Q: Does the stoves work with anthracite, wood or coal?
A: Preferably wood or coal. Anthracite can also be used, but as it burns very hot some parts will need to be replaced earlier than with the use of wood or coal.
Q: Where can I get parts for these stoves?
A: We sell all cast iron parts as well as accessories. We also do stove repairs if you are interested in bringing the stove to us for a quote.
Q: How many chimney pipes do I need?
A: Our pipes come in one meter lengths. How many pipes you need depends on the height of your roof. The chimney should be approximately one meter above the knock of our roof for good airflow. The average pipes are between 3 -4 metres.
Q: Why is the stoves flue nozzle oval and the pipes round?
A: The pipe is bent oval at the bottom to fit over the flue nozzle.
Q: How do I attach the pipe to the flue nozzle?
A: It is not always needed to fix the pipe to the nozzle, but if preferred 3 self-tap screws can be used.
Q: How do I install my stove?
A: We do have professionals that can be contacted to arrange installation within Gauteng. If you are doing installation yourself, follow these basic rules:
Pipes are shrunk on one side to be able to fit into each other. The chimney can go straight through the roof inside the house (see flashing available for sealing off the chimney), or they can go through the wall using 90˚ or 45˚ elbows. Then chimney can go up the wall on the outside. The cowl is used on top of the chimney to prevent rain from coming through the pipes. (see blog for illustrations)
Q: How do I maintain my stove?
A: Most importantly, when the bricks inside the fireplace are burned through, replace them to avoid heat damaging the stoves side panels. When the stoves colour fades to grey, our Jonkel Stove Polish can be applied to brighten the stoves colour. Stoves can also be re-painted (if for instance stove has gotten wet and rusted), see our Randcon 5L Paint with instructions.
Q: How do I use a coal stove oven?
A: When your fire is burning well, the heat can be regulated by opening and closing the stoves damper. Some stoves do come with a thermometer inside the door, but not all coal stoves have this.
Q: How do I start a fire in a coal stove?
A: Follow these steps -
- Open the damper
- Start by making a small fire on the fire side (left), for the pipes to get hot
- Once the pipes are hot enough (you will know this when the pipes start creating a suction), you can make the fire bigger
- Take note: the pipes have to be hot to start suction to take the smoke out the chimney and not smoke into the house.
Q: What is a poker set used for?
A: The cup lifter is used to pick up the stove plates when hot. The scraper is for cleaning the ash inside the stove. The poker is used to stoke the fire.
Q: What is the meaning of A+, A/G and B/G?
A: Our refurbished stoves are graded according to their appearance. All stoves are in perfect working condition and all necessary parts have been replaced.
A+ stoves have cast iron bricks inside the fireplace. This stove is the nearest to the original. All enamel is original.
A/G stoves are also in good condition, although some damaged enamel may have been sandblasted and painted black (as we are not able to re-enamel). They have baked bricks inside the fireplace instead of cast iron. Baked bricks will have to be replaced more regularly as it burns through quicker from the heat than cast iron.
B/G stoves also have baked bricks. The appearance of these stoves is slightly affected by the refurbishing process. Some parts may have been refurbished rather than replaced, which leaves marks (such as from welding). The stove is still in perfect working condition, as this only affects the appearance and not the function of the stove.
Q: What to do if my stove is smoking?
A: There could be a few reasons for this, mainly it can be fixed by one of the below options:
- Check if your damper is open when starting the fire
- Ensure that you have at least 3 metres of chimney pipe / the chimney reaches above the knock of your roof for good air flow
- Clean the chimney pipes inside (especially if the stoves has not been used for a period of time)
- If your stove was bought elsewhere, make sure there are no large open spaces between parts / panels of the stove. We do sell heat resistant sealant and putty that can easily be used to seal an opening
- Make sure that good quality coal is used and that wood is completely dry
- If all these steps have been followed and the problem persists, please contact us or email us photos of your stove and installation.
Q: What is the warranty on your stoves?
A: These stoves are very reliable and durable, therefore there are rarely any comebacks.
Repair warranty on the stoves is 2 years.
Not applicable to wear and tear, if there are any complaints the stove will be sent to the supplier for evaluation.
Supplier will evaluate whether problem is due to failure to maintain the stove or whether it is a factory fault.
Customer will be held responsible to return the stove to Ndebele Appliances.
Ndebele Appliances will be held responsible to return the stove to the supplier for assessment.
If evaluation proves a factory fault, the stove will be repaired at no cost to the customer.
If evaluation proves damage caused by negligence, the customer will be held responsible for all repair costs.
