Similar to your car’s MOT, it’s necessary to pay your stove the attention it deserves, make repairs to ensure it is running at its most efficient. Autumn is the perfect time to do this, and it’s very important to rectify any problems before the cold weather sets in and the strains and pressures of regular and heavy use are put upon the stove.

If being a good cub scout taught us anything it was the importance of being prepared and being stuck in the throes of a horrifically icy winter only to find you stove has broken down is not good at all.

So in preparation for the winter and to avoid the unthinkable we have put together this handy list to help get you stove ready for the winter.

 Get your stove ready fore the cold weather:

• Clean out the ash-pan. We recommend you use a dedicated ash vacuum cleaner to save your domestic vacuum from becoming blocked from the fine ash particles, or use a secure ash caddie to stop spillages.
• Check all air-holes are clear and free from any debris build up. These help get vital oxygen to your fire and make it as efficient as possible.
• Give your glass a clean with a dedicated stove glass cleaner to get the best results. Not only does this remove the build-up of dangerous creosote, it lets you see the beautiful roaring fire you’ve created.
• Check your stove rope around the seals of your stove doors and replace at the first sign of damage. To do this, chalk the rope with the door open and then shut it. When you open it again, look to see the line made by the chalk on the stove, where the rope should be touching. If any gaps are spotted, then you need to replace the rope.
• Check your firebricks and look for any damage. These reflect the heat back at the fire, protecting the body of the stove and improving efficiency.
• Remove any flammable objects from the area around your stove. Sounds obvious but you’d be surprised what people put on top of (or even in) their stoves when they’re not in use. Similarly, with Halloween coming up, check any decorations hanging nearby aren’t too close to your stove.
• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. It is absolutely imperative that you make sure these work.
• Get your chimney cleaned by a reputable chimney sweep. Creosote builds up in chimneys over time and birds have a tendency to build nests or fall down them.
• Start to bring in some seasoned wood into your house to keep it dry and ready to go. This will create space in your covered wood pile and allow you to prepare even more wood.
• Gradually begin to warm your stove by lighting small fires in it. Similar to when you first got your stove, you need to slowly suggest heat to the metal parts of the stove so that it doesn’t expand too rapidly and crack.

While these points will help you successfully maintain your stove, we urge you to keep a look out for any wear and tear you may as you go. If you spot anything that doesn’t look or feel right call Limegreen‘s heating specialist who can swiftly help you get to the root of the problem.

The post Is it time to get your stove ready for winter? first appeared on Limegreen.

1. The Style or aesthetics you desire, simple select Traditional, Contemporary or Modern Traditional on the Product finder.

2. Heat output appropriate for the room/space you want to heat
To achieve a relaxing room temperature of around 21ºC when the external air temperature is at freezing (0ºC) you will need approximately 1kW of heat output for every 14 cubic meters of space.
Measure the length, width and height of your room and multiply the three figures together. For example, a room measuring 7m long by 4m wide and with a height of 2.5m is 70 cu. m. of space. Divide by the sum by 14 and this means you will require a 5kW stove. However, factors such as the number of outside walls, the size of windows and whether they are double glazed, the age of the home etc, can all influence the heat requirement. We would always recommend you consult with LimeGreen for expert advice before making your decision. How to choose the right STOVAX wood burning or multi fuel stove

3. Fuel type – wood burning only or multi-fuel

Logs burns best on a flat bed of ash, with air for combustion coming from above. Coal and smokeless fuels burn best on a grate, with air entering from beneath the fire and cinders dropping into an ashpan below. Wood burning models, therefore, have flat fuel beds whilst multi-fuel models incorporate grates, but the latter are also designed to allow you to develop a bed of ash upon which to burn logs should you wish.

4. Do you wish the stove to heat water as well as the room?

5. Are cleanburn, airwash and efficiency important to you?

6. Do you wish to burn wood on a Smoke Control Area?

If you live in a town or city, the chances are that you live in a Smoke Control Area.
To meet the smoke emission standards for these areas, you will need to burn smokeless fuels only on a multi-fuel stove or fire, or you can burn logs on a wood burning or multi-fuel stove or fire that has been approved by DEFRA as sufficiently cleanburning to be exempt from the regulations. Numerous models in the Stovax range are approved to burn logs in Smoke Control Areas and these are detailed on the product pages of this website. To check whether you live in a Smoke Control Area visit www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk.

Get further information and details of Stovax products suitable for use in Smoke Control areas.

The answers to these questions will narrow down your selection and help guide you to the ideal stove for you. Please use the Product Finder on the STOVAX website to help you with this refining process.

How to choose the right STOVAX wood burning or multi fuel stove

Furthermore, you can visit our Showroom @ Gripoly Mills Retail Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff. We are open 7 days a week, so why not just pop in. We’ll have the kettle on ready.

The post How to choose the right STOVAX wood burning or multi fuel stove first appeared on Limegreen.