The wood-burning and multifuel stoves which we see today are extremely durable, built to last but from time to time they will experience general wear and tear and parts will need to be replaced. It is therefore vital that you carry out regular maintenance checks on your stove because even the smallest issue can have an impact upon efficiency and ultimately lead to increased fuel costs as you attempt to maintain the same level of heat output.
Simple checks
There are many simple checks which you can carry out at least annually to ensure that your stove is performing as it should do. These include: –
Fire bricks
Fire bricks are an important part of any stove because they line the inner body of the combustion chamber and ensure that as much heat as possible is reflected back into the body. Due to the thermal make-up of fire bricks they do not absorb heat therefore they also offer protection to the outer casing of the combustion chamber. It is easy to check your fire bricks to ensure there are no cracks or defects which might impact their performance.
If you do find any issues with your fire bricks spare parts are readily available and you simply take out the old fire bricks and replace them with the new ones. You will instantly see an improvement in the heat output from your stove and, as we touched on above, it will also protect the outer casing of your stove from wear and tear brought on by the excessive heat created.
Screws and washes
When you bear in mind the array of different elements associated with the modern day wood-burning and multifuel stove it may seem a little strange to be checking the screws and washes on a regular basis. However, due to the intense heat created by wood-burning and multifuel stoves, then the return to normal temperature levels when the stove is not in use, this can put extreme pressure on the screws and washes. On some occasions they can be compromised, cracked and need replacing although they can also be effectively welded to the body of the stove when again they will need replaced.
Replacing compromised screws and washers not only improves the efficiency of your stove but it also ensures they are operating with maximum safety. Again, we must stress that screws and watchers will not need to be replaced on a regular basis but they should be reviewed during the maintenance check.
Glass seal and panels
The glass panels in wood-burning and multi fuel stoves are very important because obviously they allow you to watch the flickering flames and burning embers – but you may encounter issues with regards to the glass seal and perhaps the glass itself. If the glass is cracked then this will impact the efficiency of your stove and if the seal between the glass and the stove is broken then this will also have an impact. Sometimes it can be tempting to put off replacing the glass, or the glass seal, but rest assured you will require more fuel to maintain the same heat output thereby increasing your expenditure.
Replacement glass and replacement glass seals are now readily available for delivery direct to your doorstep and extremely easy to fit. Simply remove the glass and the glass seal and replace as required. Again, like so many of the small maintenance fixes you will feel the benefit immediately and your stove should return to maximum efficiency.
General wear and tear
Even though the modern-day wood-burning and multifuel stove is built to last, there will be occasions where general wear and tear means that the various parts need to be replaced. It is therefore essential that you carry out general wear and tear checks on a regular basis even though it is very rarely that you will come across any major issues. If you do have issues with for example the door handle, ash pan, baffle plate or any other element of your stove there are replacement spare parts available which can be delivered very swiftly direct to your doorstep.
Conclusion
Many people assume that because of the durability and the materials used to produce the modern-day stove they are somehow exempt from general wear and tear and replacement of parts. The reality is that many parts will never need replaced and there are no elements which will need to be replaced on a regular basis. However, due to wear and tear, accidents or other issues, you may need to replace some parts in the future to maintain safety levels as well as the efficiency of your stove. It is a false economy to continuously put off replacing parts which are compromised in any way.