Getting Your Wood Stove Ready During Summer
Keep Your Wood Stove Clean
Summer is the time to get your wood stove ready cooler nights. During the seasons of heavier use, your wood stove should be cleaned out at least once a month. However, in warmer months, it is time to schedule a certified sweep to take a look at the parts of your stove you aren’t trained to inspect or clean. An unclean wood stove is not only messier and hazardous, it is also inefficient.
Let’s start with the most important reason why you need to regularly clean your wood stove and chimney — safety. According to the EPA nearly 7% of house fires are a result of creosote buildup in your chimney. Creosote is the unburned remainder of gases and is highly flammable. If you burn anything other than dry, seasoned wood, you increase the amount and the frequency with which the creosote accumulates. This includes any type of paper. A certified sweep will let you know if the layer of creosote in your chimney must be removed. Believe it or not, any more than one-quarter inch is perilous.
Now you are ready to clean the stove…what do you need? Here is a good checklist:
- A drop cloth or newspapers to protect your floor.
- Old newspapers or paper towels for glass cleaning
- Gloves to protect your hands while cleaning.
- Small brush for ash
- Small ash shovel to scoop out the ashes.
- Metal ash container to collect the ashes in for disposal later. Make sure the ash is well-cooled before removal.
- Spray bottle containing a vinegar, water, and soap solution, two parts water to one part vinegar with a squeeze of dish soap.
- Dust mask to protect yourself from breathing in ash.
- A fireplace ash vacuum is great, but not necessary. A household vacuum isn’t recommended. You can use fireplace ash in your garden if distributed evenly and lightly.
Hiring a sweep to clean out your stove pipe will ensure that creosote doesn’t become a fire or health hazard for your family. Remember to always follow any directions provided with your wood stove. Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand for emergencies. You are on your way to toasty rooms in winter and a worry-free mind.