Maintenance of Wood-Burning Stoves
Proper care and maintenance of wood-burning stoves is essential for their correct function and longevity, which is why we strongly recommend not underestimating maintenance.
Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance includes not only emptying the ash pan, but also cleaning the combustion chamber of soot. In the case of stoves and inserts with a hot-water heat exchanger, we also check the safety and relief valves (in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions).
TIP: The best tool for removing ash is a vacuum cleaner specifically designed for ash (or a container that attaches to a vacuum cleaner).
Empty the ash pan regularly so that it does not overflow and block the gaps in the grate. This would lead to insufficient air supply for proper combustion and could also damage the grate, which is no longer cooled by the incoming air when blocked. Always check that you are not disposing of ash together with live embers, thus preventing the risk of fire or potential injury.
Regularly clean the combustion chamber walls of soot. In the case of stoves with a hot-water heat exchanger, a layer of soot could lead to reduced exchanger output.
Check that no layer of dust or other dirt has settled on the stove, thus preventing any unwanted odours when lighting. Wipe away dust with a dry cloth, or as instructed in the manual. Heat-resistant paint is, by its very nature, more susceptible to water and chemical agents, so these should be avoided.
End-of-Season Maintenance
At the end of the heating season, thoroughly sweep out the stove and clean any accumulated soot from the baffle plate, etc. Carry out maintenance using tools designed for the purpose, such as steel brushes. On double-shell stoves, you can also sweep the space between the shells.
By dismantling the flue pipes or using cleaning openings, clean the accumulated soot from inside. Accumulated soot can reduce the diameter of the flue pipes and thereby reduce chimney draught.
Check all sealing ropes to ensure they are functioning correctly; if any leaks are found, replace the sealing rope. Always observe the sealing rope diameters specified by the manufacturer to prevent problems (poor door closure, leaks, etc.).
Close all air inlets and dampers to prevent air from flowing through the appliance.
Chimney Maintenance and Inspection
For appliances with an output of up to 50 kW, flue ways must be cleaned three times a year during year-round operation (twice a year for seasonal operation). Inspection of the flue way is required once a year (in accordance with Regulation 34/2016 of 22 January 2016). Cleaning may be carried out independently; inspections and revisions must always be performed by a chimney sweep holding the required certification.
A flue way inspection is required:
- before commissioning a new flue way or after any structural modification to the chimney
- when changing the type of fuel used by the connected appliance
- before replacing a fuel-burning appliance (except for replacement with an appliance of the same kind, type, design and output, provided that the suitability of the flue way is confirmed by a report on cleaning and inspection of the flue way)
- after a chimney fire
- when cracks appear in a flue way in use, as well as when there are reasonable grounds to suspect the presence of cracks in a flue way in use
Neglected Maintenance Can Lead to Fire
Some owners of fireplaces and stoves forget to have them inspected every year and go without calling a chimney sweep for several years. This negligence can lead to a blocked chimney and subsequent carbon monoxide poisoning. In extreme cases, soot fires occur inside the chimney, resulting not only in property damage but sometimes in tragic loss of life. You can find your local chimney sweep, for example, on the website of the Guild of Chimney Sweeps in the Czech Republic: www.skcr.cz, which brings together chimney sweeps and inspection technicians from across the country.