Burning Wood This Winter?

With soaring gas and electric prices now a certainty, more and more people will be switching to wood burners this winter so here are some tips to keep the home fires burning this winter.

Ensure that you have the chimney swept prior to the heating season. The demand for chimney sweeps is soaring, and many are already reporting long waiting lists – so we strongly advise you book yours as soon as possible.

Play safe and order your logs as early as possible. There are some concerns that due to increased demand and other factors , supplies of wood may start running low. By stocking up now, you can actually help wood sellers as they can prepare their orders earlier from their suppliers.

Make sure that you know how to work the air controls to get the best efficiency and heat. Many customers don’t actually have a clue how to use their appliance’s air controls properly. This knowledge is invaluable for ensuring you’re getting the most amount of heat for your money, and also keeping the flue as soot-free as possible. Check the instruction manual for your stove, or if you don’t have one, search online. If you’re struggling to identify the make of your stove, your sweep should be able to assist.

Letting a fire burn slowly overnight is tempting. However, there are some issues you need to be aware of. Firstly, you’ll produce massive amounts of smoke, and therefore pollution. That smoke condenses in your chimney and, at best, turns into soot. At worst, it can turn into tar and creosote – great ingredients for a chimney fire! It will definitely reduce the longevity of the flue liner.

We would always advise letting the fire die out naturally and then relighting in the morning. It takes just a few minutes to get the fire burning hot. Overnight burning was normal a few years ago, but these days, with the newer appliances and chimney systems, it is not recommended.

Check your Carbon Monoxide Detector.  If anything goes wrong and your appliance starts emitting carbon monoxide, you want to be able to act quickly. The issue is that Carbon Monoxide is a ‘silent killer’ – you can’t see it, smell it or taste it. So a Carbon Monoxide alarm is essential! Ensure that it’s not only working, but that it’s placed in the correct position.