How Do You Know If Your Wood Burner Needs Replacing?

Woodburners

3 Apr

A good wood burner is a great investment, that always adds that little extra bit of value and enjoyment to your home. It provides an alternative to central heating and can help with the ever increasing cost of central heating but how do you know if your wood burner needs replacing?

Installing a woodburner in an open plan space means you can heat the whole area with the heat often rising upstairs. Alternatively you can choose to turn the heating down and use the wood burner to keep a room extra warm on winter nights - nothing beats a cosy night in front of the fire.

Whilst a wood burner is incredibly durable they do have a lifespan (usually around 10 years) and with the introduction of the new EcoDesign 2022 Stoves, some that boast up to 85% efficiency, meaning you keep warmer for less, it’s worth considering if yours needs replacing.

Are you noticing any changes in performance? This could be an indication that it’s not working quite as it should anymore. The first thing you should do is check your chimney or flue in case there are any blockages. Get it swept and inspected by a registered and qualified chimney sweep. If that’s ok then there a few more things to check and consider:

Does the outside of your stove appear warped…

This is a big sign that something is not right and your stove needs replacing. When new, the surface of your stove should be smooth, with no bumps or indents in it but time does take its toll and after 10 years or so, the metal may begin to warp, especially if you overfire it. This is a problem as it means either more or less air will find its way into the stove than it was originally designed for. As a result, the efficiency and performance of your stove will be affected.

Have you noticed any rust or cracks…

Warped metal isn’t the only sign of damage you might notice. Rust and cracks are the last thing you want to see on either the inside or outside of your wood burner. Finding the odd patch of rust is not unusual, it can occur when the stove hasn’t been used for a long period of time and you can easily buff away the odd patch of surface rust. But, if it begins to eat too far into the structure of the stove, this is a serious problem. If you spot any cracks in your stove you should stop using it right away. Dangerous fumes may be able to leak out of it, not to mention the serious fire hazard it could pose. Cracks can sometimes be repaired, but more often than not replacing your stove is the safest option – especially if it is already old.

Is your wood burner producing more smoke and dirt…

If your wood burning stove is producing an unusually large amount of smoke, dust and ash, something is wrong. Older stove designs didn’t have the knowledge and technology we have today, so they are typically dirtier, even when working properly. However, if you are noticing even more smoke than usual coming from your stove, you need to investigate as this will affect it’s performance. Excess smoke will also dirty your chimney which will create further problems for you.

Are you using more fuel for less heat…

If you usually use a few logs to heat your room and suddenly notice you are having to put extra on but still not getting the same heat, this could indicate that wear and tear has affected your stove’s performance. It is likely that the metal has warped or you possibly have a leak and you should get this investigated.

If you think it could be time to get a new stove please get in touch, Tolley Home Services are registered and approved by HETAS and we can visit to investigate what could be causing the problem. If it can’t be repaired we can assist you with replacing the stove, offering free advice and guidance and we will also quote to remove and supply and fit a new stove.

We offer a full service that can include the installation of a flue liner, hearth and mantle. You can see some of our previous work here.

A final note on what you burn, air quality and wood fuel has become a hot topic and stove owners are being asked to think about the impact of burning poor quality firewood has on the environment. A stove is only as good as the wood it burns and so the Ready to Burn stamp of approval will reassure those who purchase firewood/briquettes with its logo that they are dry enough and immediately ready to burn. We always recommend this to our customers and also local company, Certainly Wood who we are proud to be partnered with, they provide wood that meets this standard. Please join us in doing all we can to protect our environment.

Get in Touch - we are on hand to help so please Contact Us.