MAINTENANCE

Owning, or even sometimes renting, a home in North Idaho requires general seasonal maintenance to keep your stove or fireplace in working order. It’s really all about being prepared. Per Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Maintaining your home’s heating system(s) wards off emergency situations and costly repairs while extending the life of the product. Take the time and money to perform general maintenance on a regular basis. Many of the maintenance services require the knowledge, skills, and tools of a professional. During a maintenance or service call, our technicians will make any necessary repairs and/or alert you of a possible situation. Call the Stove Corral and let us assist you in maintaining any of the following hearth products or to answer any questions you may have:

CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE

Before the cool, crisp days of autumn make for cozy evenings in front of the fireplace or stove irresistible, take time to make sure your home’s chimney or flue is as safe as it is inviting.  Annual inspections keep flames burning right.  Not typically a DIY project, we recommend you hire a Certified Chimney Sweep to tackle this dirty job.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A CHIMNEY BE INSPECTED?

Every year.  And, for new wood-burning installations such as fireplaces or wood-burning stoves it is a good idea to have the chimney checked midway through the first heating season to confirm everything is working properly.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A CHIMNEY BE CLEANED?

Cleaning should be done as necessary – normally when there’s a minimum 1/8” of deposit in the chimney.  An annual inspection will determine if any sweeping or repairs are needed.  In some cases, it is necessary to sweep more than once a year, especially if the operator, the fuel, or the venting system are not properly matched.

HOW TO AVOID A CHIMNEY FIRE?

Creosote (combustible, tar-like droplets) is a natural byproduct of burning wood.  The more wood you burn, the wetter or greener the wood, and the more often you restrict airflow by keeping your fireplace doors closed or your damper barely open, the more creosote is produced.  Soot build-up, while not flammable, can hamper venting.  One half-inch of soot can restrict airflow 17% in a masonry chimney and 30% in a factory built unit, according to the CSIA – Chimney Safety Institute of America.  Soot is also aggressively acidic and can damage the inside of your chimney.  The more creosote and soot, the more likely you are to see signs of chimney fire – loud popping, dense smoke, or even flames shooting out the top of your chimney into the sky.  If the chimney is properly maintained, you’ll never have to worry about a chimney fire.

At the Stove Corral we’re here to to assist you in maintaining your home’s hearth products and to answer any of your questions about maintenance.  Keeping your equipment in good working order provides you peace of mind, knowing they’ll be there when you need them the most.  You wouldn’t go for years without changing the oil in your car would you? It also makes good financial sense to keep equipment maintained and serviced to help extend their life spans.  Call us if you’d like to be added to our seasonal maintenance reminder list or to schedule a maintenance appointment today!  208.263.1541