Annual Outside Wood Furnace Maintenance

If you've been thinking about investing in an outside stove for home heating, make sure you don't neglect proper outside wood furnace maintenance. All wood-burning heaters require periodic servicing. Not only does regular maintenance preserve your investment, but it also helps maintain the comfort and burning efficiency you want.

What sort of outside wood furnace maintenance should I be doing?

Keeping an outdoor stove in good working order is not too difficult. After all, these heaters are designed to survive extreme temperatures and weather. Here are a few things you need to take care of regularly to ensure a long, effective operating life.

Ash Disposal

Burning wood creates ash. Obvious, right? Make sure you regularly clean out the ash waste, and dispose of it appropriately. You don't want to dump hot ash into a garbage can full of other trash unless you're trying to start a fire. Find something sturdy and metal.

Creosote Cleaning

Every time you burn wood, creosote is building up on the interior of the burn vessel and exhaust pipes. You will need to clean out the creosote on the regular to maintain even air flow. It's a dirty job, but if you don't do it, you'll have a clogged furnace that won't do a very good job heating your home.

Summer-Proofing

Summer-proofing your furnace is critical. Your furnace will probably just be left sitting all summer, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. Your owner's manual will detail instructions about how to properly protect your furnace against rain during the off season. If you don't take these steps, water will leak into the vessel and rust. Left unchecked this will eventually destroy your furnace.

More Questions or Comments?

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