Maintenance

Develop a Regular Cleaning Pattern Establish a routine. Cleaning your stove fortnightly or monthly is recommended, but frequency should increase with use, especially during winter.

Wood should only be put on your stove when it has a moisture content of less than 20%. We advise that you purchase a moisture meter to check the moisture content before burning. Avoid using painted or varnished wood as it’s often treated with chemicals. Resist the temptation to throw rubbish like empty crisp packets into the stove. Burning wet wood and rubbish can cause creosote to build up in your chimney, which in turn will rot out your flue and cause the interior parts of your stove to deteriorate quicker.

You’ll need to clean the exterior, the interior, the flue, and the glass door of your wood burner. Each requires a different approach.

Gather newspaper (to cover your floor), gloves, a small brush, a small ash shovel and a metal ash container (preferably over a bucket).

Let’s start with the interior. Always wait for the fire to cool before emptying the ash, and wear protective gloves. Use a small spade to move the ash from the fire into a metal ash container. Avoid using plastic as it can melt. You can dispose of the wood ash in your garden. Did you know Wood ash is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and trace minerals, which support flowering, fruiting, and root development in plants.

Do not store ashes inside your house, especially if you keep adding to the container without emptying it. This can cause carbon monoxide to build up and spread through your home. It’s best to leave the ash for over 24 hours before disposing of it in your garden. Wind can cause embers to reignite, so be cautious.

There are two options here, and the first is to use something produced by your stove that means you don’t have to spend extra money on chemicals.

Ash Cleaning Method: Once your fire is cold you can use the fine wood ash to clean your glass. Dampen a cloth and dip in the ash to create a paste. Avoid charcoal chunks, as they can scratch your glass. Then gently rub the glass in a circular motion. After cleaning, use kitchen roll to wipe away excess moisture, leaving a clean glass window to enjoy the view of the flames.

Drywiper or specialist stove glass cleaner. For more stubborn marks we highly recommend the Drywiper, which can get rid of most stubborn marks on your glass.

This is generally simple and can be managed with a standard household vacuum. Use soft brush attachments to remove dust or ash. Regular cleaning prevents build-up that might damage the stove’s exterior. Use a dry cloth for cleaning; avoid damp cloths as they can cause rust.

We recommend getting your stove professionally cleaned by a certified chimney sweep once a year. This is essential as stove and flue warranties require that the stove be swept regularly. Receipts can be requested as evidence in cases of warranty claims.

Rust is rare in modern stoves, but if you spot any, act quickly. Rub the rusted area with wire wool and reapply stove paint.

The heat-resistant rope around the door forms a seal to ensure proper closure and prevent excess air. Check it monthly. If a thin piece of paper can be pulled out easily when trapped in the door, the rope needs replacing.

The fire cement around the spigot of the stove and flue, will eventually flake away. The main seal on the flue will still be intact lower down, but we would recommend that you purchase a small tub of fire cement to re-seal around the top of the spigot to keep the fire look neat.