AUTUMN CHORES & CHECKS
Get Your Woodburner Warmed up for Winter
Discounts available on almost all woodburners from us
Heating Season is Here
If you want to wax poetical, Autumn is the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” – it’s also time to consider firing up your woodburning stove after it has lain fallow during the warmer months.
With the leaves turning golden and a nip in the air, you can stock up the woodpile ahead of winter. But before you light up your stove, it’s wise to carry out some essential chores and checks to make sure your woodburner is safe and ready to keep you warm as the days draw in.
Our Woodburner “To Do” List Ahead of a Warm, Safe Winter
1
Chimney Sweep & Check
A professional chimney sweep and health check at least once a year is vital for your safety when you’re making full use of your woodburning stove. Autumn is the perfect time to schedule this, so get on to your local sweep who will make sure any build up of soot, tar and creosote in your flue or chimney is cleared out. This not only safeguards against potentially harmful smoke and gases billowing back into the room when you light the fire, but also prevents chimney fires. While he’s sweeping, your chimney sweep will be able to give the flue, baffle plate, lining and other components the once over to make sure everything is in good repair, ready for the season.
2
Stove Clean & Check
With the flue and chimney good to go, turn your attention to the woodburning stove itself. Clear away the ash in the firebox. Clean the door glass of any residue with a glass cleaner available from Dinghams Direct. Wipe off the exterior of the stove (when it’s cold) with a soft dry cloth – preferably don’t use water. You can rejuvenate and protect a discoloured log burner exterior with stove polish – unless it has an enamelled or painted finish.
During or after cleaning inspect your stove for any damage, cracks or loose parts. Pay special attention to the seals around the door and glass, and the condition of the firebricks in the base. If anything looks like it needs attention, call a HETAS approved technician to fix your stove. If the door seals are broken, affecting the air-tightness of the fire chamber, the rate and quality of the burn will suffer and you’ll probably find it burns uncontrollably fast.
3
Fuel Preparation
To make it easy on yourself during the winter it’s wise to stock up on fuel for your woodburner so you won’t have to run around on a cold evening trying to source some logs because you’ve run out! Don’t forget dry seasoned or kiln dried firewood is what you should be burning in your stove – otherwise you’ll end up with a dirty, smoky fire that won’t put out much heat and will blacken your stove glass. Read our guide to Premium Fuel for Woodburners.
There are numerous local online retailers who offer to deliver kiln dried logs in bags or pallet loads. If you order a large quantity of firewood you’ll need to have proper storage – off the ground, under shelter, with free air flow. If you’re buying smaller quantities you can probably find suitable dried hardwood logs at garden centres, supermarkets or convenience stores. Make sure you know where to source your wood before the frost begins to bite and you don’t have the time or inclination to compete for log supplies.
4
Assemble Equipment
Once your stove is ready to fire up, take some time to check on the tools and accessories that can make lighting up and maintaining your fire so much easier. These things may not be essential, but they do make for a better, safer burn experience and look pretty good on your hearth or fireplace too. Here’s some recommendations for useful accessories:
- Log Splitter
- Log Basket or Rack
- Bucket or basket for kindling
- Stove Gloves
- Dustpan & Brush
- Poker
- Sealable metal ash can
5
Safety Measures
A woodburning stove creates a wonderful cosy ambience in your home, but don’t forget it’s potentially dangerous and needs to be treated correctly, with care and respect. Before the heating season make sure you have a functioning carbon monoxide detector in the vicinity of the stove that will sound an alarm if Carbon monoxide levels build up.
If you’re looking for a woodburner to heat your home this winter in or around the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire, come and visit the Dinghams Direct showroom or browse our selection of wood burning stoves online.
We also offer a wide range of gas and electric fires, range cookers, stone and timber fireplace surrounds, and garden heating and cooking appliances for great entertaining.
Read our other online guides designed to help you enjoy your woodburner, such as how a woodburner reduces fuel bills, when to get your chimney swept, types of fuel for woodburners, and our list of woodburner FAQs.
Recommended installers
We can recommend Corgi and Hetas installers in the area.
On site quotes
Our recommended installers can carry out site visits and provide installation prices.
10% discount on collection
For collection, we will be pleased to help load the customer’s vehicle, but can take no responsibility for any breakages occurred in transport.