Causes

1. 1. Poor draught coming from Chimney 

      The standard draw from a chimney should read between 12-15 Pascals. The draft, or draught, in a chimney is the pressure difference between the inside of the chimney and the outside atmosphere. Poor draw over time can also lead to tar build up inside the stove.

   2. Flue Height 

      Stove fittings regulations state that your flue must extend at least 4.5 Meters from the top of the stove. This should provide sufficient draw, however elements such as extreme weather it might not be enough. If you have a very tall chimney this can also be a problem and result in the issues experienced in Cold Chimney. This is also more frequent in bungalow houses.

   3. Ventilation

      No air vent installed in the room.

   4. Fuel Type

      Burning high-moisture content timber and turf.

Recommendations

Installing a Deflector Plate on the Airwash – this will help reduce the smoke spillage. For more information, please contact service@henleystoves.com.

Bungalow Houses

Here, we recommend fitting in at least 1 meter length of twin-wall pipe with a rotary cowl or H-cowl installed on top.

Ventilation 

• When refueling– slightly open the door (approximately 5-10mm and wait for at least 10 seconds to equalize the pressure from the stove and the room. Ensure that your primary air sources are also in the open position to ensure adequate draw into the stove. Adequate Air Vent to be installed into the room- this must be installed within a close proximity to the stove to ensure proper air circulation.
• Ensure that your primary air sources are also in the open position to ensure adequate draw into the stove.
• Adequate Air Vent to be installed into the room– this must be installed within a close proximity to the stove to ensure proper air circulation.

Most multi-fuel stoves and wood burners in Ireland & the UK are fitted with internal bricks around the sides and back of the grate. We understand that discovering one of your fire bricks has a crack can be a worrying situation. Fire bricks can crack over time; however, this is nothing to be alarmed about. With the proper care the bricks can last for a long time, even after a crack has occurred. Please continue reading to understand potential causes and treatment options.

Potential Causes

1. Repeatedly going from cold to hot to cold again causes the bricks to naturally expand and contract. Over time the bricks begin to lose their strength and can cause the bricks to crack.
   
   
2. Being a little heavy-handed, such as throwing the logs, when adding fuel to the fire could also be a contributing factor to brick failure.

Prevention and Treatment

We recommend you wear a stove glove when loading timber logs into stove for your own safety, as well it allows you to gently add fuel to the fire. Please do not throw timber logs into stove as this may cause the bricks crack from the impact. When your stove has fully cooled you can repair any cracks by using fire cement. Firstly, apply the fire cement into the crack, removing any excess from the surrounding bricks. Secondly, apply heat gradually, increasing the temperature to the bricks for three to four hours. Thirdly, allow the bricks to cool fully. Repeat this process until the cracks are no longer visible.

Incorrect Fuel Type

Slumber Burning

Prevention

• Henley Stoves provides a list of suitable fuels for your stove outlined in the user manual. It is important that you only use fuels recommended by Henley Stoves. Ensure that you do not burn fuels containing petroleum coke (petcoke) or bituminous coal.
• Do not allow the stove to slumber burn. When you light the stove, you should let it come up to temperature and leave it to burn hot for a minimum of 30 minutes. After the stove has sufficiently warmed, you can start to slow the fire by using the vents to control the air flow. When the fire is dying out at the end of use, make sure to open all the vents and let the fire burn out quickly.
• Clean the stove glass daily to reduce sulfuric residue build up on the glass.

Stove glasses can sometimes break for various reasons, and it’s essential to identify the cause to prevent future breakages. Here are some common reasons for a stove glass breaking:

Causes

1. 1. Thermal Shock 

      Rapid changes in temperature can cause thermal shock, leading to glass breakage. This can happen if cold water or liquids come into contact with hot glass or if the stove is subjected to sudden temperature changes.

   2. Impact or Physical Damage 

      Direct impact or physical stress on the glass, such as banging pots and pans against it or dropping heavy objects on it, can cause fractures and breakage.

   3. Installation Issues

      Incorrect installation, such as overtightening screws or using the wrong type of gasket material, can create uneven pressure on the glass, leading to cracks or breakage.

