HOMEOWNER'S CARE AND
OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
CUSTOM SERIES
38" and 43" Wood Burning Fireplaces
P/N 725,024M REV. N/C 11/2001
MODELS
BCF-3885
BCF-4385
BRF-3875
BRF-4375
The information contained in this manual applies to all model fireplaces
identified on this page. This information will help you obtain safe and
dependable service from your fireplace system. Keep this document in
a safe place for future reference.
Before you start your first fire, read this Care and Operations Manual
carefully to be sure you understand your fireplace system completely.
Failure to follow these suggestions could result in hazardous operation
or fireplace malfunction, creating a serious potential for personal injury
and/or property damage.
If you have any questions regarding the safe use or operation of your
fireplace, contact your local distributor.
RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
U.L. Report No. MH8988
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c. Store wood where it will not be excessively
exposed to weather, such as under a tarp or
under a roof.
CAUTION: WHEN USING A DECORATIVE
GAS APPLIANCE, THE FIREPLACE
DAMPER MUST BE SET TO THE FULLY
OPEN POSITION.
DISPOSAL OF ASHES
Ashes should be placed in a metal container
with a tight fitting lid. The closed container of
ashes should be placed on a noncombustible
floor or on the ground, well away from all
combustible materials, pending final disposal.
Iftheashesaretobedisposedofbyburialinsoil
or other wise locally dispersed, they should be
retained in the closed container until all cinders
have thoroughly cooled.
d. Do not stack wood directly against the walls
of your home.
These fireplaces have been tested and approved
to ANSI/IAS/AGA Z21.11.2 for use with an
unvented gas appliance having a maximum rat-
ing of 26,000 BTU (for the BRF-3875 and
BCF-3885 models) and 32,000 BTU (for the
BRF-4375 and BCF-4385 models) and complies
with the Standard for Factory-Built Fireplaces,
U.L. 127, when installed with unvented gas log
sets. The limit may be increased to 40,000 BTU
providing that minimum combustible mantle
heights were increased to at least 18 inches
when the fireplace was installed.
8. Be a knowledgeable wood buyer. There is a
difference in cord sizes. A standard cord stack
of logs is 4 ft. high by 8 ft. long by 4 ft. deep or
the equivalent of this cubic footage, (Figure 1 ).
SOFTWOOD VS HARDWOOD
Standard
Cord of
Wood
8'
Softwoods contain about 15 percent highly
flammableresinwhichgeneratescreosotesoot
in the chimney flue. Burning softwood exclu-
sively may not be as desirable nor as safe as
burning denser hardwoods. Many experienced
fire-builders use small amounts of softwood
kindling and newspaper in conjunction with
startingafirewithsplithardwoodlogs.Hereare
some guidelines to remember:
Prior to installing any gas log set, (Vented or
Unvented) refer to the fireplace installation
instructions for verification of mantle heights
andplacementofcombustiblematerialsaround
the firebox opening. NEVER INSTALL AN
UNVENTED GAS LOG SET WITH A BTU RAT-
ING GREATER THAN 26,000 BTU (BRF-3875
AND BCF-3885 MODELS) AND 32,000 BTU
(BRF-4375 AND BCF-4385 MODELS) IF THE
COMBUSTIBLE MANTLE PROJECTIONS ARE
LOWER THAN 18 INCHES ABOVE THE FIRE-
PLACE OPENING. Vented gas log sets do not
have restrictions placed upon their BTU rating.
4'
4'
1.Softwoodsproducefastwarmingandshorter
fires. Hardwoods burn less vigorously, have
shorter flames and produce steady, glowing
coals.
Figure 1
A face cord is the same height and length as a
standard cord but the depth is only the length
of the logs (12, 18 or 24 inches). A face cord
can contain as little as 25% of the wood found
in a standard cord.
2. As a general rule, denser woods contain
morepotentialheatperpound.Mostsoftwoods
offer moderate heat value per pound.
Wood Fuel Pointers
3.Differentwoodsvarywidelyinflameheights,
flame intensities, smoke characteristics and in
sparking. Most hardwoods do not spark.
