The wood stove or fireplace must be installed according to
existing building codes and manufacturer's instructions. In many areas Council
approval must be sought before installation.
 Do not use wood burning
stoves and fireplaces unless they are properly installed and meet building
codes.
Follow the instructions in the stoves
installation guide for proper location of the stove from combustible walls.
The stove must
sit on a non-combustible or on a code-specified protector. It
should extend 450mm beyond the stove on all sides. This will reduce the
possibility of the floor being ignited.
Combustible materials such
as curtains, chairs, firewood, etc., must be at least 1 metre away from the
stove.
The chimney and fluepipe should be checked frequently during the heating
season for creosote build-up and cleaned when necessary. Have
your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep or if you
want to do it yourself, cleaning brushes and kits can be purchased from your
fireplace store and some hardware stores. Creosote is an by product of
wood burning stoves. Creosote builds up in chimney flues and can cause a chimney
fire. To cut down on creosote build-up, avoid
smouldering fires. Products like KillSoot if used on a regular basis can
minimise Creosote build up.
Use only proper fuel, as recommended by the
manufacturer, in the stove. Never burn household rubbish in a stove because
this could overheat the stove.
Petrol and other flammable liquids should
never be used to start wood stove fires. Petrol will ignite and explode. Fire
starters, available from hardware stores and supermarkets are the best, most
controlled way, to start your fire.
Cleaning a fireplace is a messy business so use a metal container with a tight-fitting lid
for ash removal. Dispose of ash in the garbage or on the garden ... but
make sure it is cold and contains no smouldering embers. Never use a vacuum
cleaner to clean out your fireplace. Not only can you set fire to the vacuum
cleaner if the ash is still hot but the fine ash will quickly clog the vacuum's
filter system.
|
