Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolJun 19, 201710:26 pm

Wood-burning stoves now appeal to all areas of the population

In years gone by it is fair to say that wood-burning stoves were seen as a “middle class” product which could be fairly expensive to acquire and required access to the correct would fuel. The situation has changed over the last 20 years and wood-burning stoves now appeal to the masses and the price range now appeals to all budgets. It is now possible to acquire stoves for as little as £400 or you can go up to the thousands of pounds for some of the more luxury products.

Traditional wood-burning stoves

While contemporary wood-burning stoves are gaining popularity there has been consistent demand for traditional style wood-burning stoves for many years. The stereotypical smaller wood-burning stove is now seen in many homes across the country offering more than enough heat to take the chill out of a room. Many people would say that until you have sampled the deep heat created by a wood-burning stove it is impossible to realise what you are missing!

Spare Parts & Accessories by CarolJun 17, 201710:06 pm

Why you should avoid cheap stove spare parts

The old adage, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true fits many areas of everyday life. It is also applicable when looking for stove replacement parts because sometimes you will come across cheap products which do look too good to be true. So, why should you avoid cheap stove spare parts and what are the potential consequences?

Built for your specific machine

There is no doubt that from time to time you will come across adverts promoting stove spare parts which fit specific machines even though they are not from the officially licensed spare parts range. In order to catch your attention these companies will undercut the official price of the spare part to save you a few pounds. We’re not suggesting that all companies who offer alternative spare parts are making untrue claims but the fact is that the only spare part you can trust is the one made by those who manufacture the stove.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolJun 15, 201711:12 am

Cleaning the glass door of your wood burning stove

You might wonder why you need advice about cleaning the glass door of your wood-burning stove when it seems so simple. When cleaning the door of your wood-burning stove it is imperative that you do it correctly otherwise it will smudge and the acid in any soot could start to eat away at printed glass doors. We have put together a step-by-step guide to cleaning the glass door of your wood-burning stove in order to guarantee longevity and durability.

Never clean your stove when it is hot

Once you have decided that your wood-burning stove glass door needs cleaning it is tempting to simply jump in, there and then. It is imperative that you wait until the glass has cooled before you attempt to clean it for your own safety and to protect the glass. Many people assume that if they clean the glass when it is hot and the cleaning fluid is steaming then this is doing some good. This is not the case!

Gas and Electric Stoves by CarolJun 14, 20173:34 pm

Why are electric inset stoves becoming so popular?

In years gone by an electric stove/electric fire had a certain stigma about it which was difficult to shake off. If somebody was to suggest looking at an electric fire today you might automatically think of the old four bar electric fires. Looking back these fires were potentially dangerous and not much use when looking to maintain a constant temperature in a room. However, the electric fire/electric stove which you see today is very different to that of years gone by!

Stylish and eye-catching

Perhaps the most stylish and eye-catching of the electric stoves available today are the inset machines which literally fit into a relatively small hole in your wall. They are extremely easy to install and immediately they will become the focal point of any room. You can buy an array of different electric fires which vary in length depending upon your requirements. However, these are not just flick a switch and you have one setting, they have many options!

Firewood and Fuel Tips by CarolJun 12, 20174:04 pm

What is the best way to light a wood-burning stove?

Once your wood-burning stove is lit it will literally burn for a long as you keep replenishing it with wood. The process of lighting a stove is fairly straightforward although some people do have a little difficulty with the initial process. We will now walk you through a step-by-step guide to the easiest, and safest, way to light a wood-burning stove and ensure that it remains lit.

An easy burn

The easiest way to start your wood-burning stove is to create a number of layers of different materials which take longer to burn. The initial lay should be scrunched up newspaper which is extremely easy to light and will help with the initial burn process. The lair of newspaper should be thick enough for it to burn for a while as it needs to create enough heat and flames to start the whole process.

