  | It's really cold in Winter so if you have been using your log burner daily since September then January is a good time to book in a chimney sweep to get your flexible liner cleaned, especially if you burn wood only. |
Tips For Log burner Users
This year more than ever, with the constant rise of the cost of living; we need to be careful with money but we also need to keep warm. On this page you will find ways of saving money and preparing safely for Winter.
After your installation we will show you how to light a log burner
and you can also watch our helpful video below.
| Your stove burns less wood and produces less harmful gases when it's looked after so keep it in tip-top condition. No-one enjoys breathing in dirty air so make sure the fuel you use is of good quality also. Look for the woodsure label on your fuel. |    |
Tip 1 - Book a chimney sweep
After you stop using your fire, soot remains in the chimney and starts to mix with the water in the atmosphere rather than getting burnt off, as usual. This can cause your bricks and mortar or expensive stainless steel chimney lining material to corrode.
Getting your chimney swept in the Summer months helps avoid this damage and also saves you the stress of finding a chimney sweep in the busy months running up to Christmas. Sweeps are quieter in the summer months and often will offer a discount to attract your business.
The fire service recommend that you get your chimney swept, at least, once per year as this helps prevent dangerous chimney fires.
To book your chimney sweep online visit our sister company website : Cleansweep Vac Services
Spring is almost here!
It's suddenly warm and then really cold and so if you have been using your logburner since September, it may be time to book in your chimney sweep to avoid a build up of soot. It's also nearly bird nesting time, so if you see Jackdaws and Pigeons moving in on your warm chimney, then contact us for a quote for a bird guard to be fitted to your chimney or to have is permanently capped off to avoid costly nest removals.
Tip 2 - Service your log burner
As the price of energy increases, log burner will save you money on gas and electric bills. Should there be a power cut, you will still have a source of heat and can also use the top of your burner for cooking. Log burners need a little bit of care and attention every year however, to keep them running optimally.
1. Check the grate and fire bricks that line the walls inside of the stove are not in need of repair, cracks of over 2mm wide indicate that the fire bricks may need changing. Any cracks below this are nothing to worry about and perfectly normal.
2. Check the glass and rope around the door seal. If they are damaged; extra air will enter and unnecessary fuel will be burnt. Clean your glass with industry standard cleaning fluid
( Use sparingly ).
3. Check the pipe coming out of the stove still has a good seal so that you are sure it hasn't moved or is coming loose. Check that it is still in good condition and not rusting, as this would imply damp in your chimney.
4. Take a good look at the metal box of your stove, make sure there is no rust or corrosion and that you can only see the flames through the window and not through any gaps or holes. Stop using immediately if this is the case.
5. Take a look outside at the top of your chimney or flue. If you do not have a cowl on top of the pot or pipe system then consider having one fitted. Cowls stop birds from nesting in the flue and also stop rain getting in. Water which creates creosote when mixed with soot, and sets solid in your flue which is extremely difficult to remove. Creosote can block your cowl if your wood has a high moisture content and releases water whilst burning.
You could also consider;
- buying a stove pipe thermometer. These are an excellent visual guide to help you keep your fire burning at its most efficient temperature.
- buying a moisture meter ( hygrometer ). Use to check whether the wood that you want to burn is dry enough. Wet and unseasoned wood will produce a lot of smoke and air pollution and you could incur a fine in some counties.
- buying a new stove. If yours is in need of a refurbishment then check the technical specifications for it. If it doesn't meet current emission ratings then you may not be able to reinstall it after a refurb. If you are considering a new stove take a look at our Greener Wood Stove page for helpful information.
Book a chimney sweep to check over your stove for you, its best to sweep at the same time to get a full picture of the health of your installation.
If you are having problems using your stove, take a look at our logburner problems page.
Stay Safe
Blockages in chimneys can cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste.
Breathing it can make you unwell, and can kill.
Last year in the UK, over 220 people went to hospital with accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. It causes around 30-40 deaths every year.
