The Hot Art fireplace is easily installed by the builder, handyman or even a DIY purchaser, provided that these instructions are followed meticulously. If you take as much care with the installation as we did making the pot, it will serve you well.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Like any fire place, the Hot Art firepot is a potential fire hazard if not installed correctly, compliant with Part V of the National Building Regulations (SABS 0400). The chimney flue should pass no closer than 200mm to any combustible material. The firepot itself should likewise be no closer than 300mm on either side to combustible materials and 500mm in front.

• Hot Art herewith specifically excludes responsibility for damages arising from whatsoever cause concerning the installation and use of Hot Art fireplaces.

• Take care of the lid during installation - it is most vulnerable prior to installation. It could get chipped if the edge is bumped carelessly against the pot.

• Take great care in insulating the ceiling and roof timbers from the pipe, it gets very hot!

Choice of Site

The firepot should ideally be free-standing, although it may be positioned inside an existing conventional fireplace if that is high and wide enough to accommodate at least one length of flue. The existing brick chimney should be blocked off with a heat resistant board to prevent heat loss.  If the firepot is free-standing, a base of durable material is essential. Tile should extend at least 600mm in front of the fire and 200mm on either side. The firepot can be placed on a hearth or plinth - it looks best at about 300mm above floor level. This plinth should be made of bricks or cement. Tiles on wood blocks also work. The firepot should be positioned at least 1m from the closest furniture. A choice of stands is available to further elevate the firepot.

 Installation of the Firepot
Once the base and hearth/plinth has been built and is dry:

• Push the metal pipes together firmly on the ground.  Make sure the pipes are joined the right way – for the 125mm pipes:  narrow, crimped end at the bottom;  for the 148mm sleeves:  narrow, crimped end at the top.  The pipe with the damper in it should be the first pipe out of the pot.  The 125mm pipe must extend right through past the roof seal and the 148mm sleeve is your chimney from the ceiling through the roof out at least 0.5m.

• Push the wider, smooth end of the 125mm pipe through the hole in the ceiling and slide it into the 148mm pipe, which is seated on the roof and and hangs down ending in line with the bottom of the ceiling.  Wrap the fibrefrax around the 148mm pipe at this point to insulate your ceiling boards against the heat of the pipe, and tuck the fibre underneath the 148mm sleeve between that and the 125mm pipe (see note 1. on drawing).  Further fibrefrax should be used around the 148mm sleeve before it exits the roof or you could cook the roof seal (see note 2. on drawing).
  

• Place the firepot in position.

• Place the lid on the pot with the three dots on the rim lining up with the dots on the firepot, then move the lid for an equal overhang all round.

• Stand the narrow, crimped end of the 125mm pipe in the lid hole - gravity will hold it in place.  We now use a metal ring, supplied in the pack, to stop the flue from falling through the lid and consequently cracking it when the pipe expands.  The rounded ring is easily pushed up to rest against the small ridge on the flue.  Fibre glass rope, also provided in the pack, is tied underneath the ring to cushion the fit and close any gaps on the lid hole but maintaining a loose pipe fit.  Push visible fibre glass rope into the gap between the lid hole and flue with a blunt nosed knife.

• Reach inside the firepot and sponge the lid join with a wet sponge, then mix the heavy duty mortar powder, supplied in your pack, with water until it forms a paste and smear it into the lid join, wiping off any excess to leave a smooth finish.
  

• Place Vermiculite (best option), DRY white or garden sand in the bottom of the firepot to just below the mouth opening - for insulation and to assist draw.

• Make a big fire initially so the entire pot can heat up and you will get maximum heat output radiated from the ceramic body.  Add to the fire as desired.

   

 Don’ts

• Don’t narrow or shorten the flue at all!

• Don’t join the pipes the wrong way around (see “Installation of the Firepot”).

• Don’t use 90 degree bends unless you really have to, and then make the flue as long as possible to assist the draw.
  

• Don’t use non-approved pipe. Copper, for instance, does not work.
  

• Don’t use the Heavy Duty Mortar paste to seal the pipe in the lid hole – the metal ring and fibre glass rope we provide is all that is required here. If your installation is correct, you should be able to lift the whole pipe out of the lid upwards for at least 20mm without resistance.

WARNING: If the metal ring and ridge of the pipe is pushed into the lid, it will expand when hot and crack the lid!

Choice of Chimney Flue

• The chimney pipe out of the pot must have a 125mm diameter and can be enameled, galvanised or stainless steel.

• Enameled pipe is available in larger centres, and goes under the name of GODIN chimney flue. Black is the only colour.

• Galvanised pipes are widely available and are cheap but will age more roughly than the stainless steel pipes.
  

• Stainless Steel pipes are available from us or Eurafrican Agencies in Cape Town.

• A stainless steel sleeve with an minimum internal diameter of 148mm is recommended for the flue exiting the roof and is stocked by ourselves.  Wider sleeves can be used and are available from Eurafrican Agencies.
  

• The metal 125mm pipe used from the firepot must fit inside the larger 148mm pipe and not the other way around.

