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Frequently Asked Questions 
1. Are gas fireplaces safe?
2. Will my fireplace operate during a power outage?
3. What is a Direct Vent fireplace?
4. What is A B-Vent fireplace?
5. What is a Vent Free fireplace?
6. What is a Power Vented fireplace?
7. How often should I have my fireplace serviced or inspected?
8. What fuels are available to operate my fireplace?
9. Can I turn off my pilot in the summer when it is not being used, or should I leave it on?
10. There is a white film on the glass, logset, and brick or inside the firebox. What is it?
11. My Pilot flame does not stay lit and extinguishes prematurely. How can I correct this?
12. I am having problems with my American Flame Electronic Ignition. Where can I find information?
13. Can I buy extra glass beads (marbles) for my fireplace?
14. I purchased a Montigo fireplace with Linear Burners (L-Series) and I want to put rocks inside. Can I use regular river stones?
15. My Montigo fireplace is about 10-15 years old, the pilot light will light the fireplace but the flame goes out after about half an our, what's wrong?
NOTE:
Many of these questions deal with maintenance issues and should be addressed at an annual Service call with your Montigo Fireplace Service Representative. Maintain your Gas fireplace with a annual service call. See the Montigo dealer locator for the service shop in your community, state or Province.
Answers
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1. Are gas fireplaces safe?
Yes. All Montigo gas fireplaces are equipped with safety features such as a 100% fail-safe shut-off valve. If the pilot flame goes out, the gas flow will automatically turn off. In addition, our IAS-accredited laboratory tests and certifies all appliances to the latest multinational standards.
Please remember that, like any other appliance, your gas fireplace should be cleaned and serviced regularly to ensure that it continues to provide warmth and convenience.
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2. Will my fireplace operate during a power outage?
Most current Montigo fireplaces that have a standing (continuous) pilot ignition system will still operate during a power outage. Fireplaces like these generate a small amount of their own electricity - enough to operate the gas control - so that the fireplace will operate safely even when your furnace will not.
If you have optional fans or a handheld remote control installed, they will not run during a power outage. Please note: if you do have a remote control installed, you may need to flip a switch in the control compartment in order to light the fireplace manually.
Some Montigo fireplaces may be equipped with optional ignition systems like the Hot Surface (Electronic) Ignition or the Spark-To-Burner (Pilot less) Ignition. Fireplaces that are equipped with these systems will not operate during a power outage because they rely on the household electrical supply.
Some models of fireplace are equipped with 'integral' fans, which means that fans are required to keep surface temperatures below a certain limit. When the fans stop working due to a power failure, a safety switch will automatically turn off the fireplace until it is within limits.
The fireplace will then relight automatically. In this way, the fireplace will 'cycle' until power is restored to the fans. These models include the: M38DV-PFC, M38DV-PRC, M38BV-ST, and E38-PV.
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3. What is a Direct Vent fireplace?
All gas fireplaces need a constant supply of fresh air in order to operate. Direct Vent fireplaces have a sealed, glass-fronted combustion chamber that keeps the byproducts of combustion out of the living space.
Air is drawn into the firebox from outside the home using a special co-axial flue pipe system. This 'pipe within a pipe' also exhausts the flue products outside the home.
Direct vent fireplaces offer good efficiency because they don't steal heated air from the living space.
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4. What is A B-Vent fireplace?
B-Vent fireplaces (sometimes called Top Vent or Natural Vent) draw air into the combustion chamber from inside the home.
This fresh air is mixed with gas and burned in the fireplace. The fireplace exhausts the byproducts of combustion outside of your home using a dedicated B-Vent flue pipe.
Although fresh air is used from inside your home, products of combustion are never vented into your home.
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5. What is a Vent Free fireplace?
A Vent Free fireplace does not use a chimney or flue pipe.
These fireplaces burn extremely clean so the byproducts of combustion can be vented back into the room.
This eliminates the need for a chimney resulting in lower installation costs.
Because they do not send hot flue gases up the chimney, these fireplaces are extremely heat-efficient.
All models feature an Oxygen Depletion Sensor for maximum safety.
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6. What is A Power-Vented fireplace?
Power Vented fireplaces are appliances which use a contained motor and blower system to expel burned gasses to the outside of the structure.
