If you’ve recently installed a wood-burner, or, indeed, if you’ve moved into a property with one already in place, you’ll be wondering how to look after it so that you get the most out of it, as well as keeping it safe. Here’s some great tips for maintaining your wood-burner so it keeps you nice and toasty for years to come.
Empty and clean out the ashpan daily
When hot ashes gather in the ashpan they can come into contact with the underside of the grate and if they’re left there repeatedly this can distort the grate.
Clean the glass regularly
Many newer burners have airwash systems that keep the glass clean as you go along. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need to clean the glass yourself. You should do this daily, or before you light the burner, using a proprietary burner glass cleaner or malt vinegar and newspaper. Don’t ever use an abrasive cleaner as this can damage the glass.
Watch out for rust
Most modern stoves won’t develop this problem, but you should always watch out for it. If you do see any rust developing, then abrade the area with steel wool and apply a new layer of stove paint.
Clean the baffle, or throat plate, once a week
The area around the baffle plate is prone to collection of soot and other deposits. These deposits can block the flue, making the burner less efficient and they can also catch fire themselves.
Check the rope seals
You’ll see that the edges of the door have rope seals and these heat and fire-resistant ropes seal the door so that its closes securely and no excess air is drawn in.
These ropes can, over time, become compressed or worn, so they start to let in air, which makes the fire burn too fast. You should check for this compression every month or two by examining the rope and also closing the door on a piece of paper. If you can pull out the paper, the rope needs replacing.
Sweep your chimney
It also reduces the efficiency of your stove, which brings additional problems.
Leave the door open or ajar when you’re not using the burner
During the summer months, or if you go away for a few days or more, then you should leave the door slightly ajar so that no moisture builds up in the system, where it could cause rust.
