Stove heating: stay warm safely!

A stove in a house during the cold season is not only a source of heat but also a fire hazard. If the stove was built by a specialist according to all the rules, it will serve for a long time, requiring only timely maintenance: cleaning the chimney and flue of accumulated soot and creosote, and monitoring the condition of the firebox, hob, and the stove as a whole.

 Soot accumulation in the chimney flue is inevitable during stove operation. If the stove is heated with firewood, this happens more slowly, but if heated with coal or coal briquettes, the flue opening quickly becomes coated with a layer of soot. What can this lead to? The stove stops heating properly, firewood in the firebox does not ignite, or if it does, smoke will enter the room. Furthermore, soot accumulated in the flue can ignite, leading to serious consequences. To prevent fires in the home, it is necessary to maintain the stove heating system properly. The stove should not have cracks or gaps, and the flue should have good draft and be whitewashed with a lime solution. This is done so that any cracks appearing over time can be easily noticed against the white background. To prevent cracks in the masonry, during the heating season, clean the flue of soot at least:

 
- once every 3 months - for heating stoves;
- once every 2 months - for stoves and hearths of continuous operation;
- once every 1 month - for kitchen stoves and other stoves of continuous (long-term) firing.

 It is recommended to heat the stove two to three times a day for no more than one and a half hours. This will prevent overheating. Stop firing at least 2 hours before bedtime. During this time, the firewood will have time to burn out, and the flue can be closed.

           Under no circumstances should you use flammable or combustible liquids for lighting the fire. Also, do not leave the firebox doors open and the lit stove unattended. To prevent accidentally dropped burning embers from causing a fire, fix a metal sheet measuring at least 50x70 cm in front of the firebox on the wooden floor.

          Keep clothing, furniture, firewood, and other combustible materials at least one and a half meters away from the stove. Ash and burnt-out embers should be disposed of no closer than 15 meters from buildings.

          The stove must have its own foundation. An air gap, or so-called recess, should be maintained between the stove walls and wooden structures.