Five Signs it’s Time for a Stove Service

Most appliances need maintaining at some point in their lifetime. A fireplace is often the centrepiece or ‘showstopper’ of a house and can be a place where the whole family gather round and enjoy each other’s company. Therefore, just like you would service your car, stoves are just as important to maintain to ensure they reach their maximum lifespan.

If you’re the owner of a stove fireplace and only irregularly maintain it yourself, it might be time to take a look to see if it could benefit from a service.

In this blog, we give you five signs to look out for which are telltale indications that you should book a stove service.

Ventilation blockage

While stoves are used to heat up a room, if you notice that there is a lack of ventilation that might be caused by the fireplace, you should seek a fireplace service. Blockages of stovepipes can be caused by a build-up of debris and can cause your fireplace to produce smoke.
Flues or chimneys need air to supply into a room to remove the smoke from the fire. If there is smoke being produced from your fireplace, it’s likely that these components are blocked meaning it’s time to get it serviced.

It is also possible that smoke can be caused by a faulty door making the stove less airtight. A faulty door makes it more likely for smoke to circulate around the house, so be sure to get your fireplace serviced by a professional to ensure that this issue is fixed.

Strange smells

When you purchase a new stove, it might emit a bad paint smell. This is fairly normal and the issue should go away within a few days. If it doesn’t or you are concerned about the smell some time after purchasing your stove, it’s a good idea to get it checked by a professional.

Aside from after recently purchasing a new stove, it should never produce odd smells, and if you have noticed that it is producing an egg-like smell of late, it’s time to get it checked over.
Gas can be odourless, but with fireplaces, sulphur is added to alert you that gas is leaking. It can be very dangerous to ignore the smell of a gas leak, so it is important that you open doors and windows and seek the help of a gas-safe professional as soon as you can. You should consider purchasing a carbon monoxide detector for peace of mind that you will be notified in the case of any gas leaks.

You’ve never had a service

One of the best ways to tell if your stove needs a service is to ask yourself: Have I ever had it serviced?

If the answer is no, and you have owned the fireplace for a while, it might be time to call a fireplace technician to check that everything is running smoothly. Too many people go for long periods of time without thinking about getting their fireplace serviced, or will wait until something goes wrong.

There’s nothing worse than the power of hindsight and you don’t want to end up with a broken fireplace part because you didn’t book a service in to get an issue fixed before it got worse.

Fire is burning poorly
When a fire burns poorly it is often an indication that it is getting poor airflow which might be causing it to choke on exhaust gases that are not dispersed evenly. As the fire draws up smoke, if there is a lack of air keeping the fire going it can cause an insufficient air supply. You should consult a professional if this is the case to better understand the causes of your poorly lit fireplace.

Too little heat

If your stove isn’t producing sufficient heat, it is likely that there is a build up of soot in the chimney causing it to block. If you are finding that your fireplace is either struggling to produce heat or it is becoming too hot, you should book a stove service.

Even if you don’t notice any of the above signs, it’s a good idea to get your stove checked anyway, just in case there is something that a gas-safe engineer will spot that you might not have.

This is especially true for gas fireplaces, as they need a thorough clean regularly to ensure that soot doesn’t build up in any of its parts and damage the function of a fireplace, as well as making it look dirty.

Tips for maintenance

While booking a stove service is a great way to have any issues resolved, you should consider methods for upkeeping your fireplace to ensure that the parts continue to work well. Here are some of the best ways to maintain your stove.

Clean it

In the summer months, it’s unlikely that you will be using your fireplace much at all because of the already warm temperatures. However, in the winter months, it is likely to be a different story and constant or daily use will mean that your stove accumulates soot which can make its parts dirty.

Be sure to give your stove glass door a clean with a scrubbing sponge or piece of damp newspaper to remove tough stains caused by ash.
It’s also a good idea to remove a build up of wood ash that accumulates. If you’re unsure of what to do with your fireplace ash, there are a number of uses that wood ash can be repurposed for, including compost.

Choose the right kind of wood

If your stove is the woodburning kind, choosing the right kind of wood is a sure way to prevent it from getting damaged. Opt for well-seasoned wood and avoid wood which is damp or treated as these will contain more impurities and won’t burn as efficiently.

Check for cracks and damage

Cracks in the glass can lead to bigger issues if left untreated, so be sure to check your stove occasionally to ensure the door works correctly and there is no damage which can prevent it from working efficiently.

Book a fireplace inspection

During a fireplace inspection, a technician will look at both the exterior and interior of your stove.

The exterior will be inspected to see if there is any damage to the framework or glasswork of the fireplace, which might be preventing it from functioning correctly.
They will also look at the interior gas ignition to ensure that it is functioning correctly and then inspect the connections and valves.

Fireplace Superstore: Stove repair and maintenance services

Getting your fireplace serviced may seem unnecessary, particularly if you’ve only owned it for a year or two. However, any issues that might occur early on and that might not seem like big problems at first, may develop into bigger issues if left untreated. Whether ageing, neglect or general wear and tear are causing your fireplace to function incorrectly, it’s best to get it checked over by a gas safe engineer to identify the issue and get it fixed before any further issues arise.

With Fireplace Superstore’s fireplace repair service, we’ll inspect every component of your fireplace including the chimney and ventilation system to make sure everything is in full working order. We’ll fix any issues that might be causing your fireplace to function incorrectly so that you can have peace of mind that your fireplace is safe to use.

For more information about our fireplace maintenance services, or to browse our extensive range of stoves, fireplaces and more, visit us online today.