Below is a list of our frequent “Trouble Shooting” FAQs, which we are often asked by new owners of our stoves. For more detailed help and support regarding our stoves, please call our Technical Department on 01952 217501
Q. Why am I having problems starting my fire, with the flames dying out too quickly?
A. Make sure the fire is being lit correctly. Read this article on how to light a stove.
Q. How can I get my stove to burn for longer?
A. To ensure your wood burns for a long period of time, you need to ensure you are using quality hardwood logs and you safely have the maximum allowable fuel load. You should burn this new fuel at a high temperature for a few moments, and then shut down the primary air control, and adjust the airwash control to the low combustion setting.
Q. Why is smoke occasionally entering the room, even when the door is shut?
A. Your chimney may be blocked, ensure that the chimney has been swept. Don’t continue to use the stove until the issue is resolved – it is potentially dangerous to health. You can read more about the importance of sweeping a chimney here.
A. Ensure that the internal elements of the stove such as the baffle and firebricks have been correctly fitted. This may need to be done by a suitably qualified HETAS registered engineer.
Q. Why is my stove is producing too much heat, despite me using the right amount of fuel?
A. You should check the size of the stove in relation to the volume of the room. Whist doing this, also consider the type of house. A new build will be a great deal more “air tight” than an older house, and as such will have different heating demands.
A. The chimney “pull” (of air) could be too great. A chimney which is extracting heat too quickly will cause a fire to burn much hotter.
A. Ensure that the air controls are working and that they are being operated correctly for the type of fuel you are burning.
Q. When burning wood, why does the window of my stove all go black?
A. If the airwash controls are being used as recommended, then the chimney may not be producing enough draw or pull of air. The stove relies on a good draw of air from the chimney for the airwash to burn effectively.
A. Check the airwash is sufficient. You should avoid totally closing the airwash. To clean the window open the airwash for around 10 minutes.
A. The temperature of the fire may not be hot enough. It is important to get the fire hot from the start. This helps the chimney operate effectively, which in turn makes the airwash work as intended.
A. You may not be burning the right type of wood. Please view our wood burning guide for more information on this.
Q. I’m struggling to control my fire, and the flames are too intense. What am I doing wrong?
A. The common reason for an aggressive fire, which is burning too strong, is too much air being drawn into the stove. This can be for a number of reasons including a non-airtight rope seal – allowing additional air into the stove.
A. The chimney could be pulling too strong, and thus causing a greater demand for air, which in turn creates more flames and heat.
A. The fuel could be softwood or overly dry wood such as scrap pallets or window frames etc. Always use a reputable supplier of dry wood logs or season your own for 18 months to 2 years.
Q. Why is my stove producing a poor heat output?
A. The cause of this is often not enough fuel is being burned quickly enough. It is important to get a fire hot as quickly as possible for maximum efficiency. A hot fire will ensure that when you add more fuel, it heats and burns quickly.
A. Try and load the stove with the maximum amount of fuel, then light with the air controls fully open before closing them for the higher combustion settings.
A. Check the moisture of the wood you are burning. Wood with excessive moisture (over 20%) will not burn well. You can read more about the importance of burning seasoned wood here.
