FAQs
Do you sell your stoves direct to the public?
Wagener Stoves has a retail shop which services our local Far North area but we DO NOT factory sell around the country. We rely on a nationwide dealer network of retailers to sell and service our products. We are committed to long term sustainable relationships and are loyal and supportive of our dealers. We are happy to receive calls and emails from customers and to offer advice and technical information but sales will always be referred to our dealer in their location. A list of dealers is available on our Dealer page of this website "Where to Buy".
How do I clean the firebox door glass?
Blackening of the door glass is not uncommon and occurs when the fire is run slowly on low air supply for extended periods of time and also if your wood is not well seasoned. Running the fire fast on full air supply will burn off the worst of it and then using the Vitcas Glass cleaner (Available to purchase from this webiste in the Parts & Accessories section) spray a small amount leave for a minute then wipe off with paper towel.
How often should I clean my flue?
The home heating industry recommends an annual chimney sweep and safety inspection to ensure the efficient and safe operation of your fire. Your insurance company may also require an annual inspection.Creosote can build up over a period of time and restrict the air flow and draw and therefore the performance of your fire. If you have any concerns about the performance of your fire during the heating season contact your service provider for advice. Wagener does offer Flue Brush sets to self clean your flue (Available to purchase from this website in the Parts & Accessories section) but we again strongly recommend to still get your annual sweep & inspection done by a professional to keep your insurance company happy. Using wood with a moisture content less than 20% will assist and the ideal moisture content is 16% or less.
Do I need a permit to fit a fire?
Yes you do need a council permit for all new fireplace installations and replacement fire installations.
Smoke into the room
Occasional puffs of smoke into the room while fuel loading – ensure full air supply, then crack the door slightly and open slowly. Refuel and close the door but don’t turn the air supply down too quickly as the fire will smoulder and the firebox can fill with pressurised smoke and gases which can build up and force smoke into the room.Unusually windy conditions from a certain direction may also cause a down draft situation. If this is an ongoing problem you may need to extend your flue height or fit an alternative cowl.Trees or other high obstacles near your home can also cause a down draft issue. Poor Performance and smoke entering the room may also be due to a negative air pressure problem which is becoming more common in modern air tight homes. You may need to open a window slightly to allow combustion air into the room. Extraction fans when in use may also cause negative air pressure and starve the fire of the air needed to perform well.Consult your installer for best remedy for your situation.
Can I cook on the top of my Wagener?
Yes you can. Our stoves have solid steel tops ranging from 5-8mm thick. They are perfect for boiling your kettle for a cuppa right through to cooking a meal. Great for saving on electricity costs and perfect backup in a power outage.
Tips – always face your kettle spout away from the flue. Stove top temperatures are hottest closest to the front face of the flue and will be slower as you move to the side and front of the cooking surface. A trivet placed on the stove top to raise the cooking vessel will allow longer, slower cooking for tender casseroles and the like.
If you have a Fairburn Cooker your stove top is hottest above the firebox and slower cooking can be achieved as you move towards the oven side. The Butler Multi has a removable grill for a faster heat directly on top of the stove or leave the grill in place for lower temperatures.When your painted cooking surface looks a little tired and needs a freshen up it can be cleaned and then repainted with high temp stove bright paint to look just like new.
My bricks are broken do I need to replace them?
Bricks inside your Wagener stove have two main jobs, first they reflect the heat back into the core of the fire to help increase temperatures for combustion and secondly they protect the steel chassis / fire box. Thin cracks are not uncommon and are a result of the intense heat within the firebox, damage is most often caused by accidental impact when fuel is being loaded. If the fire bricks become cracked to the extent that they are starting to break up and fall into the fire then the broken bricks must be replaced.
Tip – Bricks are made with water and will have a moisture content and we suggest that you place any replacement bricks in a warm situation such as beside the fire, in the sun or in you hot water cupboard to dry out. Initially please have a small fire to fully dry out the bricks and condition them, as a large fire could turn any water still in the bricks into steam and may cause cracks which will shorten their life. Always place wood into the firebox and do not throw or force to avoid damage.
Why do Wagener Stoves offer a 5 year Warranty on the firebox when other manufacturers offer 10 or 15 years?
Every Wagener Stove has a 5 year Warranty on the firebox from the date of purchase. Our firebox warranty, like all other fireplace manufacturers, is against faulty workmanship and/or faulty materials. At Wagener Stoves we believe that in the unlikely event that a firebox should have a fault it would show well within the first 5 years so to offer a 10 or 15 year warranty is in our opinion worthless and misleading. We call a spade a spade!
Here at Wagener we take the time to hand clean every firebox chassis free of any welding splatter and then paint them completly (the places you cant see so completly complety) in the same High Temp paint as the exterior unlike many other popular fireplace brands who choose not to do this step to save them costs. Our Fire boxes are made from NZ steel and are 5mm thick unlike some popular fire brands who choose to make their tops 5mm but the rest of the chassis out of 3mm off shore steel. We beleive that this little bit of extra thickness and time helps ensure Wagener fireboxes are well prepared for a longer service to their new owner. New Zealand has a lot of coastline where salt air is increased and if the chassis is left unpainted rust will form and shorten the life of the firebox from day one. Its the little things you can't always see that makes Wagener well...... Wagener.