It is a legal requirement to have a CO detector located in the same room as any fuel burning appliance. This includes gas fires and open fireplaces burning wood or coal.
 | Check your CO alarm Check that it is correctly positioned; conforms to the British Standard and is of course check regularly that it is still working.
|  | Check your LogsUse a moisture meter to check that your wood is seasoned properly.
|
 | Check your Smoke AlarmYou should have two types of alarms in your property. |  | Check your fire-proof glovesFire-proof gloves are an essential when using your log burner, if they are damaged or wearing thin, consider buying new.
|
Tip 3 - Stock up on kindling early
Autumn is a great time for collecting dry twigs that have fallen off the trees. These make excellent and free kindling so stock up early. Also keep a store of newspapers and old bills, so that you can burn them to start off your fire. Make kindling logs out of cardboard packaging and string. The centre cylinder of bamboo toilet rolls burn brilliantly. Bits of lint from the tumble dryer are very useful for starting the fire so store them up for the winter.
Logs also have been known to rise in price after the burning season starts, because of high demand, so fill up your log store early. It's important to burn seasoned wood only, as wood that has not dried out properly will coat your chimney lining with flammable residue that can cause a chimney fire.
Ask your supplier to prove the moisture content is below 20% and look for the 'ready to burn' logo. If you have a lot of wood that you have been storing and are unsure as to whether it is 'seasoned' yet, invest in a moisture meter to be safe.
Local log and coal suppliers
Tip 4 - Buy fuel locally
Log burners and multi-fuel stoves produce much less pollution and harmful emissions than regular open fireplaces, so it makes sense to also buy coal and smokeless fuel from a local company, to reduce air pollution caused by transportation of the coal or wood.
Very little coal is mined in the UK these days but you can still support local distributor businesses in your area.
Logs are usually farmed sustainably in Europe, but local tree surgeons often have lots of wood drying from two years ago, which hasn't travelled far at all!
Take a look at the local suppliers that we recommend and use ourselves and remember to buy a lot early in the season. Waiting until Christmas or later will mean a lack of supply and either higher prices or poorer quality logs or coal.
Make your own bricks
See our video to find out how to make briquettes that you can burn on your fire by using old bills or cardboard and a brick maker. Watch now.
Worried about your carbon footprint? - Take a look at our Greener Choices page
Is your burner smokey when you open the door?
This could be poor quality logs or coal. Take a look at our logburner help guide page
How to light a log burner
Struggling to light your wood stove?
Here's a useful guide
- Empty Ash Tray when it's cold (watch out for the wind)
- Add Paper at the bottom, then kindling and small dry logs on top
- Light and open all air controls fully to give the fire lots of oxygen
- Wait until burning at optimum temperature - check your thermometer
- Add more logs and use controls to close the air down and thus the heat
- Open up the air if the temperature drops below 150 degrees C
- Add seasoned logs - use a moisture meter to check
- Enjoy your wood burner with a cup of tea and optional slice of cake.
Tip 5 - Read your stove manual
It's easy to forget how your stove works over the summer break from using it. So remind yourself how to get the best out of your stove. Remember that you need to get your logburner burning hot before reducing the fuel intake. This is very important and people often think that they can burn one log at a time from lighting. This is incorrect, the logs need a hot bed of ashes to ignite the logs and this can only be done by burning 5 or 6 logs to start with to get it prepared.
Once it is burning in the 'Optimal Zone' you can add less fuel as your stove will then be burning efficiently. If you keep your fire small to start with, you will find that your wood is burning too quickly and may not give out as much heat as expected, as the heat is escaping up the chimney. For problems using your stove see our woodburner helpguidefebruary-deal-2 page.
Your manual will explain how best to light, re-fill and how much fuelyour stove is designed to burn.
You should keep your manual in a safe place so that you can give it to the next owner if you ever sell it ( or your house ). Most new logburners have manuals that can be downloaded from the internet.
For links to manufacturer's website visit our logburner manual page
Really polite, knowledgeable, tidy and easy to work with!
- William in Clophill