If you buy by the ton, remember that wood
becomes lighter as it dries. When buying green
or wet wood, ask for some extra poundage to
allow for the extra water you will be getting.
Wood is a wonderful renewable fuel source.
Normally it burns clean, leaving only a minimum
of waste ash, provides comforting heat and can
provide a variety of aromas and visual images.
4. Most freshly cut “green” wood will not burn
well and will smoke. Green wood can be from
10 to 40 percent less efficient than air-dried
seasoned wood.
9. When comparing woods of the same mois-
ture content and same species, we find most
woods have approximately the same heating
potential per pound.
You will want to know which woods are best for
use. Sometimes you may want a quick, short
fire to offset a morning chill. Soft woods are
preferable in this case. Other times you would
want more slow burning and a uniform heat
output. Hardwoods are preferable for this use.
5. Moisture and resin found inside unseasoned
wood cells will build up pressure under heat
and explode as sparks.
However, most wood is sold by volume, not by
weight. To determine the best heating source,
look at the density of various wood types.
(Density is the weight for a given size.) The
higher the density, the more potential heat
output. A standard cord has a volume of 128
cubic feet. This figure also includes the air
space between and around the wood. The ac-
tual volume in a standard cord is between 60
and 100 cubic feet; depending on how tightly
the wood is packed.
6. Most wood needs to be seasoned 9 to 12
months to reduce the moisture content and
produce good steady fires. When moisture
content is reduced from 60 to 20%, the gain in
heat potential is nearly 7%.
The amount of heat available from the logs will
be about equal on a weight basis. However,
logsaregenerallynotweighedsotheamountof
heat will depend on:
1. The type of wood used.
2. How dry it is.
3. How many logs you put in.
4. The size of the logs.
7. Proper storage of wood, especially during
seasoning, is essential. We recommend that
you:
a. Never store wood on the ground. This will
causerottingandinsectinfiltration.Raisewood
on flat rock or scrap wood.
The last statement means that one big log
weighing 10 pounds has as much heating po-
tential as 10 pounds of twigs. However, air
cannot get at the solid log to feed the fire so the
solid log will burn slowly. While you would get
the same amount of heat out of either fire, the
smaller the pieces of wood and the more air
space around them, the faster the fire will burn.
Assumingthatyouarecomparingtwostandard
cords of different species but the same volume
and moisture content, the denser species will
providemoreBTU’s.Thetableofwoodspecies/
densities reveals more helpful guidelines.
b. Stack wood loosely to allow air circulation.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS NOT TO SCALE.
3
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The damper is controlled through the use of a
control lever located within the firebox open-
ing at the top center just behind the firebox
lintel (Figure 2 ). The control lever snaps into
place at the extreme range of motion, up and
back in the closed position. When pulled
forward and down, the damper is open.
WARNING: IF YOUR FIREPLACE IS
EQUIPPED WITH GLASS DOORS, IT
SHOULD BE OPERATED WITH THE
DOORSFULLYOPENORFULLYCLOSED.
IF THE DOORS ARE LEFT PARTIALLY
OPEN,GASANDFLAMESMAYBEDRAWN
OUTOFTHEOPENING, CREATINGRISKS
OF BOTH FIRE AND SMOKE. REFER TO
FIGURES 3 AND 4 FOR PROPER OPER-
ATING CONDITIONS.
HARDWOODS
DENSITY
Alser, Red
Ash
Aspen
Basswood, American
Beech, American
Birch
.41
.49-.60
.38-.39
.37
.64
.55-.65
.38
Butternut
Cherry, Black
Chestnut, American
Cottonwood
Elm
Hackberry
Hickory, Pecan
Hickory, True
Honey locust
Locust, Black
Magnolia
.50
.43
.34-.40
.60.63
.53
.60.66
.69-.75
.66 (est.)
