The EPA 2020 certification of an appliance can be checked in three places:

On the certification plate
Locate towards the bottom of the plate, just above the safety notices, the section that indicates ''U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. Certified to comply with 2020 particulate emission standards with cordwood''.

In the manual
In the installation and user manual, go to the performances table in the “General information” section and locate the line “Average particulate emission rate” – it will show EPA if the appliance is EPA certified.

On the website
Go to the product page in which you are interested. In the ''Specifications'' section, locate the lines ''High-efficiency certified appliance'' and ''US Standard (emissions)'' - these will respectively show ''Yes, EPA 2020 Approved'' and ''EPA'' if the appliance is EPA certified.

In the event of a discrepancy between the information displayed on the plate and the other references, the values on the certification plate always have priority.

Appliances that are EPA or CSAB415.1 certified tend to create larger coal beds due to their higher efficiency. This can be controlled by the way you burn your appliance. After an overnight burn, you may have a more significant coal bed. Simply rake the coal bed forward and add a smaller piece of wood on top. Burn the appliance on a higher setting (air control fully open). This will pull more primary air into the firebox and will increase draft. The coal bed will burn down with the log. You may have to repeat this operation a couple of times before the coals are reduced. You are then ready to load your appliance with a larger fuel load.

Possible causes and solutions:

1. The moisture content of your wood is too high.
Solution: Make sure you use good, seasoned cord wood. The wood you burn plays an important role in the overall performance of your heater. Your wood should have been properly dried for approximately one year. Storage is also key. Wood that has been cut for one, two or even more years will not necessarily be dry if it has been stored in poor conditions. Under extreme conditions, it may have rotten instead of drying. Smaller pieces of wood will dry faster. The wood should be stored in a place where the grass is not too long, and where the wind will be able to circulate between the logs. A 12-inch gap should be kept between the cords. The wood should be placed in the sunniest area and should be protected from the rain and snow on top, but not on the sides. Use a moisture reader to measure the moisture content of your wood. Ideally, it should be below 25%.

2. The air control mechanism is not open enough.
Solution: Adjust the air control mechanism in order to keep the flue temperature within the comfort zone (between 250 °F and 475 °F) on your chimney thermometer. The air control mechanism must always be closed gradually. You need to obtain a good bed of red embers and the logs must be completely lit up before you close the air control completely. This can easily take up to one hour.

3. The logs that you are using are too big.
Solution: Use smaller pieces of wood and place them to allow proper air circulation between the logs. The same weight of wood cut in many small pieces will produce more heat than fewer, larger logs. Only add big logs when you have a good bed of red embers. Logs with a diameter exceeding 6 inches should always be split. Avoid stacking logs to the top of the firebox.

4. The chimney draft is too weak.
Solution #1: In many cases, a weak draft is simply due to insufficient heat in the exhaust system. Build a small, intense fire, and leave the door ajar (never leave the heater unattended). Before inserting larger logs, use dry kindling to obtain a good bed of red embers. Gradually increase the size of the logs. Close the unit’s door when you reach a flue temperature of approximately 475 °F on the chimney thermometer. Leave the air intake fully open for approximately 15 minutes. Then, gradually close the air intake control. Note that there is no danger in letting the temperature inside the flue reach approximately 700 °F during the start-up. This is even favorable in order to properly start your heater. You must, however, avoid maintaining excessive temperatures (above the comfort zone on your thermometer) during a long period of time. Your chimney thermometer should be positioned on the exhaust pipe, approximately 18 inches above the unit.

Solution #2: Your heater may not have all the oxygen it needs to allow for a sufficient draft. You first need to ensure that the room where the heater is located is sufficiently large and well ventilated. Open the nearest window by approximately 2 inches. If you notice a significant improvement, it is a sign that the unit needs more oxygen. The room may be too insulated or too small. Without an additional source of oxygen, the draft will remain weak and cause the glass stay dirty.

Solution #3: The chimney may be too short. In order to obtain a sufficient draft, your chimney must have a minimum height. Twelve feet (from the heater to the chimney cap outside the house) is a minimum. A height of 15 feet or higher is ideal.

