Pellet Stoves
If you’re searching for a clean and energy-efficient way to heat your home, you won’t do much better than a reliable pellet stove! But one of our most commonly asked questions is how to clean one during the winter and how to maintain it during the summer. Haven Spa Pool Hearth is here to help you keep your equipment running at peak efficiency to help keep you and your family toasty and warm. Before attending to any cleaning or maintenance, always consult your manufacturer’s instructions first. But generally, these are some steps you can follow.
Buying and Storing Proper Pellets
Before you have to maintain your brand-new pellet stove, there are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t have to work too hard keeping it clean and functional. First thing is to purchase the correct types of pellets that will keep your stove burning clean. Good fuel may be a little more expensive, but it will save you money in the long run because it’ll do less damage to your stove over time. Good pellets like softwood will have less than .5% ash in them. It’s also a good idea to store your pellets in a safe, dry place raised off the ground and kept waterproofed as much as possible.
Cleaning Your Pellet Stove
Before attending to any cleaning or maintenance, always consult your manufacturer’s instructions first. But generally, these are some steps you can follow. Your stove will have a couple of parts you can clean with simple cleaners or water and vinegar, such as the glass and outer metal body. Once that’s done, it’s time to clean the interior. Empty the ash drawer or trap and remove any excess that might still be inside with a vacuum specifically designed for sucking up ash (don’t use your household vacuum for the job, as the ash will destroy it). Check the burn pot (the area where the pellets burn) and clean out any remaining charred bits of pellet and ash inside. Take a good wire brush and scrape off any ash that has stuck or accumulated anywhere inside. You’ll want to clean the heat exchangers (the tubes that bring in fresh air and take heat out of the stove) according to your manufacturer’s guidelines. And finally, check the pellet hopper and auger for good pellet flow, and clean up any leftover sawdust with your vacuum cleaner (or wedged pellets with a handy screwdriver).
If you’re looking to purchase a pellet stove yourself, maybe this will give you some idea of how easy it can be to keep it clean. Check out Haven Spa Pool Hearth for our great selection of stoves and fireplaces and give us a call if you’re looking to install!