.69
.48-.50
.48-.63
.59-.67
.64-.88
.42
Damper
Closed
Damper
Open
Lintel
Maple
Oak, Red
Oak, White
Poplar
Glass Doors
Fully Open or
Fully Closed
Figure 2
Sassafras
.42
Sweet gum
Sycamore, American
Tanoak
.52
.49
.64 (est.)
.50
(Bi-Fold Doors)
The appliance flue damper must always re-
main open when operating.
Figure 3
Tupelo
2. The grate in the firebox should be centered
on or over the bottom hearth so your fire can
breath properly. Crumble and twist plenty of
newspapers UNDER the grate and criss-cross
some small dry kindling sticks on top of the
paper or on the bottom of the grate.
Walnut, Black
Willow, Black
.55
.39
SOFTWOODS
DENSITY
Bald cypress
Cedar
Douglas Fir
Fir
Hemlock
Larch, Western
Pine
Redwood
Spruce
Tamarack
.46
.31-.47
.46-.50
.32-.43
.40-.45
.52
.39-.59
.35-.40
.35-.41
.53
3. Build a pyramid of three split logs (split will
start much faster). Arrange the uneven wood
to provide plenty of air space between.
Glass Doors
Fully Open or
Fully Closed
(Twin-Pane Doors)
4. Now, light the paper at both sides of the
firebox.
Figure 4
5. Close the screens to prevent the escape of
sparks and embers.
CAUTION: IF A SMOKING CONDITION EX-
ISTS, GLASSDOORSSHOULDBECLOSED
DURING FIREPLACE OPERATION.
STARTING A FIRE
6. Close the damper only when your fire is
completelyoutandashesarecold.Keepclosed
when fireplace is not in use to prevent unnec-
essary loss of heated or cooled air.
1. To start a fire in a the fireplace properly, first
check the operation of the flue damper.
Care and Cleaning of Your Glass Doors
Never clean the glass when the doors are hot.
Do not use ammonia or ammonia based glass
or household cleaner to clean the glass or the
door frame. An ammonia based cleaner will
damage the finish of the glass door.
2. To prevent smoking at start-up, close any
window located near the fireplace when first
lighting a fire. The closed windows may be
reopened once a chimney draft is drawn in the
fireplace.
GLASS DOOR OPERATING SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
These fireplaces may be equipped with glass
doors. Refer to the end of this document for a
listingoftheglassdoorsapprovedforusewith
these fireplaces.
Clean the glass doors by wiping with a damp
towel followed by a clean dry towel to remove
streaks.
DAMPER CONTROL
This fireplace is fitted with a manually con-
trolled chimney damper. The chimney damper
should be closed when the fireplace is not in
use to prevent cold air from entering the home
through the chimney system.
Remove stubborn stains from the glass with a
mild soap solution and a towel dampened with
clean water. Dry with a clean dry towel.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS NOT TO SCALE.
4
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• The fire must always be confined within the
boundaries of the fuel grate.
COMBUSTION AIR
WARNING: DO NOT OPERATE THE COM-
BUSTION AIR ACTUATOR UNLESS A
COMPLETE OUTSIDE COMBUSTION AIR
VENT SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED
WITH YOUR FIREPLACE.
Aproperamountofcombustionairisimportant
for your fireplace. Fireplaces consume large
amounts of oxygen. It is important to allow an
adequate supply of air.
• The fireplace screens must always be closed
whenever the fireplace is being used.
• Never slam the glass door since it could cause
the glass to break.
If the fireplace is not equipped with an outside
air kit, it may not obtain sufficient amounts of
combustion air from inside the house or struc-
ture in which it is installed. Therefore, the fire
may draw from an outside air source and pull
air in through the chimney. This may cause
smoke spillage into the room.
REFRACTORIES
• Do not build excessively large or hot fires —
scorching or discoloring of the plated brass
trim may occur.
All fireboxes contain a furnace refractory floor,
sides and back. These refractories are rein-
forcedwithsteel,butcanbebrokenbyimproper
use. Dropping logs on the bottom refractory
and building fires directly against the refracto-
ries can cause premature burnout of these
components. It may easily be repaired or re-
placedatcostsfarbelowrepairandmaintenance
for masonry fireplaces.
