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Preventative Maintenance
Steps for Cleaning Aquafire and Aquafire PRO
In order for the fireplace inserts to operate properly and ensure a long, healthy life, they need to be descaled and cleaned regularly. How often will depend on the quality of your water, how often the inserts are in operation and if you have a Vapor Pure water softener installed. The Vapor Pure water softener was engineered alongside water quality experts to be specifically used with the Aquafire and Aquafire Pro to not only reduce or eliminate water hardness but to also filter out iron (which causes "sludge" to accumulate in the tanks and mist makers) and magnesium and eliminate odors such as chlorine. Without the Vapor Pure water softener, the minerals present in hard water can cling to the electrical components as well as the interior tanks walls which will require increased maintenance, decreased overall performance and ultimately shorten the life of your Aquafire.
Cleaning your mist makers and insert should not be a daunting task! Once practiced, it can be a quick 10-15 minute process.
Our recommended cleaning schedule for an Aquafire or Aquafire Pro running an average of 20 hours a week with moderate water hardness is:
Mist Maker Cleaning: Every 3 months
Whole Insert Cleaning: Every 6 months
Steps for cleaning only the mist makers:
- Turn your fireplace off then unplug the mist maker wire from the power port located at each of the large round mist tube housings
- Remove mist maker racks from the mist tubes. For small to moderate scale or buildup, apply a few drops of white vinegar directly onto the white disc at center of mist maker. Let it sit for 3 minutes before rinsing it off and returning the rack to the mist tube. Don't forget to re-attach the power cord.
- If you notice heavier buildup or visble calcification deposits, follow steps above to remove the mist maker from the mist tube, then remove the 4 screws that attach the mist maker to the rack and soak the mist maker by submerging directly into white vinegar for 10-20 minutes. You can use a soft small brush (toothbrush, paint brush, etc...) to loosen any stubborn deposits. Remember to clean the bottom of the mist maker as well. Take care not to submerge the power cord attached to the mist maker.
- When the soaking period is complete, rinse thoroughly with water. You can use a soft small brush to gently brush the white surface of the mist maker as well as metal casing and the bottom to remove any visible stains. Do not use a stiff bristle brush or a Scotch-brite pad on the mist makers as this can cause permanent damage to them
- Re-attach the mist maker to the rack and then place the mist maker rack back into the mist tube
- Reconnect the mist maker power feed to the power port being sure to push the wire all the way down the slot in the side of the mist tube before putting the cap back on.Say something interesting about your business here.
Steps for cleaning the entire system:
- Use the flexible hose that came with your fireplace and connect it to the drain port on the front of the unit (AWA/AWP models) or on the top if you have the AWPR series
- Put the other end of the hose in a 3-5 gal. bucket and push and hold the left button (B2) which starts the draining process. When the drain cycle stops, there will still be some water in the lower tank reservoirs. This is normal and if possible, remove the remaining few cups of water from the each of the mist tubes by using a smaller 1/4" siphon hose, a large “turkey baster”, or a small sponge. Avoid using any material that could flake off or leave debris in the lower tank
- Once the water is out, add approximately 1/2 gallon of vinegar by using your fill/drain hose and pressing the B1 button to run the manual fill cycle or simply pour equal amounts of vinegar directly into the mist tubes being careful not to overfill. The system will have enough in it when the vinegar level in the mist tube is just above the top of the mist maker itself (approx. 2”). Overfilling may result in excess vinegar leaking out of the front fans.
- Like the mist maker soak above, let the vinegar sit in the tanks for approx. 10-20 minutes to loosen hard water scaling that may have collected on the float sensors
- Do Not operate the fireplace during this vinegar cleaning process
- After the soak period is complete (and before you drain it), agitate the vinegar in each of the lower tanks to help break up any remaining residue on the float sensors. Do this by raising and lowering the mist maker rack vigorously so you can hear it splashing in the lower tank. Do this 10-15 times in each of the mist tubes in your unit
- For inserts produced before 2019 (will not apply to the Premium), you can remove the float sensor from the bottom tank to check for buildup. They can be easily unscrewed from each tank. A pair of long needle-nose pliers is recommended to make it easier. See photo for location of float sensor removal
- Drain the vinegar just as you did the water using the drain hose, hose bib, and B2 button
- Once the vinegar is out, fill the unit with fresh water either by turning the water back on (if permanently plumbed), or by using the hose and fill cycle (B1) button
- You’ll want to fill and drain the entire system twice to ensure that you’ve removed all the vinegar and contaminates suspended in the water. After you’ve filled the system back up for the 3rd time, go ahead and run the unit as you would normally.
IMPORTANT NOTE: 2-3 days after a cleaning you may experience mist issues. This is most likely caused by leftover debris from your initial cleaning. Debris can continue to slough off days after a deep vinegar clean. This is completely normal! If you continue to experience mist issues, please open the mist tubes, check for debris and re-agitate the mist rack and float sensor. At this point, you may need to flush out the water to rid the tank of debris or complete another full clean.
The more frequently you clean the insert, the less likely you are to experience delayed debris after a cleaning. Once you get into a cleaning schedule, mist and float sensor issues should dissipate.