Caring for your stove
Although many of us in the West Highlands use our stove all year round it’s important to find time to carry out annual maintenance. Giving your stove regular TLC will reward you in the long term by prolonging its life and costing less in spares. Here’s what you need to do:
Check over your stove for problems. The internal parts are most prone to damage. Pay special attention to the door and glass seals, baffle/throat plate which sits above the fire, grate bars, and glass for cracks. Externally fire cement round the flue pipe may require replacing if it has disintegrated over time.
Clean your stove inside. If you burn wood, retain at least an inch of ash to cover the grate bars. Wood and peat should be burnt on an ash bed so don’t remove your ash daily as this traps embers which hold the ‘heart’ of the fire in place and also helps protect the grate bars. Clear any debris that may have settled on top of the baffle plate as this can prevent heat from dissipating properly causing it to buckle. Replace fire-bricks if they are badly worn or disintegrating.
Clean the glass and external body. Any cracked glass should be replaced. Glass can be cleaned using a little ash on a damp piece of kitchen paper and then wiped off with a clean cloth. Alternatively use a specialised stove-glass cleaning product. A paint scraper blade is useful for stubborn tarry marks. Regular glass cleaning helps prevent acids in the tar from etching the glass causing permanent damage. The stove’s external body can be cleaned with a lint free cloth or soft shoe brush to wipe away dust and soot. Stove paint will revive any tired looking paintwork. Clean your
chimney and use the correct fuel. Your chimney should be swept at least once a year. To ensure that it is kept safe and clear, we recommend professional chimney cleaning. Most importantly, burn the correct fuel in the first place and you will avoid many common problems.
We can supply spare parts for the following stove manufacturers: Woodwarm, Morsø, Charnwood, Jetmaster, Rutland. Please call 01631 720539 for further information.