Spruce up your stove

It’s a good idea to give your stove a maintenance check every summer, to repair any rust spots, clean grimy windows and order new parts. Helaine Clare shows the essential things to fix in her eight-step project.

In many homes the hearth is no longer the heart of the home. Once central heating became affordable for the mass market the benefits must have seemed irresistible: no more lifting coal or logs, no more messy ashes and soot, and instant heat at the flick of a switch.

Recently though, as the cost of energy has risen and environmental concerns have increased, homeowners have been opening up their fireplaces and installing stoves again. Sitting round a real fire on a dark night, gazing at the flickering flames, seems to answer a primitive need that can’t be met by a modern radiator.

If your home has lost some of its original features it’s worth finding out whether the fireplace has been bricked up or boarded over. A rectangle of mortar at the edge of the floorboards may be the foundation of the original hearth. A hollow-sounding wall and unexplained wall ventilators are good indicators. Examine the roof with binoculars: is there a chimney or has it been blocked off? If there’s a flue to a working chimney it will be possible to reinstate the fireplace.

If you think you have a blocked up fireplace take time to cover floor and furniture with dust sheets, then try prising off the board, or if it’s bricked up take out a brick about 30cm above the floor. Hold a lighted taper in front of the hole – if the flame is pulled towards it then the chimney is open at the top. Excavate the opening and look for a fireback. You may be amazed to discover a perfect cast iron fireplace that has been hidden.

An efficient solid-fuel or wood-burning stove burns cleanly, avoiding excessive smoke emissions and discouraging creosote or soot formation in the chimney. So, before going any further, have your chimney swept and checked by a qualified chimney sweep to ensure it complies with current building regulations. Contact The National Association of Chimney Sweeps on 01785 811732 or browse chimneyworks.co.uk.

Step-by-step guide

You will need...

Stiff-bristled brush
Rustins Stain Block (rustins.eu)
Heavy-duty floor cleaner and bristle brush
Slate oil such as Hotspot and brush
Stove glass cleaner such as HG Stove Glass Cleaner and cloth from Lakeland (lakeland.co.uk)
Stove paint such as the Winther Browne range, available from B&Q (diy.com)
Medium grade steel wool
Old towel

	1. Remove soot and tar on the plaster: Only start work when the stove is cold. If soot and tar deposits have migrated through the plaster from the brick chimney breast, brush away dirt and apply a coat of stain block. If necessary, apply a second coat two hours after the first one has dried. Once dry the surface can be overpainted with any type of paint.
	2. Repair rust patches on the stove: Boiling kettles can leave rust on the stove top. To remove, cut a pad of medium grade steel wool to rub away the rust and, wearing protective gloves, gently work away at it until it vanishes. With a brush and dustpan sweep up the mess, and use a stove brush or clean shoe brush to clear dirt off the surface ready for painting.
	3. Re-spray the repaired stove top: First mask the glass doors and metal handles with newspaper and tape. Protect the walls and hearth too if you are painting the whole stove. Before applying the paint, open doors and windows to ensure good ventilation. Hold the can about 25- 30cm away from the surface and spray the damaged top of the stove.
	4. Clean up the stove window: A sooty window may indicate that your stove is not burning efficiently. To clean, wipe the window with stove glass cleaner, leave for five minutes, then remove with a damp rag. Clean a sooty window on a wood-burning stove with wood ash applied on a damp cloth. Rub away the soot and then wipe with a clean cloth.
	5. Check the rope seal: Over time the rope seal around the door will flatten and lose its shape, affecting the stove’s efficiency and allowing fumes to leak out. Set a small fire and close the doors and air intakes. Move a lit candle around the door – if the flame is drawn towards it a poor seal is indicated and the rope needs replacing.
	6. Give the stove a health check: Clean out the firebox and empty the ash pan. Shine a torch inside to check that the firebricks are not broken. Order any replacement parts now so that the stove is ready for the autumn. Leave the air inlets open and the door ajar to allow a flow of air through the chimney to keep it dry. Arrange to have the chimney swept.
	7.Clean the hearth ready for sealing: Seal a slate hearth to enhance the colour and make it easier to clean. First sweep up loose dirt and ash, then with heavy-duty floor cleaner and hot water scrub the hearth, mopping up the water as you work. Wipe over with clean water and dry with an old towel. Leave for at least four days before applying sealer.
	8. Apply slate oil to the hearth: Some stone care products mustn’t be used where the temperature is likely to exceed 25ºC so always read the guidance on the product. Slate oil will repel dirt and ash while still allowing the slate to breathe. Before you start protect rugs or carpet from splashes. Apply evenly with a brush or sponge and allow to dry for two hours.