Firewood and Fuel Tips by CarolJun 6, 20174:54 pm

Five must have items if you own a wood-burning stove

What use is a stove thermometer?

At some point you will no doubt have come across the magnetic stove thermometers which change colour depending upon the temperature. These are placed on stove flue pipes, a minimum of 300 mm above the stove, and are visible from a distance. When you bear in mind that you can feel the heat coming from your stove it does beg the question, what use is a stove thermometer?

Over fueling

It seems bizarre to suggest that you can over fuel your wood-burning stove but you would be surprised to learn how many people fall into this trap. The idea that you can literally plough was much wood into your stove as possible in order to increase the heat output is inefficient at best and a waste of money at worst.

A stove thermometer will alert you to overheating because quite simply your stove is manufactured to create a specific amount of heat kilowatts. You can pile as much wood into the stove as you want but this will not increase the heat output but it will increase the gas escaping up your chimney – increasing the temperature of the flue and potentially damaging the liner. There is also a danger that it could reduce the lifespan of your stove because put simply it is not manufactured to go above a certain kilowatt output.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolMay 30, 20178:43 am

Use your stove properly for greater efficiency

Regular maintenance of your stove delivers greater efficiencies

The wood-burning and multifuel stoves which we see today are extremely durable, built to last but from time to time they will experience general wear and tear and parts will need to be replaced. It is therefore vital that you carry out regular maintenance checks on your stove because even the smallest issue can have an impact upon efficiency and ultimately lead to increased fuel costs as you attempt to maintain the same level of heat output.

Simple checks

There are many simple checks which you can carry out at least annually to ensure that your stove is performing as it should do. These include: –

Fire bricks

Fire bricks are an important part of any stove because they line the inner body of the combustion chamber and ensure that as much heat as possible is reflected back into the body. Due to the thermal make-up of fire bricks they do not absorb heat therefore they also offer protection to the outer casing of the combustion chamber. It is easy to check your fire bricks to ensure there are no cracks or defects which might impact their performance.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolMay 21, 20178:42 pm

Is there an argument for buying second-hand stoves?

We all know that the modern day wood-burning and multifuel stove is manufactured to last and is extremely durable. It is unlikely that you will have to replace any parts due to wear and tear in the early days and even further down the line the cost of maintenance will be minimal. However, more and more people are now looking towards second-hand stoves but do they really make sense from an economic standpoint? Is there better value towards the lower end of the new purchase market?

General wear and tear

It will obviously depend upon what type of stove you are looking to acquire but some second-hand stoves might not be in production anymore and it could be difficult to obtain spare parts. Stove companies will do their best to ensure a constant line of spare parts/replacement parts but if a particular stove is for example 10 to 15 years old it is difficult to justify manufacturing spare parts as the size of the market falls.

Stove Advice & Maintenance by CarolMay 17, 20174:04 pm

Do you need a chimney to install a wood-burning stove?

The vast majority of older properties already have a chimney therefore installing a wood-burning stove is made that much easier. The situation is a little different for more modern houses where there is no chimney, yet the occupants would like to install a wood-burning stove. At first glance you may automatically assume it is not possible, but it is, there are ways and means of installing a wood-burning stove in a property without a traditional chimney.

Installing an insulated steel flue

An insulated steel flue is also referred to as a twin wall flue which is to all intents and purposes a steel chimney. This is added to your property and where possible the most common installation process involves the flue passing through the nearest outside wall and up the outside of the building. This ensures that the gases are removed from the room as soon as possible and directed up into the atmosphere. Ideally there would be 4.5m of straight flue pipe (available in black as well as stainless steel) up the side of the building for the steel chimney to work at its best.

Gas and Electric Stoves by PeterMay 13, 20172:26 pm

Flues and Chimneys for Gas Stoves

We recently blogged about whether people would prefer a gas stove to a wood burning stove. And to follow on from this blog and keep on the same subject, we wanted to provide our followers with […]