Winter is the time when we like to snuggle up in front of a
good wood fire
.
So that you benefit fully and for a long time, your insert or your stove requires regular maintenance.
To discover
Fence and neighborhood: what does the law say?
When and how should you clean your fireplace or wood stove?
The flue must, of course, be swept
twice a year
(once after the heating season and a second time during) to prevent chimney fires, but that's not all.
The hearth must be very regularly cleaned of its ashes to ensure a good quality of combustion.
"Every 8 days at most, and even every 2 or 3 days if the device is used daily
," explains Cédric Laurent, general manager of the Seguin group, manufacturer of stoves and fireplaces.
The accumulation of ash blocks the air passages necessary for proper combustion of the wood.
"
Read alsoChoosing a wood stove
The quality of the fuel is the key to the correct operation of your appliance.
To maintain its performance and limit ash, the fuel must be very dry (humidity around 18%) and have as little bark as possible.
“Avoid burning the pruning of fruit trees which produce a lot of ash,”
continues Cédric Laurent.
The cleaning is carried out with
an ash vacuum cleaner at
the level of the hearth, because the recent devices, more and more waterproof to be compatible with the new building construction standards (RT 2012), do not have an ash drawer.
Warning
Your household is not an incinerator.
Do not burn anything other than wood: it is harmful to the combustion, the appliance and the duct, as well as to the atmosphere.
Read alsoHow to build a shelter for your logs
How to clean the glass of your insert or your wood stove?
If the combustion is of good quality or your appliance is recent, it is only necessary to strip the glass
once a week
.
Excessive blackening is very often linked to poor combustion.
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Excessive blackening is very often linked to poor combustion. If the temperature is too low, because the wood is too humid or because the user cuts all the air inlets to save fuel, the fire smolders and tar, creating deposits in the duct, with a risk of fire. chimney.
“The glass is cleaned with
specific products
without caustic soda, because it has the effect of pricking the glass.
The tar becomes embedded in it and it then becomes impossible to clean.
Never put the product directly on the glass, to avoid runs which harden the joints.
Apply it to a cloth.
Proceed when the glass is slightly warm, it is much easier.
Forbid grandmother's things like rubbing with the ashes of the fireplace: it's abrasive and you risk scratching the glass, ”
warns Cédric Lauren.
To read also I installed a wood stove with smoke evacuation ducts in my main residence.
Can I benefit from the tax credit for the energy transition for this installation?
Once a year, disassemble and vacuum the deflectors, checking the instructions for how to proceed.
Present on quality appliances, this equipment accumulates what falls from the flue to prevent the flames from rising there.
Once a year, disassemble and vacuum the deflectors, checking the instructions for how to proceed.
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Brush the fireback and all cast iron surfaces with a wire brush as well.
This material is prone to rust.
To protect it from humidity during the period when you are not using your fireplace, cover it with a veil of high temperature paint (spray).
If the insert door gasket is no longer waterproof (it frayed or the door slams during the outbreak), it must be replaced.
For chimneys, vacuum the hot air outlet grilles to avoid black marks linked to the combustion of dust.
To note :
The sweeping must be done mechanically.
The chemical sweeping log dries the tars, but does not replace the passage of the hedgehog.
It is only a complement.
How to clean your pellet stove?
The
pellet stoves
must also be maintained.
Vacuum the brazier every 2 days (where the pellets fall and where they burn).
Without this, the electronic spark plug will not be able to ignite.
This should be replaced approximately every 2 years.
Read alsoHeating yourself with a pellet stove
Once a year, clean the fume extractor (it is located under the combustion chamber).
Take out a maintenance contract with a specialized company, which will carry out the sweeping at the same time (count between 140 and 150 €).
She will also have to clean the hot air outlets (this involves removing the sides of the appliance, and replacing the gaskets in the right places).
