Yearly Check

• Clean the chimney before every heating season. This entails a thorough brushing of the chimney and an inspection of the flue. Hire a professional chimney sweep if you are uncomfortable doing it yourself. These professionals can also inspect all parts of the wood stove and chimney flue and repair all cracks in the masonry of the chimney. Some chimneys may require the addition of an interior steel flue liner if the chimney is in bad condition. Check all metal pipes to ensure the seals are tight and no rusted or corroded pipe is visible. Replace any pipe that is questionable. Inspect all gaskets and seals on the wood stove. Replace seals and apply a new coating of adhesive well before the first fire of the season. Use a screwdriver and wrench and tighten all bolts that are located on the wood stove itself. Attempting to perform any maintenance on a hot wood stove may lead to disastrous results.
  
  

Wood as Fuel

• Use only hardwoods for the fuel of the wood stove. Softwoods such as pine or cedar contain a lot of resin and oils, which can accumulate and create a heavy buildup of creosote in the chimney. Creosote buildup is the number one cause of flue fires, which can achieve temperatures high enough to melt metal. Check the age of the wood fuel before placing it in the wood stove. Hardwoods should have been cured for at least 6 months to 1 year before burning. Green wood, wood less than this age, retains moisture, which can cause a cold fire. Cold fires lead to creosote buildup. Do not burn wet wood; use only dry wood in the wood stove. Burn the fires hot to heat the chimney quickly and create a good air draw up the flue. The warmer the chimney, the less creosote that accumulates in the enclosure.
  
  

Ashes

• Remove all ashes out of doors immediately after cleaning the stove. Store the ashes in a sealed metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Wood ashes contain embers, which can start a fire. Leave the ashes in the container for a few days until you are sure no hot embers remain. The wood ashes can be used on compost piles and mixed in to help decompose food waste. Use thick welding gloves when loading wood into the stove. The thick gloves protect your hands and wrists when reaching into the stove area. All metal surfaces of the stove are extremely hot. Keep children and pets away from the hot stove. Construct a barrier, a wood stove corral, to keep curious animals and children at bay. Consult local regulations for additional installation requirements. Use a protective fireproof mat under the wood stove as additional protection from hot embers contacting the floor. Keep the wood stove surface clean of dust and debris. Glass doors and windows on the wood stove should be cleaned by following the manufacturer's suggestions.