•Extremetemperaturechangescancauseglass
breakage—donotbuildahotfireandclosethe
glass doors if the doors are cold.
Smoke spillage often occurs when a fire is first
started, until the fireplace and the chimney has
had the opportunity to “come up to tempera-
ture” and to begin to function normally. If
smoke spillage problems persist, a window
may be opened just a crack to allow the proper
flow of combustion air to the fireplace.
•Ifthetemperedglasspanebecomesscratched
or chipped, it creates a weakness in the glass
which can cause the glass to break when
heated. Replace the pane of glass by contact-
ing your nearest dealer.
Proper care and “burn-in” of the firebox will
prolong the period of enjoyment without exten-
sive maintenance. For the first few uses, build
small fires – not roaring infernos. The materials
usedintherefractoriescontainandabsorbmois-
ture. It is important to “cure” the refractories by
building only modest fires. Under normal usage,
it is expected that hairline cracks will appear in
the refractory surface. These hairline cracks do
not affect the safe operation of the fireplace.
CAUTION: GLASS AND METAL FRAMES
GET HOT — ALWAYS USE HANDLES TO
OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOORS.
If your fireplace is equipped with an outside
combustion air kit, keep it open at all times
when fire is burning and close when fire is out
to prevent cold air intrusion.
WARNING: BE AWARE THAT SAFETY
GLASS IS UNPREDICTABLE WHEN HOT
ANDMAYBREAK,EXPELLINGHOTGLASS
INTO THE ROOM. ADVISE ALL FAMILY
MEMBERS TO REMAIN WELL AWAY
FROM THE FIREPLACE WHEN OPERAT-
ING WITH DOORS CLOSED TO AVOID
ANY POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
Combustion Air Control
If your BCF/BRF Series fireplace is equipped
with the optional combustion air kit, the com-
bustion air control lever is located on the left
side of the fireplace opening behind the screen
panel. To open the air damper, pull the lever all
the way out. To close, push the lever all the
way in (Figure 5 ).
Refractories should be replaced when:
1. The crack opens more than ¹⁄₄" (19 mm).
2. Pitting in the surface is extensive and pits
become deeper than ³⁄₁₆" (4.76 mm).
IMPORTANT: Plated polished brass glass
doors may have a plastic covering over all
brass pieces for protection during shipping
and handling. The plastic covering should be
removedbeforeinstallationoftheglassdoors.
Under the plastic covering is a protective
lacquercoatingwhichshouldnotberemoved.
In some instances, if it is removed, irrevers-
ible damage to the brass finish could occur.
Refer to the following for specific information
on plated polished brass.
3. Any piece of refractory larger than 2" (51 mm)
in radius and ³⁄₁₆" deep becomes dislodged.
If conditions 1, 2 or 3 occur, the refractory
should be replaced.
Closed
MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
Your fireplace is designed to operate trouble-
free with minimum maintenance. However, like
any fine appliance, it deserves and requires
some housekeeping attention.
IMPORTANT: The lacquer coating on the pol-
ished brass glass doors and trim pieces can
be damaged or removed causing corrosion
and/or tarnish. Do not remove the protective
lacquer coating from plated polished doors
and trim. To help protect the finish; use a
non-acidic wax and avoid the over-spray of
acidic/alkali based glass cleaners on the
brass pieces. Please understand that the
heat of the fire will cause the protective
lacquer finish to slightly change to a light
caramel color. Do not be alarmed as this is
a normal occurrence.
Your fireplace will perform better – and cer-
tainly look more attractive to family and friends
– if it is cleaned before each use. Before the first
seasonal use in Autumn and after the last fire in
Spring, it is important to inspect the fireplace
system carefully. We recommend at least two
complete fireplace inspections a year.
Open
Figure 5
The outside air damper should be kept closed
on all fireplaces except when the fireplace is in
operation. If there is no heat present in the
firebox, the air damper should be closed at
night before retiring to prevent intrusion of
outside air into the home.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS NOT TO SCALE.