   4. Old Age

      Over time, the repeated heating and cooling cycles that stove glass undergoes can weaken the material, making it more prone to breakage, especially if it’s not heat-treated or tempered.

   5. Excessive Heat

      Operating the stove at temperatures beyond its design limits or exceeding the recommended maximum temperature.

   6. Improper Cleaning

      Using abrasive materials or harsh chemicals on the glass surface during cleaning can scratch or weaken the glass, making it more susceptible to breakage.

   7. Uneven Distribution of Weight

      Placing heavy objects or uneven loads on the stove door can lead to stress concentrations on the glass, increasing the risk of breakage.

   8. Vibration and Movement

      Vibrations or movement in the stove due to an unstable or uneven surface can contribute to stress on the glass, leading to breakage over time.

Disclaimer

Rust Occurring on the Stove

• Water falling down from the chimney or flue pipe – which then settles on top of the stove. If left unchecked this will lead to spots of rust forming.
• Wiping the exterior of the stove with a wet cloth – without drying the exterior, the water residue can settle and lead to rust formation over time.

Solution

• Step 1: Sand Paper – use standard sandpaper to file down the rusted area.
• Step 2: Paint – cover the clean area with heat resistant stove paint.
• Step 3: Maintenance – Avoid moisture affected the covered area.

In the event of the door glass being broken it can easily be replaced using the following procedure:

•  Ensure the appliance is cold.
•  *Optional (can be done without taking door off as some stove doors are difficult to remove) Unscrew the hinges / loosen the bolts and lift the door off the appliance and lay onto a flat surface with the rear face upwards (*This is optional and can be done without taking the door off the stove)
•  Carefully remove the old rope gasket and old adhesive
•  Take note of the layout of the rope seal. Ensure no traces of the old adhesive or rust / flaky paint is present, as this will result in an unsound joint.
•  Apply the rope adhesive following the instructions on the bottle
•  Press the rope gasketing into the channel on the rear door casting, following the same layout as the old rope seal.
•  Just before the final end, cut the rope seal to length and glue into position.
•  Allow at least 30 minutes before refitting the door to the appliance.

The Thermostat, also known as a Thermostatically Controlled Damper Valve, regulates the temperature of the stove, by controlling air intake.
The stove comes with an automatic thermostatic control. The function of the thermostat is to control the rate of burn of your stove.

The ideal setting is at 4 position where the 4 is on the top.

This stove features an automatic thermostat and will close the airflow when the desired temperature is reached.
This will then reopen when the fire dies down.  The thermostat should be set prior to the stove being lit. It will not function if the setting is continuously changed by rotating wheel as it disengages- the fire will keep it closed and locked in

The thermostat should be set before the stove being lit. If you try to open or close the thermostat when it is in a closed position due to the fire reaching the optimal burning level, it will not function.
Its important to set the desired level at the start. If rotated on a continual basis when the fire is lit, the thermostat will break and will need to be replaced.

 There are a number of reasons why your stove overfiring:

 1. Damaged or Worn Gaskets

• Issue: Worn or damaged gaskets on the stove door can lead to air leaks, affecting combustion.
• Solution: Replace any damaged or worn gaskets to ensure a tight seal and prevent air leaks.  We recommend performing a door seal paper test as outlined in a previous video.

   2. Incorrect Installation

• Issue: If the stove is not installed correctly, the seal from the collar of the stove to the pipework must be inspected to ensure that there are no gaps to draw in more air.
• Solution: Ensure that the pipework, or flexi-liner, is completely sealed with fire cement during the fitting phase.

 3. Chimney Draw

• When you open the vents in the stove, the fire should rise. Similarly once the vents are closed the fire should close down. This is a sign that the stove is working correctly.
• Issue: Unfortunately, not all chimneys are the same. The strength of the draw in the chimney may affect the performance of the stove. Some chimney’s draw may be stronger than others.
  If there is a particularly strong draw, you will loose heat.

 4. Primary Air Controls

• The primary air control levers must be in working order to ensure proper output.
• These must not be loose, rigid or worn due to wear and tear.

