Month: October 2019

Read More
Buy: Hunter Herald 6 Double-Sided Double Depth Stove

Step-by-step guide to cleaning your cast iron stove

While there are many different types of stoves available today, made from many different materials, old-fashioned cast iron stoves are still extremely popular. This is because the material is perfect for storing and then slowly radiating heat throughout your room over a prolonged period of time. However, unless you clean your cast iron stove on a regular basis you will see a buildup of residue which can impact the efficiency as well as the amount of fuel required.

We have put together a step-by-step guide to cleaning your cast iron stove, the do’s, the don’ts and ways in which you can increase efficiency and improve the longevity of your stove.

Read More
How to light a wood-burning stove

How to light a wood-burning stove

Those who have not yet had the chance to light a wood-burning stove might automatically think it is very easy. Throw in a few logs, the odd fire lighter and hey presto you have a bonfire in seconds. Keep throwing on those big logs and you will create that perfect ambience, that deep seated heat and be able to sit back and relax. In practice it is very different although it is just a case of getting used to what feeds your fire and what starves your fire. So, we will now take a look at the process of lighting a wood-burning stove and the dos and don’ts.

What do you need to light a wood-burning stove?

Surprisingly, the real key (but not the secret ingredient) to lighting a wood-burning stove is the kindling, how you light it, where you position it and ensuring that it is able to light the larger logs. However, there are other elements that you will need with the full list below:-

Firelighters

There are many different types of firelighters you can buy some of which are specifically manufactured for stoves. They are often wood byproducts and do not contain the nasty chemicals that many firelighters burnt in the past. It is also possible to make your own firelighters which may be something as simple as small strips of newspaper. However, to get the right hold, to build up the right heat and get things going, manufactured firelighters work best.

Read More
We have revamped our stove accessories section

When should you start using your wood-burning / multifuel stove?

The first thing to say is there is no set time/period during which you should use your wood-burning/multifuel stove. There are a lot of factors to consider with the most obvious being the weather. Due to climate warming, changing seasons or simply cyclical temperature changes across the globe, the start, end and duration of stove firing season has changed lately. So, when is it most popular to start using your wood-burning/multifuel stove?

September appears to be the most popular month

We carried out a straw poll on the Arbtalk forum and while only a small number of members responded, we found that around 67% of those who use stoves will start to light up again in September. This is when the summer comes to an end and the autumn begins with a significant change in weather, temperature and wind. As you will see below, there have been some significant variations in British monthly temperatures which tend to dictate when wood-burning/multifuel stoves are brought out of hibernation!