• Elbows may be used in your installation if you can’t go straight up. Do not use 90 degree elbows unlesss you really have to. Do not use anything more acute than 45 degree bends, or else the firepot may smoke. 

  WHEN JOINING THE ELBOWS ONTO THE STRAIGHT METAL PIPES, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PUSH THEM TOGETHER ALL THE WAY UP TO THE RIDGE, BUT LEAVE ABOUT AN INCH LONG GAP TO ALLOW FOR EXPANS

Why pipe-within -a-pipe?

The reason for the pipe-within-a-pipe concept is that allowance must be made for the expansion of the metal flue. The 125mm metal pipe must float inside the 148mm metal pipe so that it can slide up and expand outwards when hot and back again when cool. If you fixed the 125mm metal flue into the ceiling/roof, it would lift the ceiling/roof when hot and break the rain seal, or worse, the pot lid.

 Holes for the Flue
The chimney flue should ideally exit a room through the ceiling and straight up through the roof. As this is not always possible, you may want to make a hole in the wall for a 45 degree elbow. In this case, there should be at least a metre of pipe between the top of the firepot and the elbow to help with the draw.

Ceiling hole:  Mark off the spot on the ceiling that is precisely above the firepot lid hole. Drill small holes all around the circumference with a 5mm drill bit until you can clear the hole. (Or drill an 8mm hole and use a jigsaw). NB: Make sure there is no joist, power wire or plumbing in the way!

Roof hole:  This should be as tight a fit as is workable around the 148mm metal pipe.  Consult a DIY manual if you are unsure of how to manage the hole for a tiled roof.

 Cowls
Wind may cause puffs of smoke if no revolving cowl is used, but as this item is easily fitted, try the installed fireplace out with one of our Turbo Cowls first before rushing to buy one - they have been specifically engineered for the windy conditions of the Western Cape.  If you need a revolving cowl, check that the internal diameter is 150mm to fit over the 148mm metal pipe which will stick out of the roof.  Once the cowl has been pushed onto the pipe, rivet in place.

Chimney Height Requirements
The 148mm pipe must extend at least 0.5m beyond the point of roof penetration, with the exception of a 45 degree pitch roof in which case the pipe must extend beyond the highest point of the roof.

 Insulation
Check two important insulation points, the ceiling and the roof (see paragraph 2 of Installation of the Firepot).

The ceiling must be cut back at least 15mm from the 148mm pipe to allow space for the insulating material to be inserted.

THIS IS A CRITICAL AREA FOR INSULATION.

The pipe at this point may still be very hot and the wood in the ceiling which is in close proximity must be insulated from the heat.

The hole and insulation material is then covered by an escutcheon plate.

Roof Sealing

Secure the 148mm stainless steel pipe to the roof by inserting self-tapping screws horizontally into the pipe to support its weight.  The flue/roof joint can be sealed against the elements with Fire Gum or a similar gasket maker which is heat resistant, flexible and waterproof, to allow for the movement of the pipe.  A variety of flashing products available from hardware stores is then painted over that which will be adequate in keeping out rain.

Care, Maintenance and Safety

Clean the pipes after installation before the first fire with a solvent (i.e. Windolene) to get rid of any hidden fingerprints.  Acetone works best.

Check the fit of your pipe into your pot before each fire, especially after summer before you make your first fire of the cold season.  Make sure that the ridge on the pipe and/or metal ring have not worked their way down into the lid hole - this can cause your lid to crack when the metal expands with the heat.  If it has, lift it out and make sure the ring is sitting proud atop the rim of the lid with the fibre glass rope cushioning the fit before you start.

The glaze on the pot combined with the clay used scratches fairly easily showing the stark white clay underneath.  If this happens, you can rub a graphite into the white clay - use a pencil or graphite powder used for padlocks and hinges ('Just a Puff' dry lubricant) or shoe polish of the closest colour match.

The kind of wood you burn in your fireplace will determine many things, including heat output and the need for a fire screen.  Certain woods burn quietly whilst others spit.  Get the best wood you can and make sure it is as dry as possible.

Do not stack wood against the outside of the pot, it will catch alight!

Sometimes resin leaks out of the wood onto the lip of the pot if wood isn't placed deep enough into it.  This can be scoured off using any household detergent when the pot is still warm.

Half a piece of newspaper placed over the mouth of the pot, leaving a small gap below, will assist the draw when you light your fire or when you want to rekindle a fire from coals.

All B&B's, lodges and restaurants need to caution their guests on basic care of the fireplace.  Although the pots are sturdy and strong, there is a limit to the amount of heavy knocks and bumps they can sustain.  Be very careful when putting wood into the fireplace not to knock pieces against the sides of the mouth or the insides of the pot.  Make sure your pieces of wood are not too long that they will jam against the insides of the pot when burning down.

If cracks develop in the pot as a result of many knocks and bumps, do not attempt to fill them with any substance as this will only make them worse due to expansion and contraction.  Simply keep them clean, the strong draw of the chimney will obviate any smoking.

 INCORRECT INSTALLATION WILL INVALIDATE YOUR WARRANTY.

If you have any questions at any stage before, during or after your installation please don't hesitate to contact us!