TIPS & ADVICE ABOUT TILED STOVES
The best wood for your tiled stove
The length of the wood should not exceed 300 mm because the chunks of wood should not be against the glass. It is most important is to use dry wood. Firing with moist wood means that you will not reach a sufficiently high temperature during combustion, because most of the energy will be used to dry the wood. White or invisible smoke from the chimney means that you are firing with dry wood. Note that oak must have been dry-chopped for at least two years.
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Try to quickly start a fire in the fireplace so that proper live coals are formed. Lay/stack about 2 kg of finely chopped dry wood (about 15 sticks) horizontally with a lot of air in between. To light the finely chopped wood, place paper, birch bark or fire briquettes under the sticks.
Note! Never use flammable lighter fluids.
Light the fire. Carefully push the glass door shut, making sure that the fire gets oxygen and catches properly (the door can in some cases be kept slightly open when starting the fire).
We recommend that you read our maintenance and firing advice before you start using the tiled stove. In addition to information on how to start the stove, there is information on how to heat your home in the best way.
Maintenance and firing instruction
WOOD AS FUEL
Wood is a biofuel which, when properly burned, forms part of the natural cycle. When trees grow, water and carbon dioxide are consumed in the so-called photosynthesis. This releases oxygen, which, as you know, we need to breathe. When the wood is burned or decomposes, the water and carbon dioxide are released again. The process also consumes the amount of oxygen that was formed when the tree was growing. All this takes place in a cycle, which means that wood burning does not contribute to the so-called greenhouse effect.
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ABOUT THE WOOD
Think about ventilation when storing your wood
It is important not to place the wood directly against the ground and to ensure that there is as much space as possible at the roof and sides. Wood that has been chopped in early spring can be used in the coming winter in the best-case scenario. But it is better if it dries two spring seasons as it dries best in the spring before the leaves show. Keep in mind that damp wood burns worse, gives off less heat and has greater environmental impact. Firewood should not contain more than 20% water.
Chopped wood dries faster
Birch wood should be chopped as soon as possible, otherwise it will be hard and difficult to process. Pine and spruce wood, on the other hand, is easier to chop if it has been allowed to dry for a while. The wood should be kept at room temperature for 24 hours before firing. Covering the wood with tarpaulin, for example, is not a good solution because this prevents the moisture from the ground and the wood from evaporating. Moist wood is also more easily attacked by rot, which quickly reduces the energy value of the wood.
Never use impregnated wood, painted wood, panelling or the like
This can harm both the stove and the environment. Oak wood, on the other hand, is excellent for burning, but it is important to mix it with other wood types during combustion. Oak wood is high in energy, but is also rich in tannins which is aggressive against both the fireplace and the mortar.
CLEANING TIPS
For various reasons, the glass on the door or the tiling of your tile stove can get dirty. Below are some tips and advice on how to avoid this and how to clean the tile stove should this happen. Keep in mind that the stove should be cold when you clean it!
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Soot on the glass door
The fireplace insert in Gabriel’s tiled stoves has built-in air flushing to prevent soot on the glass door. If the glass is still sooty, it may be due to the following:
The stove has not been able to reach its operating temperature fast enough
Problems with the air supply
The wood is too close to the glass
Wet wood
Cleaning the glass
The glass must be cold during cleaning. Use wet paper towels dipped in cold ash. Then rub off the soot on the glass and wipe off with dry paper. If the glass does not become completely clean after this, repeat the process. When using cleaning spray to remove the soot, make sure the cleaning agent does not come in contact with the brass. If the cleaning agent dries on, spots will form that are very difficult to remove.
Dirty tiles
Clean the tiles using a damp, lukewarm cloth and a gentle detergent. Remember that the stove should be cold and do not get the joints wet. Use a grease-dissolving detergent if the joint needs to be cleaned.
Cleaning brass
Brass is a yellowish alloy consisting of copper and zinc. Its shine may diminish over time and then it needs to be polished. Häxan Metal Polisher, which can be found in grocery stores, works well for this purpose.
It is important to use a soft cloth or sponge. Avoid anything that could scratch the brass. You may need to repeat the polishing one or several times more depending on the discolouration of the brass.
Never use water when cleaning brass.