5
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5. Clean the firebox thoroughly by using a soft
brush or equivalent.
1. Remember – always check to ensure your
flue damper is in the open position before
lighting a fire!
Before Each Use
1. Clean the firebox of excessive ashes. Some
owners prefer to leave a small layer to insulate
the cold refractory below the grate which helps
fire starting.
WARNING: CONTINUED OVERFIRING
CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR
FIREPLACE SYSTEM. SOME EXAMPLES
OF OVERFIRING ARE:
2. When lighting your fire, a little smoke may
escape into the room – more likely if the
chimney is cold. To correct this, hold a lighted
newspaper up inside the firebox near the open
flue damper. This will turn around any down-
draft and clear the flue of cold air. As your log
fire burns below, the updraft will improve as
the chimney heats up.
This fireplace has a factory supplied grate at-
tached, it is permissible to remove the grate for
cleaning; however, the grate must be re-at-
tached to the fireplace before the next burn.
• BURNING QUANTITIES OF SCRAP
LUMBER, PINEBRANCHES, PAPEROR
CARDBOARD BOXES WHICH EXCEED
THE VOLUME OF THE NORMAL LOG
FIRE.
2. Keep the fireplace screens clean so combus-
tion air flows freely.
3. Is your fire too far forward? Move it toward
the back with your poker. Keep the fire well
within the confines of your fuel grate.
3. Spot check the brick-like refractory for small
cracks. Heat from the fire expands it slightly.
When it cools, it contracts.
• USE OF ARTIFICIAL WAX BASE LOGS,
TRASH OR OTHER CHEMICALS OR
CHEMICALLY TREATED COMBUS-
TIBLES.
4. Keep your fire up on the grate and the
refractory below free of excessive ashes. The
fire needs plenty of air movement around the
logs.
TWICE A YEAR CHECK-UP
Normally, twiceayear, youshouldinspectyour
fireplace following this list:
CREOSOTE FORMATION AND REMOVAL
5. If smoking occurs an hour or two after
lighting the fire, perhaps your well-insulated
house is too airtight and there is scarcely any
way for replacement air to enter and feed the
fire. Check to see if your outside combustion
air kit (if installed) is open. Check outside to
ensure no obstructions are in front of exterior
air entry. Open a window slightly, open doors
to one or two rooms and see if this stops the
smoking.
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar
and other organic vapors, which combine with
expelled moisture to form creosote. The creo-
sote vapors condense in the relatively cool
chimney flue of a slow-burning fire. As a result,
creosote residue accumulates on the flue lin-
ing. When ignited, this creosote makes an
extremely hot fire.
1. Inspect the opening in your chimney top and
remove any debris that could clog it. The cap is
usually held in place by four (4) screws, which
remove easily for checking or cleaning the full
length of the flue from above. Remove the
chimney top while wearing gloves to guard
against any sharp metal edges.
2. Inspect the entire flue from the top down for
obstructions such as birds nests, leaves, etc.
This may be done by using a flexible handled
chimney cleaning brush. If the chimney con-
tainsoffset/returnelbows;asoftbrushcleaning
from the top down to any elbow and then from
the firebox up to the offset/return section is the
proper method. The beam from a powerful
flashlight will help in this inspection.
The chimney should be inspected at least twice
yearly during the heating season to determine
if a creosote build-up has occurred.
6. Is a vent fan, exhaust hood or central
heating/cooling system stealing combustion
air from your fireplace? If their volume is high
enough, this can cause negative pressure and
an unwanted downdraft – and smoking.
If creosote has accumulated, it should be re-
moved to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
7. Is your wood fuel too wet or unseasoned?
Or does it contain some chemical substance
that causes sputtering, smoking and toxic
fumes?
Ifcreosotebuild-upisfound, donotusechemi-
cal chimney cleaners that are poured on a hot
fire. The chemical cleaners can be dangerous
and generally only work on the flue section
nearest the fire, leaving the rest of the flue
unaffected.Itisbesttotakethetimetocleanthe
flue as previously described or have the chim-
ney professionally cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep.
