Anyone with a woodburning stove? can you tell me

[lixylix]

what accessories I need for this. Will I need a poker and a pan and brush that does not burn melt as the ash is still hot in the morning. Where do I get these from?

I have a duel fuel stove and the chimney sweep told me not to clean it out too often, you need quite a bit of ash in the bottom - he did tell me why, but I cannot recall now.

The ash goes into a pan underneath the hearth. You will need a poker, and probably a pan and brush (and a thingy for lifting out the ash pan) The same person you bought the stove from should be able to assist. Or there's a few places online - I think the firesideshop is one.

OK, that is where we are different - my stove does not have a pan underneath (my open fire in my old house did) to clean out my woodburner I actually have to scoop the ashes out with a small shovel.

You want tongs as well, occasionally I'm poking around in the fire and something red hot falls out, needs to be picked up and replaced into fire or will stink whole house out.

Those four items are all the standard things in fire place sets (see here). The brush will burn, btw, just not very easily!!

We only clean the ashes out once a week in our wood-burner, otherwise the base of the stove might get too hot (could warp). Up to 5cm (over 2 inches) in depth is fine, 2cm as minimum depth.

The only other thing I'd highly recommend is a thermometer, like this. It will help you use the stove efficiently and safely (without damaging it or sending too much tar up the chimney).

Thank you - I was cleaning out the ash every morning so pleased to read once a week is fine

How do you keep the black paint clean. It is a clearview and the glass keeps relatively clean. The actual fire always looks dusty (probably is).

Ooh, that's interesting MS - and mine is dual fuel as well.

For glass: Vinegar + newspaper for me, husband uses Fairy + paper towels (I need steel wool to make that work)

The only accessories I use for mine are fireproof gloves like these ones. With them you can pick up hot stuff, move logs around if you want to, and it stops me burning my arms putting fresh logs in the top.

The layer of ash in the bottom of the stove makes the best possible bed for the fire, so you only have to stop it building up too high by reducing it now and then - just make sure it doesn't build up to the stage where it gets in the way of any air vents.