Solution #4: Your exhaust system may be too tortuous or may lack a sufficiently steep slope. Ideally, your exhaust system should not have more than one 90° elbow. Furthermore, all horizontal sections should be as short as possible and have a minimum slope of 1/4" per foot.

Solution #5: Your exhaust system may be oversized. When your chimney is oversized, the volume of air that needs to be warmed-up is larger. It is therefore difficult to reach temperatures that will allow for a sufficient draft. Most advanced combustion systems (those certified to EPA/CSAB415.1-10) have a 6" flue outlet (152 mm). If your exhaust system does not have a 6" diameter, a solution is to insert a stainless liner with a 6" diameter inside the exhaust system.

Mobile-home approved stoves have gone through specific testing to show that they can source their combustion air entirely from outside the house. This is required because mobile homes (or manufactured homes) are often very airtight. Should there be a lack of combustion air, harmful levels of CO (carbon monoxide) could accumulate in the house. This is why mobile-home approved stoves have an adapter that hooks-up to the unit and connects to a fresh air intake on the outside wall of the house through an insulated pipe.

Most high-temperature paints react in the same way. There are two resins in the paint. One resin dries at room temperature, giving the paint the initial properties seen on a brand new stove. Then, when fires are built in the stove, this air-dry resin burns away. The other resin is a silicon resin (silicone gives the paint its high heat resistance) that will not cure until the appliance is heated at high temperatures. This occurs at around 400 °F – 450 °F. The air dry resin will burn away at about 600 °F.

We recommend a two-stage curing process. Do not burn at full heat (keep temperature below 900 °F) for the first two burns as this could “shock” the paint and cause damage. Paint may peel or discolor. The initial fire should be made at a medium temperature (450 °F) for about 60 minutes. As the paint heats-up, it will soften and even appear wet. It should not be touched with anything. Gradually, on the hottest spots (usually near the flue and working outwards) the paint will again appear dry. When this process is completed, the paint will be ready for the next stage.

A second, hotter burn of around 600 °F for another 45 minutes will burn away the air-dry resin. You will know when this occurs because the process creates some smoke and odour. The non-toxic smoke is primarily carbon dioxide, but there are other residual components that make it smell bad and may cause physical distress for some individuals or animals. This is why we recommend keeping the space vacant and ventilated. Until the second stage is reached, the curing process will be incomplete.

Paint may appear to be a little glossy when first applied. High heat will cause all liquid paint to lose its glossy appearance.

As a result of the high temperatures reached on the surface of any wood heater, most types of high temperature paint will tend to discolor over time. However, if your paint has completely turned white in some areas shortly after you purchased your heater, it is a sign that it may have overheated. Many things can cause a unit to overheat. Here is a brief list:

-The air intake control has been left fully open and flue temperatures have reached excessive levels for a long period of time;
-The chimney draft is excessive;
-The door was left ajar for a long period with a fire going;
-The door gasket is worn out;
-The firebricks have been damaged or disintegrated and have not been replaced;
-Pressure treated wood or other bi-products of wood were used as fuel;
-An excessive quantity of manufactured logs were used in the heater.

It is important to identify why the heater has overheated. Otherwise, it may wear out prematurely. Make sure you use a chimney thermometer and keep flue temperatures within the comfort zone of 250 °F to 475 °F when the heater is operated in the slow combustion mode. It is okay to reach temperatures between 500 °F and 900 °F upon the start-up of the heater. The paint is tested to resist peak temperatures (non-continuous) of up to 1,200 °F.

You can paint your heater and make it look brand new. If the paint has not peeled off, you need to prepare the surface with a 180 grit sand paper. Then, repaint the heater with the original high temperature aerosol paint for a more resistant and uniform finish. If the paint has peeled off, you need to prepare the surface with a 180 grit sand paper and remove all the paint until you reach the steel.

Possible causes and solutions:

1. Your heater is new and thin smoke is coming out of the unit’s surface.
Solution: This is normal when your heater is new and has never been used. The paint needs to be "cured". You need to heat your appliance two or three of times before the curing process is completed. Simply open a window in the room where the unit is located. The amount of smoke produced by the curing process should be very limited. If the area is well ventilated, there is no health hazard.

