So your new stove’s arrived and the family’s excitedly unpacking. You then stand back and ask yourself, what next? Your mind goes blank and you start searching through the discarded packaging for the instructions. Don’t panic though, because help is at hand.

This post is a simple guide to lighting a new stove, and is essential reading for anyone staring at their new purchase and scratching their head.
First things first. Open the doors and check for instructions and other documentation. If it’s a woodburning cooker, this is easily overlooked. The last thing you need is to set your guarantee ablaze.

If it’s a woodburning boiler stove , you MUST ensure it is connected to the hot water before lighting. If your stove heats the radiators, you must ensure they too are connected before lighting. Failure to do this will result in your stove not working properly, potentially damage the boiler and will invalidate your warranty.

Once you’ve got the plumbing sorted, turn your attention to the flue. Woodburning stoves operate better with 4.5 metres of working flue.

How to light your stove
Fetch the matches, kindling and firelighters; it’s time to get the show on the road. The air controls and flue damper both need to be in the open position.

Use lots of kindling and use firelighters or newspaper; both are equally effective. Add a small amount of wood, and solid fuel, too, if it’s a multifuel burner.

Light the fire. By leaving the door slightly open, the flue pull will assist in the lighting process and avoid the build up of condensation inside the glass. Once the fire is established, you can add more fuel to steady the firebed.

Shut the door. Add more small pieces of fuel when necessary.
The heat needs to be built up slowly. During the first few days, a woodburning or multifuel stove  should be operated at a low temperature. This settles the glues and allows the paint to fully cure. During this time, you might notice one or two unpleasant odours. Therefore, it’s important to keep the room well ventilated.

NEVER run the stove with the fire doors open unless the manufacturer states it is possible on your stove. This is dangerous, and could distort the door.

The process for lighting pellet stoves  is slightly different. If the stove has automatic ignition, sit back, put your feet up and think of the other poor souls that are messing about with kindling.

An automatic ignition pellet stove uses electricity to light itself, requiring you to do no more than push a button. A manual ignition requires the use of a match and ignition gel.

Having your new stove delivered is an exciting and much anticipated moment for all the family. Depending on the type of stove, certain precautions must be made prior to lighting. Woodburning boilers require plumbing, woodburning cookers require an inspection of the cooker, and pellet stoves need an electricity supply.

In all cases, use on a low heat for a few days and leave a window open. Following these simple guidelines will ensure you get the fire burning with maximum efficiency. Alternatively, you always buy your stove from us and we’ll be able to install it  too and show you how to light it!