GB
15
STOVE MAINTENANCE
The glass may be come sooty with use, even if the fire is lit with dry wood
with a moisture content of 15 – 20%. Wiping with dry paper is often
sufficient when cleaning regularly. If the soot has been on the glass for
longer it can be removed using cleaning agent or a specific soot removal
agent. These cleaning agents can be purchased at your local supermarket
or your local stove dealer.
Never use cleaning agents that contain abrasives or that are corrosive
to printed or painted glass. These can damage the glass/paint. Do not
use cleaning products containing sodium hydroxide because of their
corrosive effect on sealing strips.
Ensure that no embers remain when removing ash from the stove. The
ash must be stored in a fireproof container with a lid for for at least a
week before being disposed of.
Also clean inside the area where the ash-pan is located, otherwise spilled
ash can prevent the ash-pan from being fully inserted and prevent the
fireplace door from being closed properly.
Soapstone can be cleaned using washing-up liquid or wiped with pure
acetone. Do not place flammable objects or candles on the soapstone.
The grate and other cast iron components can be cleaned using a
wirebrush.
It is important that the gaskets are checked from a combustion point of
view, because worn gaskets reduce combustion because the stove draws
additional air.
Because there is a constant flow of air though the stove, cold room air
is drawn in and hot air released, dust can gather behind and under the
stove. Therefore, one should regularly clean under and behind the stove.
Components close to the centre of the fire may need to be replaced.
Examples of such components are the stove cladding and grate. The life
of these components depends on how much and the manner in which the
stove has been used.
The fire should not be too big. Large fires are uneconomic and also
produce high smoke temperatures that can damage the stove and
the chimney. The recommended amount of wood is 1.5 kg/hour and
the maximum permitted is 2.5 kg/hour and then refers to burning
split birch or other broadleaf wood with 18% moisture content.
When lighting the same weight of conifer wood, significantly higher
stove temperatures are reached. Maximum fire for long periods
reduces the life of the stove and exceeding the permitted wood
amounts can lead to damage to parts of the stove and the warranty
being invalidated.
AVOID TOO LARGE A FIRE
CHOICE OF FUEL
All sorts of logs, such as birch, beech, oak,
elm, ash, conifers and fruit trees can be used
as fuel in the stove. Different types of wood
have different density, the higher the density
the higher the energy value. Oak, beech and
birch have the highest density.
The wood’s moisture
content
Fresh wood is about 50 per cent water. Some
of the water circulates freely between the
fibres and some of the water is bound in the cells. The wood must always be
dried so that the free water evaporates. The timber is ready for use when
the moisture content has fallen below 20 %. If wood with a higher moisture
content is lit, a large part of the energy content of the wood is used boiling
off the water. If the wood is damp, the combustion is also poor, layers of
soot and tar build up in the chimney and could, at worst, lead to a chimney
fire. In addition, it causes the glass of the stove to soot and may cause
discomfort to those living nearby.
To ensure thoroughly dry wood, the wood should be cut in the winter and
stored, well aired, under a roof. Never cover the wood pile with a tarpaulin
to the ground. The tarpaulin will then act as a sealed cover and the wood
will be prevented from drying. Always store a small amount of wood indoors
for several days before use, so that the surface moisture has time to
evaporate.
You must NOT burn the following
Under no circumstances whatsoever may fossil fuels, pressure impregnated
wood, painted or glued wood, chipboard, plastic or colour brochures be used
as fuel. All these materials can create hydrochloric acid and heavy metals
that are damaging both to the environment and the stove. Hydrochloric
acid can also attack the steel in the chimney or the mortar in a stone built
chimney.
Candles
Do not use old candle stubs as fuel. Melted wax runs down into the stove’s
damper system and makes the stove unusable. Repairs for this are very
expensive.
Managing waste
The stove packaging is cardboard, wood and a small amount
of plastic. The materials must be sorted and recycled.
Hearth plate glass must
be discarded as waste
material together with
pottery and porcelain
