to the stove.
 
I suspect this may be a Zero Clearance fireplace. The small lever on the bottom right is to control the outside air. It should be open when the fireplace is burning.
 
Looks like a Quadra-fire 7100. Look the manual up online.
 
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Reactions: begreen
Bingo, good call.
 
I remember pulling all the chimney off of one a few years back. The installer reduced it down to 6” and it wouldn’t draft. Well over 20’ of pipe!
 
Ouch on both accounts.
 
That is a Quadrafire 7100. The bottom right corner control is the outside air control. To open it, turn it clockwise and to close it, counter clockwise. You will want it closed when the fireplace is not in use or you will get a bunch of cold air coming into the living space. The two controls in the center of the fireplace below the door handles are the air control(on the left) and acc start up air control (on the right). When you start a fire, you push the air control and acc control all the way to the right. The acc control is on a timer and will gradually move to the left, which will also push the air control to the left. When it times out, the air control will be left in the high burn position and in theory the fire should be established at this point and you can start moving the air control to the left to lower the burn rate. Moving the air control all the way to the left will give you the lowest burn rate and most extended burn times. As for the very bottom lever in the center of the fireplace. The 7100 has the ability to use two remote heat ducts off the top of the unit that you can plumb into other rooms to provide heat. If I recall correctly, thats all that lever does is shuts off and opens the remote ducts.