Fresh air is drawn into the system from the exterior of the home via a rigid or flexible Vent duct terminating at the Fireplace. Similarly the exhaust originates at the fireplace and is pulled from the combustion chamber via a Power vent and then expelled to the exterior of the structure.
In most cases Power vents are required if the fireplace is an excessive distance from the exterior of the structure, or the fireplace requires a specific amount of air movement (CFM) to be efficient in its combustion. The fireplace then exhausts the byproducts of combustion outside the structure using one dedicated flue Vent.
Note: Although fresh air is used from outside your home, high BTU fireplaces with Power Vents will inherently draught some air from inside your home.
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7. How often should I have my fireplace serviced or inspected?
Have your fireplace and installation inspected yearly by a qualified service person.
Check out our Maintenance section for tips and an outline.
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8. What fuels are available to operate my fireplace?
All Montigo fireplaces are shipped from the factory equipped to burn either Natural Gas or Liquid Propane.
When you order a fireplace, you and your Montigo dealer must determine which fuel you will need.
If, after the fireplace is installed, you want to convert from one fuel to the other, this can be easily done (for most models) using a Montigo conversion kit.
Your local dealer can tell you whether your fireplace can be converted. Some models are approved for use with Natural Gas only.
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9. Can I turn off my pilot in the summer when it is not being used, or should I leave it on?
Yes, or you can safely leave it burning year-round.
It helps to minimize the moisture from accumulating inside the firebox.
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10. There is a white film on the glass, logset, and brick or inside the firebox. What is it?
This is a normal bi-product of combustion in gas fireplaces, and will continue to deposit over time. You will have to regularly clean the glass, logset, firebox, and gas control compartment.
Follow the cleaning instructions in the manual or follow our online instructions here.
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11.
My Pilot flame does not stay lit and extinguishes prematurely. How can I correct this?
The most common cause of pilot outage in gas fireplaces is actually a weak pilot flame. This usually indicates debris and deposits have built up causing weak fuel flow. This would indicate the Fireplace should be serviced by your Service Provider. (See the dealer locator for the nearest service shop in your community, state or Province).
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12.
I am having problems with my American Flame Electronic Ignition. Where can I find information?
Information is available in the fireplace Equipment pages of the Montigo Web site. There are numerous reasons why your Electronic Ignition may be malfunctioning, and anything electronic requires specialized equipment to troubleshoot. If the unit cannot be repaired by utilizing these on-line resources, this would indicate you should contact your Montigo Service Provider. (See the dealer locator for the nearest service shop in your community, state or Province).
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13. Can I buy extra glass beads (marbles) for my fireplace?
Yes, contact your nearest Montigo Sale Representative or Montigo Hearth Shop, (See the dealer locator for the service shop in your community, state or Province), and they will be able to order sufficient quantity.
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14. I purchased a Montigo fireplace with Linear Burners (L-Series) and I want to put rocks inside. Can I use regular river stones?
No, at Montigo we use ceramic composite materials for our firebox accessories. Regular river rock crack and shatter when subjected to high temperatures, therefore constituting a health and safety issue. However Composite River Rocks can be ordered through your Montigo Representative or Hearth shop, (See the dealer locator for the service shop in your community, state or Province), and they will be able to order sufficient quantity.
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15. My Montigo fireplace is about 10-15 years old, the pilot light will light the fireplace but the flame goes out after about half an our, what's wrong?
This is normaly caused by a weak air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber of the fireplace. The cause is from the accumulation of soot within the burner tubes, and collecting in/around the orifices. The solution is clean the orifices of debris, vacuuming all dirt and soot produced by the burning of fuel. This can be corrected one of two ways.
1). If you are unsure of servicing your fireplace, contact the closest Montigo service center, see the dealer locator for the service shop in your (community, state or Province), or...
2). take a standard plastic straw (the kind you get from any fast food restaraunt) and blow through all the burner holes in the burner assembly. This will loosen any debris from the assembly, allowing the flame/air to once again mix at a acceptable mixture. (ALWAYS SERVICE YOUR FIREPLACE WITH THE GAS OFF, AND/OR ALLOW IT TO COOL FOR AN HOUR. If this doesn't work, and the problem persists you will have to contact your local Montigo Service Representative. See them on the Montigo dealer locator.....
At Montigo we adhere to high safety and manufacturing standards, (CSA Canada & USA) and resume no responsibility if anything is placed in the firebox without written consent.
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