Fireplace stove maintenance
Proper care and maintenance of fireplace stoves is important for their proper functioning and durability, therefore we recommend not to underestimate maintenance.
Regular maintenance
Regular maintenance includes not only ashtray emptying, but also cleaning the combustion chamber from soot;
TIP: A specially designed ash cleaner (or a container connected to the vacuum cleaner) is best suited for ash sweeping.
We empty the ashtray continuously so that the ashtray does not overfill and blog the gaps in the grate. This would lead to an insufficient supply of air for proper combustion and could also cause damage to the grate that would not be cooled by the supplied air due to this blockage. We always check not to dispose of ashes together with hot coals to avoid the risk of fire or injury.
We continuously clean the combustion chamber from soot on the chamber walls, in the case of a stove with a hot-water exchanger, this carbon black layer could lead to a reduced exchanger performance.
Check that there is no settled layer of dust or other impurities on the stove to prevent unwanted odors when firing. Wipe the dust with a dry cloth or follow the instructions in the manual. Refractory paint is more susceptible to water and chemical agents, because of its refractory properties, so we should avoid them.
Maintenance after the heating season
After the heating season, sweep the stove thoroughly, or clean the resulting soot from the deflector, etc. We perform the maintenance using tools designed for this purpose, such as steel brushes, etc. For double-walled fireplace stoves we can also wash the space between the walls.
Clean the resulting soot inside by removing the flues or through cleaning holes. Soot can reduce flues' diameter and thus can reduce the chimney draft.
We check all the sealing cords to see if they really fulfill their function, in case of leakage replace the sealing cord. It is always necessary to keep the diameters of the sealing cords given by the manufacturer, thus avoiding problems (poor closing of the door, leaks, etc.)
Close all air inlets and flaps to prevent airflow through the heater.
Chimney maintenance and inspection
In the case of an device with an output of up to 50 kW, it is necessary to clean the flue gas paths three times a year during year-round operation (twice a year in seasonal operation). It is necessary to check the flue gas route once a year (according to Decree 34/2016 of 22 January 2016). Cleaning can be done on your own, a control and revision must be done by a chimney-sweep with the necessary authorization.
The flue gas path is revised:
- before commissioning a new flue gas duct or after any construction work on the chimney
- when changing the fuel type of the connected fuel device
- before replacing the fuel device (with the exception of replacing the device of the same type, design and performance under condition that the flue gas route quality is confirmed by the flue gas cleaning and inspection report)
- after a chimney fire
- in the case of cracks in the used flue gas path, as well as in the case of a reasonable suspicion of the occurrence of cracks in the used flue gas path.
Neglected maintenance may result in fire
Some owners of fireplaces and stoves forget about their everyr year's revisions and do not invite the chimney sweep to visit them for several years. This negligence can lead to chimney blocking and subsequent carbon monoxide poisoning. In extreme cases, soot fires occur in the chimney, resulting in not only damage to property, but also tragic loss of life. For example, contact your chimney sweep on the Czech Chimney Sweepers website: www.skcr.cz, that associates chimney sweeps and inspection technicians from all over the country.