Moved into a home with a Jotul Combifire

[paradoxdl]

Warm greetings all --

New homeowner here, moved into a house where the previous owner has left a Jotul Combifire #4. No instruction manual or any kind of documentation. According to the owner's disclosure and the home inspector, the stove is installed properly and in fine working condition.

Now, I have very little experience with fireplaces and stoves. The jotul website isn't helpful as far as obtaining that model's instruction manual. I don't want to ask vague questions (like "how do I work this thing?") and waste anyone's time here. So, rather, let me just ask these questions:

-Should I look harder for this model's instruction manual before using it, or should I simply adhere to the basic rules of running a wood-burning stove?

-I can have the stove inspected and "cleaned" by a professional once a year, but what other types of maintenance should I regularly run?

-Any recommended sources/websites I can refer to that will help answer both questions above?

Your time and patience is appreciated. I hope you can help!

Thanks all -
Dave

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Dave, i dont think you will find a manual online. Every stove operation is different, but one thing they all have in common is the need for pratice by the new owner. Start off by keeping all the air controls open, and build a small hot kindling fire. Slowly add splits, and see how it works! you will learn pretty fast what works and what doesnt. Regular maintenance would be ash removal. You can search the forums here for that subject. You can refer to the newbe woodburning thread going on right now for some basic suggestions and tips.

 

[wg_bent]

A basic chimney cleaning and inspection would seem in order given the age of that stove. If the stove and chimney are in good order, then toss wood in it and light it. <caveman voice on> MMMMmmmmm....Uhhhggg fire...

Be careful not to over fire, but keep it running hot enough to burn efficiently would be my only suggestions.

It won't be as efficient as a modern stove, but should put out a good amount of heat.

 

[elkimmeg]

When in doubt get professional service get the stove cleaned and the flue ans ask the pro questions about its condition here is an interesting thread you should read a stove top thermo is a great learning tool to effecient safe opperations

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/2987/

 

[paradoxdl]

Thank you all for your input and suggestions. Looks like I have a good wealth of resources here!

Stay warm,
Dave

 

[Jags]

If it does not already have them, make sure you get a flue thermometer AND a stove thermometer. Oh and almost forgot...AND USE THEM. This is very important as a newby running a stove. At a glance you can tell if the stove is in the proper temp range for proper wood combustion WITHOUT being in the danger zone. Even after years of running a wood stove, I still rely on those tools to keep me honest. With out them I cannot distinguish 450 deg vs. 700 degree stack temps by just looking at the fire. Just MTC. You can ask many here or at your local stove shop for the proper temps for your stove and flue.

 

[paradoxdl]

Thanks for the tip. The previous owner did install a thermometer right on the flue, but i don't see one on the stove itself. I'm having a chimney specialist "sweep and scan" the stove in the coming weeks, and will ask if the stove thermometer is necessary, and what the maximum temp should be for this type of stove.

All good tips above, guys, so thanks for the heads up.

 

[jpl1nh]

Hey Dave, Just read your post on the Jotul Combifire 4. I've been running one in my 1200 sq ft home here in NH for three years now. It heats so well with so little problem, I'm almost hesitant to upgrade. You should have a winter of experience with it under your belt, but here's what I've found works for me. It's got both a damper at the stovepipe opening and an air intake damper on the front door. I leave both open until I get the stack temp up to around 450, then I shut down the pipe damper and as much as possible leave the door air intake open or as open as I can any time I burn. In general, I control heat output with my load size, and the wood quality. Mid winter cold has me using mostly the good hardwoods, Spring and fall I'm using small stuff 1-3" diam, and poplar and hemlock in normal sizes. I find this way I can easily burn smoke free with a brief smoke period when I start a fire, or when I add wood, epecially with really good hardwoods like red oak, maple, black birch etc. I just found out that the door, when opened all the way, slides completely under the stove so you can install the screen, (which hopefully you have) for open fire viewing. How cool is that? One note though, it will crank tremendous heat with the door open, and for me, its hard to damp the stovepipe down too much without smoke starting to leak into the house.. I haven't played with the open door too much, but suspect burning just a couple of big rounds or comparable might tame the rapid burn with the open door.
Cold nights, I try to burn down to a bed of coals about 45 mins before bed, then I rake most of the coals towards the front, and lay in a med log in back, a large log tight against it in front, and another good log on top in back, all put in widthwise as snug together as possible. I let i burn wide open until i get a stck temp of 450, then I close the stack damper, and then start to close down the front damper 2 to 3 times until I leave only about 1/2" opening. The wood burns from the bottom front towards the back. The large log in front helps to keep the top log in back from rolling foward and blocking the air intake overnight if I choose well. While I know I'm smoking some overnite, it gets me trhough till about 8 hours later with enough colas to start it right up in the morn. I always burn it hot, up to 550 stack temp, for about 20 mins in the morning, then adjust as needed from there. Hope this helps. Good luck, and I'd love to here what your experience is!

 

[jpl1nh]

Hey Again Dave, one more thing i found is that when my house is warm enough and I don't want to add more wood for I while, once the wood is mostly coals, I can close down the door air intake to ust a quarter or half inch opening and hold the coals much longer that way.. Also, I check whether the stove is smoking or not by going outside and checking the chimney in different situations. I like to see just heat waves! If i've got smoke and its not start up or reload, I'll open the door air intake more to get more oxygen in, if that doesn't do it then I'll reopen the stovepipe damper, cause genreally I'll be down below 450 stack temp with too much of the wood still unburned or uncharred. Burn on!!