The lifespan for wood-fired ovens is typically about 10 years, but can be longer, depending on use and care. 

Maintenance for solid-fuel ovens is specific and differs from other equipment. These units do not include many parts that fail or wear out, so most problems are due to improper cleaning.

When cleaning the cooking chamber, a shop vacuum is best to remove debris when the oven cools down. Igniters are fragile and can damage easily, so it’s important to be careful when cleaning around them. The same holds true for the oven’s burners. It’s important to keep gas orifices clean and regularly check gas pressure levels. To prevent carbon buildup, a damp cloth can be used daily to wipe the cooking deck surface.

Rather than scraping off the deck and potentially pushing debris to the back and into the burner chamber, remove it for cleaning. Otherwise, excess debris will clog the burners and the ignition system, causing issues. 

For solid-fuel ovens, mitigating ash is essential. Keep in mind that ash and coals stay hot for a long time. Using a shop vac for cleaning could be a fire hazard. Instead, embers should be scooped into a fireproof container.

Flue pipes should be regularly cleaned by an experienced chimney sweep or hood cleaner that specializes in solid-fuel cleaning. Operators should have the flue pipe cleaned at least quarterly. If not, the residue from solid fuels, along with greasy vapors from product, can cause flue fires.