One of the things you must really think about when it comes to investing in a wood burning stove is the time it takes to be cleaned, maintained and kept in working order. Wood is a great and efficient fuel source, however, there can be no getting around the additional maintenance.
A dirty stove can of course make your room look untidy, but not only this, keeping it clean will make it heat your home far more efficiently and can increase the lifetime of your stove. Here are essential tips:
Cleaning Your Wood Burning Stove:
- A regular cleaning pattern is advised. Every two weeks or once a month is recommended. Of course in the winter months your stove will require cleaning more frequently than in the summer.
- Only burn dry wood in your stove, avoid using painted or varnished wood as it’s often been treated with chemicals and please do avoid the temptation of throwing in your rubbish (crisp packets, receipts etc).
- When you are ready to clean your stove be prepared to clean the exterior, the interior, the flue and the glass door of your wood burner, each of these elements will require a slightly different way of cleaning.
- You will need: Newspaper (to cover your floor), gloves, a small brush, a small ash shovel, metal ash container, and a spray bottle.
Cleaning The Interior Of Your Wood Burning Stove
To start we advise starting with the interior of your wood burning stove. Always make sure that you wait for the fire inside the stove to cool before you empty the ash. Make sure to wear protective gloves.
Use a small spade to move the ash from the fire into a metal ash container, or a metal bucket (DO NOT use anything plastic). Be careful and gently move the ash and place it in its metal container, you want to avoid spilling any ash.
With the ash in the bucket, take it to a safe place outdoors.
Do not keep ashes stored inside your house. Storing it inside, especially if you keep adding to the ash without emptying it, can cause carbon monoxide to build up and eventually spread through your home. It’s very important you take the ashes outside before disposing of them.
Cleaning The Glass Door On Your Wood Burner
With this method that we advise you don’t need to spend any extra money on fancy chemicals.
When you burn wood it will become charcoal. This is before it turns to ash/dust.
Grab a COLD piece of charcoal from your stove, very carefully. Dampen it using water, then rub it on the inside of the glass focusing on the darker areas,
All you then need is a piece of kitchen roll to wipe away the excess moisture from the stove glass and you should have yourself a perfectly clean glass window so you can clearly watch the roaring flames.
Cleaning The Exterior Of Your Wood Burning Stove
This is a simple job, and can be easily managed with a standard household vacuum cleaner and using any soft brush attachments to removes and traces of dust or ash. You should do this quite regularly, it will prevent any build up that might potentially damage the exterior of your stove.
While you can use a dry cloth to clean the exterior, never use a damp cloth. Over time, this can cause rust.
Cleaning Your Stove Flue/Chimney
This is the more difficult job in the cleaning process, It is a very important part to cleaning your stove as a buildup of soot in the chimney can mean that the smoke isn’t expelled properly.
The first thing we recommend is that, especially in the winter, you burn your stove hard for at least 30 minutes every day. This will help keep the flue clear, however you will also need to clean the excess soot from the chimney.
The simplest way to maintain your flue is to employ the services of a chimney sweep. We have a great website here to help you find a chimney sweep in your area https://www.findachimneysweep.co.uk/
Or if you’re feeling practical you can try to do it yourself. One of the most common methods is to use a drain rod with a brush attached to clear the chimney.
Feeling Inspired?
Once you know how, it’s not so hard to maintain. Just follow those steps above and keep to a routine.
We have many stoves to choose from, from modern, traditional and contemporary.
For more info please feel free to contact or visit our show room, our sales team will be happy to help and assist you in choosing the right stove for you.
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