Wed 25 September 2024
Local News | An important job for the Autumn!
Put this job at the top of your jobs “to do” for Autumn!
Here in the beautiful Valle del Pop, aka the Jalon Valley, we are fortunate enough to enjoy very mild winters. However we can, in the months of January and February, see temperature lows of below zero. It is a common sight to see holiday makers wandering round in shorts and T-shirts, but those of us who have lived here for a few years are better prepared for the winter months. We will normally swap summer for winter wardrobes in October. Although the days stay warm and sunny into November and December, the evening and night time temperatures can drop significantly. It is a beautiful sight to see the vineyards covered in frost.
The longer you live in this beautiful part of the world, the more you actually look forward to the autumn and winter, almost as much as spring and summer. The month of August can be a long month and the temperatures of September are a welcome relief. We start to look forward to cozy winter evenings by the fire.
It occurred to us this year that our pellet burner might need to be serviced and the chimney swept. So, on the recommendation of a friend, I called a company in Pedreguer, Paco Agulles. Paco arrived to do the job and tried his best not to look shocked when I said we had had the “estufa” for three years and this was the first service. He politely told me it should be done every year but definitely no more than two years!
Why service your pellet or wood burner?
Basically, it is the same as having a car and not servicing it. If you don´t take care of it and all it´s parts, it will not run efficiently. If it is not cleaned, soot will build up in the pipes which can cause chimney fires. This can cause smoke and ash to come back into the house. Also, what you don´t want is a breakdown in the middle of January when it´s -3 degrees outside!
What does the service entail?
For wood stoves, keeping the chimney swept and checking the integrity of glass doors and seals.
For pellet burning stoves, it is rather more involved. However, an expert will do it in a few hours, less if you do it regularly (every September for us, from now on!)
- the exhaust pipe will be cleared of ash.
- the hopper will be inspected and the fire chamber and working parts.
- the convection motor will be cleaned.
- you can also ask them to check the electrics if your model is older.
We would urge you to keep this job on your calendar for every September to keep your stove in top working order. Then, when those stormy skies settle over the valley, you can relax, batten down the hatches and get cozy.
Paco Flames maintain and service, wood and pellet stoves, in the whole of the Marina Alta including, the Valle de Pop, Javier, Moraira and Denia. Click on the link below for more information and a contact number;
Paco and his team are very friendly, trustworthy and super efficient. More importantly, they cleaned up after themselves and the dust was kept to a minumum. Here at Jacaranda Spain, we highly recommend this great local business!
