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The Ultimate Guide to Pellet Stove Cleaning

Pellet Stove Cleaning

Overview

There’s no doubt that a pellet stove can make your home warm and cozy, keeping you comfortable throughout the cold while saving you a fortune on heating costs.

But having to clean your pellet stove can get quite tricky, right?

Well, not anymore!

Here’s the ultimate guide on pellet stove. This article contains all the information and practical tips you need to keep your pellet stove looking and functioning as if it were brand new.

Some Basics of Pellet Stove Cleaning

When your stove is working overtime throughout the winter, it definitely needs some of your attention. Every pellet stove is different, so it isn’t easy to specify how often you should clean it.

If the handbook doesn’t give specific instructions or if you think you’ll be using the stove a lot, it needs more than just annual cleanings.

You may also need to clean different parts of your stove at varying rates based on usage.

pellet stove cleaning

Let us break pellet stove cleaning down for you:

Baffles

You have to remove baffles to vacuum crevices that lead to the exhaust fan.

Then, remove the exhaust fan and clean it thoroughly.

Vacuum the switch.

Makes sure the vacuum switch hose is clean and not clogged.

Burn Pot

Most stoves have a pot at the bottom and a handle on the front or back. Once you have that sorted, you can shift your attention toward cleaning it.

Scraping the pot once a day will help minimize accumulation and make deep cleaning easier afterwards. Note that you may only need to scrape out the burn pot once every two or three days if your pellets don’t create a lot of ash.

Ash Pan

Forming a pellet stove cleaning regimen is a great habit to develop, especially when it comes to managing the ash left behind after burning. You can find the ash pan below the burn pot inside the combustion chamber.

Depending on how often you use your pellet stove, emptying the ash pan at least once or twice a week is a good idea.

Glass

You can clean the glass daily or every few days, depending on the type of pellets you use and your pellet stove usage.

Maintaining clear glass improves the aesthetic of your stove, keeps it grime-free, and allows you to monitor what’s going on inside.

Vent Pipes

The frequency with which you clean the vent pipes depends upon different factors.

As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want accumulation in your stove’s exhaust pipe to be thicker than a quarter of an inch, so check it often until you know how long it takes to get there.

Now that you’re equipped with the basics of pellet stove cleaning, let’s move on to the next part.

Benefits of Pellet Stove Cleaning

Cleaning your pellet stove may seem like a hassle but it offers an array of benefits, including:

Fewer Unexpected Repairs

Let’s face it: no one likes unexpected chores.

But you don’t want to go to light your pellet stove on a chilly day only to discover it suddenly isn’t working. Fortunately, you can save yourself from the trouble!

One of the most common causes of a pellet stove suddenly malfunctioning is a lack of cleaning.

When the stove is cleaned, rust or buildup that might cause components to fail will be removed. Moreover, it will allow you to see whether any parts need fixing to ensure proper functioning of the pellet stove.

In the long run, appropriate upkeep will save you time and money.

Longer Lifespan of Your Stove

If you’re putting off some essential pellet stove maintenance, you may risk damaging your heating system.

When ashes and pellets accumulate in your stove, the stove will become less efficient over time. Temperature control, ventilation, and the ability to ignite your stove are all features that may be compromised.

Keeping your stove clean will avoid these problems and allow your heater to last longer.

Safer Home

There’s no debate that safety comes before everything else. If you don’t do something about the ash buildup in your pellet stove, it can become dangerous.

This is because creosote, a chemical produced when wood or other fuels are burned, can accumulate over time if the ash isn’t discarded. It is hazardous to inhale and poses a fire threat, so you must clean it.

Now that we have (hopefully) convinced you why cleaning your pellet stove is necessary, it’s time to learn how to clean the pellet stove properly. So, let’s get right to it!

How To Do Pellet Stove Cleaning?

Put on your safety equipment and grab your tools. We’re about to take you through the pellet stove procedure!

Typically, pellet stove cleaning can be divided into four categories:

  • Outer Portion (Casing) of the Stove

If your pellet stove is old, the outside casing has likely become rustic. You’ll need to do some serious scraping; otherwise, the stove’s entire body will be damaged.

Step 1: Use a wire brush to remove any visible rust.

Step 2: Sandpaper may come in handy if cleaning stubborn rust with a wire brush becomes difficult. Carefully scrape the corroded area with sandpaper until the corrosion is entirely gone.

Step 3: Wipe the stove with a damp cloth. Smudges of leftover ash and grime may be seen on the stove’s external surface.

[Tip: Make a 2:1 solution of water and vinegar. Spray the solution directly onto the smudges, then wait a few minutes before wiping them away with a clean cloth. Before using the pellet stove, make sure it is fully dry.]

  • Burn Pot

Step 1: Open the pellet stove door and use an ash vacuum cleaner to clean the burn pot. Never use an ordinary vacuum cleaner for this purpose.

Bring the vacuum cleaner close to the ash pot, press down on the bottom, and cautiously clean it. Make certain that you keep the vacuum a few inches away from the ash pan at all times.

Step 2: Remove the burn pot from the compartment after clearing the ashes and clean the holes using a metal cleaning rod (usually provided with the stove by the pellet stove manufacturer).

Step 3: Use the same ash vacuum to clean the area where the burn pot is stored since ashes may also collect beneath this area. A lot of people seem to neglect this part, and you shouldn’t be one of them.

Cleaning the ashes in the burn pot may not be sufficient; you must scrape the burn pot to eliminate carbon buildup.

Cleaning the burn pot when the stove is warm is one of the most effective methods to do it. Lower the heat to roughly 50 degrees Fahrenheit and wait approximately 30 minutes. Gradually open the pellet stove door and clean the burn pot with a scraper.

Voila! Your burn pot is now in tip-top shape.

  • Ash Pan

When the stove is in constant use, check the ash drawer regularly.

Dump the ash in a safe location if the pan is full of ash; the stove will not function properly if you do not discard it correctly.

Step 1: Open the ash door by unlocking the ash pans key. The ash pan is sometimes held in place by a screw. To remove the ash pan, in this case, you’ll need to use a screwdriver to unscrew the screw.

Step 2: Take the pan somewhere open, then use a basket to dump the ash. Finally, reinstall the ash pan from where it was removed. Don’t forget to lock the key again.

  • Glass

Sitting and watching the fascinating flames burn is one of the best things about owning a pellet stove. Soot, however, can obscure your stove’s glass, making it impossible to see the flames.

For cleaning the glass, you don’t need to follow any particular steps.

All you need is a glass cleaner and a damp cloth. After spraying your glass with the cleaner, wipe it with a cloth. If the stain is particularly stubborn, try leaving the cleaner on for a few minutes before wiping it away.

For particularly tenacious stains, try a piece of newspaper dipped in ash—yes, we know it sounds strange, but it actually works.

You may wipe away the ash with a wet cloth once the marks have been dislodged.

It will be easier to clean your stove if you clean it frequently. By following the steps indicated above, you may extend the life of your pellet stove by years!

Make Cleaning Easier (And Faster!)

Your pellet stove will stand the test of time and continue to serve you if you clean it properly and frequently. Yes, that’s right.

So, what are you waiting for?

Rather than waiting for the spring season to “spring clean” your pellet stove, set aside some time and get it done right away using the effective tips and techniques mentioned above.

If you need any help or have any questions or concerns, we are just a click away.

Invest in pellet stove cleaning today!

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