It’s Spring and Spring cleaning time – we’ve heard of *that* time of year when you clean your house from top to bottom, but, did you know it’s also a great time to service your wood fire heater as well.
Your wood fire heater has worked hard all through winter for you, keeping you, and your family warm, and now it’s probably in need of a little tender loving care. During the warmer months when your wood fire heater isn’t being used it’s important to have the right maintenance carried out on it, so it’s all ready to work for you through the next autumn and winter. Not only does a good clean give you a better view of the fire, a clean will also help next years wood burn cleaner and better.
Having a regular maintenance plan in place will help extend the life of your wood fire heater and ensures it looks great and will perform properly the next time you need it.
It is better to have a qualified installer to carry out maintenance/service on your wood fire heater, but you can do it yourself.
- Sweep your chimney – this should be done yearly, and spring is a great time to do it as your fireplace won’t be in use. A check of your chimney will ensure that the flue pipe, or chimney, is clear and safe for the next time you use your heater.
- Check your flue – you should also have your flue cleaned regularly by a qualified chimney sweep, Creosote is a substance that is formed by solid fuel combustion, creosote and resin, can build up and cause a fire in the flue or chimney.
- Safety Check – check the condition of the heater and the flue as well as door seals, baffles etc. Look for any bird nests in or near the flue system in the roof cavity. If you have loose insulation check to make sure that none of it has blown up into the flue cavity clearance area.
- Spring Clean – the appearance of your heater is also important as it is the focal point of your room, whether it is lit or not. You can give the inside of your heater a clean with a lint-free cloth or a shoe brush to wipe away that unwanted dust or soot. DO NOT use water on a damp cloth to wipe/clean the inside of your heater.
- Time for the old *elbow grease* – It’s important to clean the internal elements of your heater too. Clean the roof of the firebox and use a vacuum to remove ashes and soot. If you have any small difficult areas, a small wire brush can help.
Servicing your heater during spring minimises the corrosive effects of creosote residue and condensation when your heater isn’t being used during the warmer months.
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