Wood Stove Maintenance

Regular wood stove maintenance will ensure that your wood stove works efficiently, providing you with warmth and beautiful ambient fires year after year. Here are some tips for proper wood stove maintenance:

Check the seal. Use a dollar bill and close it into the wood stove door. If the dollar bill can be easily removed when the door is shut, the seal is bad. Do this around the entire door to ensure you have a good, tight seal. Some modern wood stoves allow you to adjust the door when the gasket starts wearing, however, old or very worn out gaskets should be replaced.

Replace cracked or broken glass. Cracked or broken glass will affect your wood stove’s safety and efficiency. Wood stove glass should only be replaced with heat-resistant ceramic glass, like PyroCeram or Neoceram.

Clean the glass properly. Most modern wood stoves have an air-wash system which is supposed to help keep excessive amounts of soot from sticking to the door. Always burn well-seasoned (dry) fuel, which will help maintain high heat inside the stove. Use only non-abrasive or wood stove glass cleaners, or a damp newspaper with ash to remove stains. Never use a razor blade on wood stove glass. To remove difficult stains, burn a few loads of hot fires in the wood stove before attempting to clean the cooled glass.

Touch up the stove. If paint or enamel has worn or chipped, use a touch-up or filler kit intended for wood stoves.

Replace cracked or worn parts.  Use only the same type of firebrick in your wood stove when replacing cracked firebricks, and worn baffles should be replaced per manufacturer’s specifications. Remove and replace any sagging or disintegrating air tubes and replace any other warped steel parts or cracked castings.

Clean or replace wood stove catalysts. Catalysts should last about 6 years, or 12,000 hours. Carefully remove and gently vacuum or use a soft brush to clean. If the catalyst is flaking or pieces are missing, you must replace it.

For more specifics on wood stove maintenance, you should consult your wood stove’s owner’s manual, or contact the manufacturer.

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