Your wood burning stove is no different to many of the appliances in your home; with regular maintenance and cleaning it can provide you with many years of trouble-free use. Prevention is better than cure! So, here are a few tips for looking after the heating heart of your home...

Clean the glass

Dip a damp paper towel in ash and use this to clean the stove glass. If this doesn't work and the glass has a lot of build-up, try burning a couple of high temperature fires in the before attempting to clean the glass using more aggressive means.

Check door seals

The door's specialist heat resistant fire rope forms a seal and prevents excess air from getting into the stove, and also ensures the door is closed properly. With general wear and tear, this rope can become worn.

Empty stove ashpan

If the ash in the pan gets too close to the grate, it can block the flow of air to the grate, causing it to become too hot and possibly warp or become damaged.

Clean the baffle/throat plate

If soot and other waste to gather on the throat plate your stove will be less efficient becasue it blocks the flue. These deposits can pose a fire risk, so it is also potentially dangerous. Ideally, you should clean the baffle plate weekly.

Leave the door ajar when out of use

If the stove's going to be out of action for a while - for example during Summer - leave the door slightly open. This keeps air moving through the system and can help stop corrosion.

Check for rust

Modern stoves don't tend to suffer from rust but if you do spot it you should treat it quickly. Use wire wool to rub the rusted area, then apply stove paint. Hey-presto - your stove looks tip-top again.

Have the chimney swept bi-annually

Having your chimney swept a couple of times a year will help to keep deposits at bay and make sure it burns both more efficiently and more safely.

Use the right firewood

Using green or wet logs produces a thick smoke that produce tar and acidic residues that cause thick deposits to build up on the sides of the flue/chimney. Not only can these compounds also cause damage to the stove and flue, they can also cause chimney fires. Burning kiln dried or air dried firewood helps to prevent this.