A wood-burning stove is a nice-to-have unit, especially in the cold breeze of Scotland. It’s an excellent source of heat, plus it’s quite lovely to look at the dancing fire while drinking your favourite cup of coffee.
If you are a wood-burning stove owner who enjoys watching the fire from the stove or who simply wants to keep the unit clean, the last thing you want is to see dirt or soot on your stove’s glass. Still, the soot that you see is part of the unit’s environment since the stove burns wood. It’s inevitable, yet you can do something about it. But, if your stove glass is regularly going black every after you use it, perhaps there’s something wrong with the way you’re operating it.
To help you prevent the blackening from happening, here are some of the reasons why your wood burner’s glass always turns black:
Reasons Why Your Wood Burner’s Glass Door Is Turning Black
1. You Might Be Burning Unseasoned Wood
You should only burn seasoned wood, meaning the wood should be cut, chopped and left to air for at least 12 months before using. This way, the moisture level from the wood will drop to around 20-25%, preventing excessive smoke while it’s burning.
If you use unseasoned wood in your wood burner, chances are soot, tar and creosote will form inside the flue system and on the glass because of the excessive smoke being produced. If these compounds are developed, the glass on your wood burner will turn black.
2. You Might Be Using the Airwash Incorrectly
Nearly all wood-burning stoves available have a built-in airwash system. It’s one of the benefits of modern wood-burning stoves today because it helps prevent soot from settling on the glass.
If the airwash system is not functioning the way it’s supposed to work, there might be something wrong with how you’re using it; that’s why the glass on your stove is turning black. Try not to close the airwash vent completely while the stove is on so that it can do its job.
3. You Might Be Overloading the Stove
Another reason why your stove’s glass is turning black is that you might be overloading it, or you’re loading fuel so close to the glass. You can know if this is the case when you see some blackening in just one or two areas of the glass rather than the entire surface. That is because the fuel is burning against the glass, so the burning area turns black.
4. The Temperature Is Not Hot Enough
If your wood-burning stove is not at its maximum temperature, the built-in airwash may not function correctly. If the airwash doesn’t work, there’s a higher chance that the glass will turn black.
5. Poor Draw inside the Room
If you think you’re doing everything correctly, but the glass in your stove is still turning black, perhaps the problem is already in the ventilation in the room.
The poor draw means that the air movement from your room into the stove and up the chimney is not powerful enough. If your place has a poor draw, the smoke might linger in the firebox. If that happens, the airwash from your unit may not function correctly, leading to the blackening of glass.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to look out for your wood-burning stove so that the unit will last longer. If you think you’re practising some of the reasons, try to avoid them or create a solution to prevent the glass from turning black. This way, you’ll enjoy the view of the dancing fire in your stove, and you’ll have a cleaner-looking unit once you maintain it.
If you need some maintenance for your wood stove in Scotland and the UK, Stove Scotland is here to help! We offer a full professional maintenance service and chimney sweep package, allowing you and your family to enjoy your stove for years to come. Contact us today to get a free quote!
