Tips for Maintaining Your Wood Stove
Knowing the best ways to clean and maintain your wood stove will help you enjoy using your stove without problems this fall and winter. To help you take care of your wood stove, Santa’s Friend Chimney Service would like to share with you some cleaning and maintenance tips from a video produced by Regency Fireplaces. This tutorial provides essential steps to follow, and we have highlighted exactly what you need to do to keep your wood stove working efficiently and effectively this burning season.
Ash Removal
When you use your wood stove daily, you will need to remove the ashes frequently. Every few days, you should check the ash buildup. To avoid maintenance problems, you should never let the ashes accumulate to the loading doors. However, leaving a layer of one-half to one-inch of ashes can insulate the firebox for easier ignition and a uniform burn. You want to safely remove the ashes by allowing them to sufficiently cool down before attempting to remove them. Always treat the ashes as if burning embers could be present. Use a metal container with a lid to store your ashes, and place this container outside on a non-combustible surface to prevent an accidental fire.
Glass Door Cleaning
To keep the glass doors of your wood stove clean, use a soft, clean cloth and a glass cleaner made for fireplaces after the stove has cooled down to room temperature. You can find this type of glass cleaner at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. Spray the cleaner to the cloth and wipe away any soot from the glass doors. Use another soft, clean cloth to wipe off any remaining cleaner residue.
Creosote Accumulation Prevention
Preventing creosote, a highly flammable compound, from accumulating in your stove and chimney is essential to reducing the risk of a residential fire. Following these tips can help you keep your stove free from creosote buildup:
- Burn your stove with the draft control wide open for 10 to 15 minutes every morning during burning season.
- Whenever you add wood to your stove, be sure to completely open the damper for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Never burn wet or green wood. You want to burn seasoned firewood that has been dried for at least six months.
- Do not burn large, smoldering fires. Instead burn small, hot fires.
- Examine your chimney and the chimney connector every two months during burning season to look for any accumulation of creosote.
- Have your chimney professionally cleaned two times a year to keep it free from creosote buildup.
For more cleaning and maintenance tips for your wood stove, contact us at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. We are happy to help you keep your wood stove working properly.