Fire burning in a wood-burning stove

3 Tips for getting your wood-burning stove autumn ready.

It has been a great summer. We’ve had our fair share of lazy days playing in the sun and long, relaxed evenings in the garden. Let’s admit it to ourselves, though: we’re ready for the kids to go back to school and to get back to some level of normality. It won’t be long before our thoughts turn to cosy nights in, Halloween and bonfire night. If you’re anything like us, the first thing you’ll want to do as the nights begin to draw in is to get the stove going and bring some warmth and light into the house.

Here are three quick tips to make sure your stove is ready for autumn:
1. Clean

The stove has had a few months off. It’s as cool as it is going to get, so now is the time for a quick clean to get that stove ready for some hard work over autumn and winter. No need to overdo it. A quick empty of the ash pans and clean out any ash that’s built up in the fuel bed is the best place to start. Then, focus on air inlet holes. These should be free of obstruction so that your stove is getting the very best possible airflow. Doing this will help you achieve a clean and efficient burn.

2. Sweep

You should try to make sure your chimney is swept every year. The end of summer is always a great time to get this done and it’s worth making a diary note every year. A good sweep will remove any build-up of soot, helping you to enjoy a clean, safe and efficient stove. If you haven’t had a sweep for a while, this is definitely an important thing to do.

3. Stock and store

Don’t get caught short on fuel. It’s never nice when the family have decided to light the stove and you don’t have logs to hand. Don’t overdo it though, after being stored for four years logs will begin to deteriorate. We’d suggest getting a good few months worth of stock and making a diary note to reorder when autumn turns to winter. Once you have your logs, try to store them in a way that allows air to circulate around them. Well stored logs have a great aesthetic and can give your house a homely, autumnal look.