Airwash is a system that directs a flow of hot air down across the glass, keeping it hotter. This helps to stop condensation and tar being formed on the glass and means the glass is kept clearer. Most modern stoves now have airwash. To make this work effectively, you must bring your stove up to an optimum operating temperature when refuelling and before shutting the stove down. It is also important to burn dry wood.

If you live in a smoke control area (mostly within UK cities, see DEFRA’s website to find this out) and want to burn wood, you will need a DEFRA exempt appliance. Most ecodesign woodburning stoves are already DEFRA exempt, but it will need to be checked. DEFRA exempt stoves have a controlled amount of air entering the stove to ensure the wood burns efficiently and therefore produces less smoke. Alternatively, you can burn smokeless fuel on a multifuel stove.

There are many different effects of an electric stove or fire. Some use LED screens and some have the fuel bed light up. All electric fires have a moving flame image. Fuel beds can be changed depending which fire you choose. Gazco electric fires often have a variety of fuel beds which include logs, driftwood, pebbles, stones, glass and crystals.

The cost of running your electric stove or fire will depend on the model and whether you have the flame effect running without heat, on low heat or high heat. For example, a Gazco Vogue Midi Electric uses and produces 0.75kw on low and 1.5kw on high. Therefore, it will cost you 1.5 units of electric per hour on high (1unit = 1kw, please note this doesn’t include any proportion of your daily standing charge). How much this cost depends on your specific tariff and unit charge rate. The visuals without heat (flame effect only) cost will vary between 1p-7p per hour depending on the specific model.

Pre-heated air is introduced to the firebox through a series of holes, which results in jets of warmed air entering the firebox. This mixes with the gases in the stove, encouraging complete combustion and burning of any hydrocarbons in the stove, avoiding tar up the chimney. Again, this will only happen if you are getting your stove to an optimum burning temperature when refuelling and you are burning dry wood.

Dry logs, approved solid fuel and smokeless fuel should be the only things burnt. Logs should be well-seasoned, meaning they are dry and contain less than 25% moisture. If you would like to check the logs you have are dry we sell a moisture meter which can tell you this. If you are purchasing logs (under 2m3) they should be ‘ready to burn’ logo which means the supplier is complying with the air quality regulations