Tips for your wood burning stove

Wood burning stoves have become increasingly popular, wood is a more environmentally friendly fuel source when used in a well maintained high efficiency stove but there are a number of tips you should observe when it means taking care of your stove.

• Use domestic glass cleaner to clean the door of your stove but be careful, don’t do it when the door is hot or the stove is in use (as an alternative use a damp cloths covered with ash). If the dirt is hard and has built up, use a sharp razor blade or a carpet cutter.

• Cold air coming in can cause the glass to go blank. Check the insulation around the door, it might be the reason for it. Use the bark of your logs as natural fire lighters and to start your fire.

• What to do if the room fills with smoke? If the oven door is opened to quickly, the oven’s pipe must transport suddenly much more fume quantity. Therefore:  Open the fireplace door first a small bit, so that the drag can build up.  Another possibility:  The fireplace or the connection pipe are leaky.

• If white fine ash builds up in the room, it can be an indication that the seal around the door needs replacement.

• Smoke coming into the room? Check the chimney and get it professionally cleaned. Be aware that it is normal for smoke to build up when starting a fire. The chimney needs to ‘warm’ up,it can only fully function if its interior temperature is higher than its exterior.

• use only quality firewood with little moisture content. Most logs on sale are softwood and not suitable for wood ovens.