Three things separate a stove that performs from one that disappoints: the moisture in your wood, the air you give it, and an annual sweep.
Burn dry wood, and nothing else
Fuel moisture matters more than any other single factor. Aim for under 20 percent, which means kiln dried logs or wood seasoned properly for two years under cover with airflow around it.
Wet wood spends its energy boiling off water rather than heating your room, and the steam carries tar up into the flue where it hardens into a fire risk. A cheap moisture meter pays for itself in one winter.
Run it hot
Get the fire up to temperature quickly with kindling and small splits, then load properly and let it burn with the air open until it is established. Slumbering a stove overnight on a closed-down air control is the fastest way to blacken the glass and coat the liner.
Sweep annually
Have the chimney swept at least once a year, and twice if you burn heavily through the winter. It is a condition of most home insurance policies and it is the point at which a small problem gets caught early.
We sweep and service across Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead, Ascot and the surrounding villages, checking seals, baffles, firebricks and your carbon monoxide alarm while we are there.
Talk it through
Free HETAS survey, fixed written quote.
Our surveyor will measure your chimney, hearth and room, then confirm exactly what your property needs.
