A stove fireplace is the perfect addition to any home, creating a cosy and relaxing space that’s ideal for the upcoming winter months. If you are considering investing in a multifuel stove, the chances are you have a few questions about how to use it. In this article, we’ve summarised the main things you need to know about using your stove, from fuel types and how to light it through to the ongoing maintenance required.
Multifuel stove fuel types
One of the many benefits of opting for a multifuel stove is that you can choose from a number of different types of fuel, rather than being limited to just one type. This means you can base your decisions on which fuel type to go for on the price and availability at the time. To summarise, the fuel types that you can burn in a multifuel stove include logs, wood briquettes, coal, smokeless fuel and peat/turf.
Lighting your multifuel stove
Lighting a multifuel stove is quick and easy to do, it’s also very safe as long as you follow the right method. Firstly, open the door to your stove and put in your choice of fuel, then put a fire lighter on top of it. Cover this with kindling then place more of your selected fuel type around it. Light the firelighters directly and one the fire begins burning consistently, add in more fuel as needed to ensure it stays lit.
Once the fire is lit, leave the air vents on your stove open initially as this helps the fuel to catch fire. When you’re happy with the level your fire has reached, you can close the primary air vent to halfway. Doing this prevents burning through your fuel too quickly whilst also maintaining a steady temperature.
If your fire looks like it’s starting to go out a little, simply add more kindling followed by your chosen fuel type. We also suggest reopening the air vents as this gives the fire an extra dose of oxygen. If you want your multifuel stove to stop burning altogether, simply close the primary air vent.
Maintaining your multifuel stove
To ensure your multifuel stove looks and performs its best, there is some basic maintenance required. Thankfully, this maintenance is easy to do and doesn’t take long at all.
The first thing to ensure you keep on top of is emptying your ashtray as letting it build up can cause problems. Ash should never be touching the underside of your stove’s grate, so empty the tray regularly to avoid this. After emptying, make sure you fix your ashtray in place properly so it continues to catch ash next time you light your stove.
The next thing to maintain is your glass door. Stove fireplaces look their best when there’s a beautifully clear view of the flames through your glass. So, cleaning the glass regularly ensures you get maximum enjoyment and prevents soot building up which causes discolouration. To clean your glass, simply spray it down with a stove glass cleaner, leave for a few minutes and then wipe clean.
Finally, you should look to have your chimney sweeped often to ensure your stove works efficiently. HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels in a multifuel stove.
Closing thoughts
And there you have it, the main things you need to know about using a multifuel stove. If you have any further questions, get in touch today and a member of our team will be happy to help.