Inserts and face plates how often do you inspect behind the face plate

[woodhog73]

Good evening.....

For folks with an insert flush or not flush, how often do you take the time to remove the face plate ? To clean on top of the insert, clean the enclosed area, and inspect the liners connection, condition etc. ??

I took mine off and was surprised to find several spider webs, lots of debri mostly dust, and what might have been a couple mouse droppings , on top of my insert ! I cleaned and vacuumed stuff out and also inspected the flex liner connection and condition etc while there and it looked just fine.

Took a total of 15 minutes. Do folks do this annually ? Or do most just leave the face plates untouched for years and years or decades ?

I'm curious

 

[Supersurvey]

Never in 5 years but a good question.

 

[Beer Belly]

9 years, never gave it a thought

 

[woodhog73]

That's what I figured most people don't give it a thought. So I suppose there's no real need to inspect the area.

Mine is easy to remove so knowing me I probably will end up doing it annually to vacuum out the spider webs and all the dust. I guess it can't hurt.

 

[mellow]

I give mine a yearly fall check, make sure I have no leaks from the chimney causing rust on top of the insert, but then again my surrounds have been easy to remove, some surrounds are attached pretty good and not easily removed.

 

[bholler]

We check every one every time as long as it is possible. Which it is very rare that it is not possible

 

[English BoB]

Once a year when I do the big clean out.

bob

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

The surround is sitting in the box that it came in last year, about this time of year, behind the chair that I am sitting on. I installed it, and decided I liked seeing into the fireplace, so I took it off. So, I check around the insert every day! If I could find someone that wanted it (Drolet, Century, Flame Heat), I'd make them a deal...