Servicing a woodburning stove

servicing a woodburning stove

Should a woodburning stove be serviced and what does this entail?

Yes. All stoves work on the system of controling air to the fire allowing the user to use the woodburner to their own requirements. If the stove has door seals that do not fit, sealant (usually fire cement) broken away from collarm glass seal broken or reduced in size and or cracking, warping of body then extra air will come into the stove and you will not be able to control the flame.

The other reasons for servicing your woodburner is for gaurantee of the product, preserving life expectancy of the stove, helping lifespan of the flue and ensuring your safety.

Most stoves have diffferent rope seals and galss seals. Stove rope sizes vary from 5mm to 18mm and some stoves have 2 sizes of rope on their doors.
Just to confuse matters stove rope also comes as soft or hard rope and if you were to fit a 14mm hard rope where a soft rope should be fitted the stove door probably would not shut!!

Rope glue should be used to ensure the gasket sticks to the steel or cast and we would advise the ends of the rope seal have a thermal tape to tidy ends and ensure the rope doesn't fray.

Glass seal is usualy a thermic strip however some companies use a thin rope seal or fine paper like seal strip.

Most service engineers carry the full rope range along with glass seal and firecement but it is wise to check with the manufacturer first to confirm the dimensions are correct.

It is advisable to check the body of the stove and all the joints if a cast unit. The sides, top and bottom of cast should be re-sealed if needed and if a steel stove the body checked for any deterioration.
The collar joint is the most common area for re cementing as flue expands and retracts when hot.