2. The chimney in under negative pressure.
Solution#1: The chimney may simply be too cold. Light-up a small quantity of newspaper in the appliance, as close as possible to the flue outlet. Leave the door slightly ajar. This small fire will slowly heat-up the chimney, until it is hot enough to create a normal draft inside the exhaust system. If needed, slowly increase the quantity of newspaper. When you realize that smoke is being evacuated normally through the exhaust system, you can build a normal fire. If your chimney runs along the outside wall of your house, it is possible to cover it up in order to protect it from the wind and the cold. A covered chimney will heat-up faster.

Solution #2: Negative pressure may be caused by air-moving devices, such as a range hood, a bathroom fan, or an air exchanger. Check if smoking problems occur when those devices are working. If it is the case, make sure you turn them off when you use your heater. Otherwise, you need to make sure that the air leaving the room is replaced by air from outside the house. For instance, you can open a window slightly (by one or two inches). Ideally, the source of fresh air should be located as close as possible to the heater. A good, permanent solution is the installation of a fresh air intake. It should be located as close as possible to the unit. The appliance will draw its combustion air from this nearby supply. It will prevent the house from falling into negative pressure. Some units are designed to receive an adapter on which the fresh air supply pipe can be directly connected. This way, the appliance will always draw its combustion air from outside the house.

Solution #3: Negative pressure may be caused by wind, due to the interference from a nearby structure. In order to eliminate such interference, the extremity of your chimney should be at least two feet higher than any structure located within a ten-foot radius.

A fresh air intake is not mandatory for your wood heater, unless the unit is installed in a mobile home or if the local building code or the manufacturer requires it. If the heater is installed in an open room, in a house that is more or less air-tight, combustion air will normally be easily replaced. In this case, the installation of a fresh air intake is not required. It must, however, be noted that a fresh air intake, even if it is not mandatory, will always provide the advantage of better balancing the house with regards to combustion air. If the house has a powerful mechanical exhaust system that may be used while the heater is burning (ex: range hood), a fresh-air intake will be required.

Yes, floor protection is required for any wood appliance unless the unit already sits on a non-combustible surface. You have many choices, such as stone, brick, cement board, or tile. You need to consult your owner's manual in order to know the dimensions of the floor protection specific to your model. In Canada, the floor protection must extend in front of the unit by at least 18 inches and by at least 8 inches on each side. In the USA, the floor protection must extend at least 8 inches on each side of the appliance (measured from the door opening) and at least 16 inches in front of the door opening.

An ash drawer is a very practical feature, but it is not absolutely necessary. The ash drawer enables you to empty your heater and leave the ashes in the drawer until it is full. It makes cleaning more convenient and less messy. If you do not have an ash drawer, you can scoop out the ashes into a small steel bucket (with a cover) that you leave near the appliance. Always make sure that the embers are cold before disposing of them.

Your exhaust system is comprised of two main elements: chimney and stove pipe.

Stove Pipe
Steel pipes that connect the appliance to the insulated chimney are normally needed unless the appliance is already inserted into an enclosure (for instance, in the case of a zero-clearance wood fireplace). They do not pass through combustible materials. The term “black pipe” is also often used in the industry. There are two types of stove pipe: single-wall pipes and double-wall pipes.

As their name indicates, single-wall pipes have just one wall. A minimum of 18 inches is required between the pipe and a combustible wall. In general, single-wall pipes provide less insulation than double-wall pipes do and therefore require more clearance. This is the main drawback of single-wall pipes. Their advantage is in their cost; they are nearly three times less expensive than double-wall pipes.

As their name indicates, double-wall pipes have a second wall, i.e., an interior one made of stainless steel. The cushion of air between the two walls provides thermal insulation allowing the appliance to be installed much closer to walls. This is the main advantage of double-wall pipes. The required distance for each heater model is based on the safety tests conducted with each type of connector. You therefore need to properly consult the appliance’s owner’s manual in order to know the prescribed clearances from combustible materials.