Your stove itself is generally not the problem, Properly installed, operated and maintained stoves will not have smoke coming from the unit.
Things to consider if smoke does appear to come from your stove:

 1. Cold Chimney

• If your chimney is to cold this can cause the air to reverse and cause the draft to go downwards which will result in pushing the smoke back out the door. Likely causes of this ironically is most likely to happen on cold days and also when an external twin wall chimney is fitted to the outside exterior of a home. To resolve this ensure you use plenty of kindling to heat your stove before building your fire. Placing some flat sheets of newspaper on top of your kindling & leaving the stove door open slightly while it burns can help.

   2. Pipework

• When a stove is flued out the rear/back of a stove it an only be max 150mm in length before a 45 degree pipe is fitted so smoke can elevate up wards. Please note Smoke CANNOT travel Vertically. If your stove pipe is longer than 150mm it will cause soot to build up and this in turn can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

 3. Flue Height

• Stove fittings regulations state that your flue must extend at least 4.5 Meters from the top of the stove. This should provide sufficient draw, however elements such as extreme weather it might not be enough. If you have a very tall chimney this can also be a problem and result in the issues experienced in Cold Chimney.

 4. Correct Fuel

• Burning the wrong fuel or wet fuel can cause an issue. When burning fire wood you should only use fuel with a moisture content of 20% or less. The reason for this is fuel with a high moisture content will create more smoke as it burns.

 5. Blocked Chimney

• Please ensure your chimney is swept at least once a year, not only will this prevent smoke issues but could also prevent chimney fires.

 6. Ventilation Problems

• Ensuring there is the correct amount of ventilation in your home is vital for your stove to work properly. Your stove requires plenty of air to draw in to feed the flames & to keep the air flow pressure stable. If you have had a vent installed please ensure this has not become blocked. If your stove is still smoking then this is more than likely an installation issue and you will need to touch base with your installer on this.

 7. Downdraft

• Chimney Downdrafts can prevent you fire from functioning properly. A downdraft is when smoke & other combustibles from your fire no longer travel up & out the chimney. Reasons Downdraft can happen is,
  • Wind Induced Downdraft – You can reduce the impact of wind on your chimney by installing a chimney fan. This will not only help deflect the wind from the top of your chimney but it will help improve the ‘draw’ of your chimney.

• • Damaged Chimney or chimney components – Inspect as much of the chimney as you can. If this is not possible hire a chimney sweep to do this for you, they will be able to inform you if any parts need replacing.
  • Poor Quality wood – Poor Quality wood does not burn at a sufficient temp to generate the heat required for an effective chimney ‘draw’.

Things to consider :

 1. Improper Fuel

• Issue: Using wet or unseasoned wood can result in poor combustion and reduced heat output.
• Solution: Use only well-seasoned, dry wood with low moisture content for optimal performance.

   2. The size of the room

• Issue: The output of your insert stove should be calculated against the size of the room in which it is fitted.
• Solution: check measurements before installation.

 3. Damaged or Worn Gaskets

• Issue: Worn or damaged gaskets on the stove door can lead to air leaks, affecting combustion.
• Solution: Replace any damaged or worn gaskets to ensure a tight seal and prevent air leaks. We recommend performing a door seal paper test as outlined in a previous video.

 4. Incorrect Installation

• Issue: If the insert stove is not installed correctly, the seal from the collar of the stove to the pipework must be inspected to ensure that there are no gaps to draw in more air.
• Solution: Ensure that the pipework, or flexi-liner, is completely sealed with fire cement during the fitting phase.

 5. Insufficient Insulation

• Issue: Inadequate insulation around the stove can result in heat loss.
• Solution: Improve insulation around the stove, especially if it is inserted into an existing fireplace. This can help retain and radiate more heat into the room.

 6. Chimney Draw

• If you open the vents in the stove the fire should rise. Similarly once the vents are closed the fire should close down. This is a sign that the stove is working correctly.
• Issue: Unfortunately, not all chimneys are the same. The strength of the draw in the chimney may affect the performance of the fire. Some chimney’s draw may be stronger than others. If there is a particularly strong draw, you will loose heat. This is also affected by the location of you house.
• Solution: The recommended standard draw from a chimney should be 12-15 Pascals.