3. Look up from inside the fireplace (damper
open) to see any obstructions in the lower flue
area. Ifpresent, shutthedamperandglassdoors
(if installed) to seal the firebox and contain any
soot that might fall. If your do not have glass
doors installed, a damp sheet covering the fire-
place opening and sealed with masking tape will
do. Then clean the flue from the top down (if an
offset system, clean per Step 2) using a proper
size chimney brush with flexible pole sections.
Don’topenthedoorsorremovethesheetuntilall
soot has settled. Vacuum, don’t sweep.
8. Figure 6 illustrates the correct height of
yourchimneytop. Itisunlikelythatyourinstal-
lation does not adhere to the installation
instructions.However,ifnotcorrect,youcould
experience an unusual downdraft. Usually,
the best solution is to increase the chimney
height. This may also be necessary if nearby
trees, adjoining roof lines or a hill is causing a
downdraft condition.
TROUBLESHOOTING
No Smoking Allowed
Your new fireplace is designed not to smoke if
properly installed and operated per our in-
structions. If you do experience a problem,
following are several things to check:
9. Remember, your fireplace has been de-
signed as a supplemental heating device only,
it is not intended to heat your entire home.
4. Check the metal flashing and seals around
your chimney. Seal any cracks or loose nail-
head openings to prevent roof leaks.
6
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Less Than 10'
ACCESSORY COMPONENTS
2' Min.
3' Min.
2' Min.
10'
3' Min.
Figure 6
12M09
12M07
12M10
43 ABF
38 ABF
43 ABF-BB
38 ABF-BB
WARRANTY
Bi-Fold Doors
12M08
This fireplace is covered by a limited warranty detailed separately from this document.
Retain this manual. File it with your other documents for future reference.
Bi-Fold Doors
Your fireplace can be fitted with beautiful bi-
fold doors. Model ABF doors are available for
use with these fireplace. Doors are easily fitted
to the fireplace opening. Use Model 38 doors
with38inchfireplacesandModel43doorswith
43inchfireplaces. ModelABFdoorscomewith
standard black finish. Model ABF-BB doors
have a beautiful bright brass finish.
PRODUCT REFERENCE INFORMATION
We recommend that you record the following important information about your fireplace. Please
contact your dealer for any questions or concerns.
Your Fireplace's Model Number _______________________________________
Your Fireplace's Serial Number ________________________________________
The Date On Which Your Fireplace Was Installed __________________________
Your Dealer's Name_________________________________________________
When ordering repair parts, always give the
following information:
REPLACEMENT PARTS
Forced Air Blower Kit
011781
FAK-1500
A complete parts list is found at the end of this
manual. Use only parts supplied from the
manufacturer.
Blower Kit
1. The model number of the appliance.
2. The serial number of the appliance.
3. The part number.
4. The description of the part.
5. The quantity required.
The FAK-1500 blower provides for a constant
velocity forced air circulation feature for your
appliance.
Normally, all parts should be ordered through
yourdistributorordealer.Partswillbeshipped
at prevailing prices at time of order.
6. The installation date of the appliance.
NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS NOT TO SCALE.
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REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST
Models 38
Models 43
DESCRIPTION
Part No. Qty.
Part No. Qty.
Fireplace Assembly
Firescreen
–
–
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
–
–
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
090674
011382
026042
026041
026021
044991
12M79
090675
010234
026042
026041
026022
044992
12M79
Rod, Screen
Refractory, Side, Right (Standard)
Refractory, Side, Left (Standard)
Refractory, Rear (Standard)
Refractory Base (Standard)
Grate
The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes at any time, without notice, in design,
materials, specifications, prices and also to discontinue colors, styles and products.
Consult your local distributor for fireplace code information.
Printed in U.S.A. © 2001 by LHP
1110 West Taft Avenue
Orange, CA 92865
P/N 700,024M REV. N/C 11/2001
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