Chimney
There are two types of chimneys: an insulated (or prefabricated) chimney or a masonry chimney. If you have a masonry chimney, it must meet the local building code. It must be lined with refractory bricks or tiles joint together with refractory cement. The chimney diameter should be the same as the appliance’s flue outlet (6 inches for most models). It is rarely the case with masonry chimneys. Their diameter is often bigger than the appliance’s flue outlet. The way to deal with this is to insert inside the masonry chimney a stainless steel liner that has the same diameter as the appliance’s flue outlet. Unless a liner is installed, serious draft problems can occur.

An insulated chimney (or prefab chimney) is a stainless steel flue that has been tested to resist temperature as high as 2100F. It has a double wall filled with insulating wool. The majority of insulated chimneys have 2 inches of insulation, while some have just 1 inch. Others are air-insulated and have 3 walls; they are referred to as “triple-wall air-cooled chimneys.

When we speak of a 6-inch chimney, we are referring to its interior diameter. If the chimney has 2 inches of insulation, the flue will have an exterior diameter of 10 inches.

In wood-heat system installations, we must use an insulated chimney for any flue that passes through walls, ceilings, attics and closets (i.e., all combustible surfaces in general). This chimney must also be installed outside the house.

Possible causes and solutions:

1. The moisture content of your wood is too high.
Solution: Make sure you use good, seasoned cord wood. The wood you burn plays an important role in the overall performance of your heater. Your wood should have been properly dried for approximately one year. Storage is also key. Wood that has been cut for one, two or even more years, will not necessarily be dry if it has been stored in poor conditions. Under extreme conditions, it may have rotten instead of drying. Smaller pieces of wood will dry faster. The wood should be stored in a place where the grass is not too long, and where the wind will be able to circulate between the logs. A 12-inch gap should be kept between the cords. The wood should be placed in the sunniest area and should be protected from the rain and snow on top, but not on the sides. Use a moisture reader to measure the moisture content of your wood. Ideally, it should be below 25%.

2. The logs are positioned too close to the glass and are obstructing the air flow that is necessary to keep the glass clean.
Solution: Make sure to keep a minimum gap of 2 inches between the logs and the glass.

3. The chimney draft is too weak.
Solution #1: In many cases, a weak draft is simply due to insufficient heat in the exhaust system. Build a small, intense fire, and leave the door ajar (never leave the heater unattended). Before inserting larger logs, use dry kindling to obtain a good bed of red embers. Gradually increase the size of the logs. Close the unit’s door when you reach a flue temperature of approximately 475 °F on the chimney thermometer. Leave the air intake fully open for approximately 15 minutes. Then, gradually close the air intake control. Note that there is no danger in letting the temperature inside the flue reach approximately 700 °F during the start-up. This is even favorable in order to properly start your heater. You must, however, avoid maintaining excessive temperatures (above the comfort zone on your thermometer) during a long period of time. Your chimney thermometer should be positioned on the exhaust pipe, approximately 18 inches above the unit.

Solution #2: Your heater may not have all the oxygen it needs to allow for a sufficient draft. You first need to insure that the room where the heater is located is sufficiently large and well ventilated. Open the nearest window by approximately 2 inches. If you notice a significant improvement, it is a sign that the unit needs more oxygen. The room may be too insulated or too small. Without an additional source of oxygen, the draft will remain weak and cause the glass stay dirty.

Solution #3: The chimney may be too short. In order to obtain a sufficient draft, your chimney must have a minimum height. Twelve feet (from the heater to the chimney cap outside the house) is a minimum. A height of 15 feet or higher is ideal.

Solution #4: Your exhaust system may be too tortuous or may lack a sufficiently steep slope. Ideally, your exhaust system should not have more than one 90° elbow. Furthermore, all horizontal sections should be as short as possible and have a minimum slope of ¼" per foot.

Solution #5: Your exhaust system may be oversized. When your chimney is oversized, the volume of air that needs to be warmed-up is larger. It is therefore difficult to reach temperatures that will allow for a sufficient draft. Most advanced combustion systems (those certified to EPA/CSAB415.1-10) have a 6" flue outlet (152 mm). If your exhaust system does not have a 6" diameter, a solution is to insert a stainless liner with a 6" diameter inside the exhaust system.