Wood boilers aren't "set it and forget it" appliances, but fortunately, staying on top of the basic maintenance tasks associated with keeping your boiler in great shape isn't all that difficult. Knowing what needs attention and exactly how often can help prolong the lifespan of your wood boiler and prevent you from having to make expensive repairs down the road.

Keep it full, keep it clean

It's important to make sure that your water boiler is topped off in order to keep up with any evaporation that might be occurring over the course of time. The simplest way to do this is to connect your boiler to your home's water supply so that you can fill it up with just a twist of a valve. This will also help you when you are flushing your furnace, which should be done at least once a year, preferably after the heating season is over. Draining the boiler and filling it up again can be done several times for maximum cleansing. You may need to bleed air out of the boiler lines after filling it or topping off, which can be done via the circulation pump.

Wood boiler water treatments play a large role in preventing corrosion and scale buildup inside the system, which means that each time you flush and fill your unit you will want to make sure that you re-add the water treatment that you have been using. Some customers may choose to fill their boilers with glycol mix, so check with your manufacturer as to what they recommend and not recommend.

Regular inspection adds efficiency

Anything in your outdoor wood furnace with moving parts should be inspected and lubricated if possible. Inspect the door gaskets and fan covers (and any other part of the furnace where air can enter) for leaks. Anything questionable your find should be fixed and/or replaced. Failing to control air flow can cause many problems, especially overheating.

It also goes without saying that regular ash removal on a weekly basis is key to keeping enough airflow for a strong fire to burn.

Post-heating season maintenance

It's tempting to just walk away from your wood boiler after the winter is over and not think about it too hard until the weather starts to turn cold again. Taking the proper steps immediately after you are finished with your wood boiler for the year, however, is a crucial aspect of proper system maintenance.

Clearing the ashes out of your boiler can go a long way towards reducing the risk of corrosion over the course of the spring and summer. When ash becomes wet, it can start to eat away at your boiler's steel plating, and a good cleaning is a great way to head off this kind of damage before there's a chance for it to get started. At the same time removing the creosote buildup (caused by the slow burning of wood) from your wood boiler's chimney can reduce the risk of an accidental flash fire.

Finally, don't forget that Alternative Heating & Supplies is available to help you with home wood furnace needs.