Weekly Maintenance for Pellet Stoves
So you have decided on a wood pellet stove to warm your home. This is a great idea for a multitude of reasons, but making sure to give your new stove a weekly cleaning will allow it to run smoothly and limit the amount of problems that might come up.
Why are pellet stoves so special?
There is an obvious reason that they are gaining in popularity: they have a great reputation of saving energy and money for their owners. The combination of the traditional wood-burning stove and the technology to keep you running back and forth to the woodpile, results in a stove that runs off of compressed sawdust and other materials. Not only affordable, the pellets are also putting to use sawdust that would otherwise be disposed of. Not only does it use recycled wood waste materials, the stove itself uses a very particular ratio of fuel to air, which allows for a clean, steady burn that doesn’t emit a lot of smoke and creosote into your chimney.
What maintenance is needed for the pellet stove?
New Stove:
Pellet stoves are incredibly low-maintenance, but nonetheless need to be kept on a regular cleaning schedule, much like the rest of your home! Unless you are skilled enough to install the stove yourself, hiring a professional to install it may cut down any problems down the road. Once installed, check the stove, and especially the hopper (where the pellets are held) for any foreign objects that might cause the stove to not run properly. Understanding how the stove works will limit issues later on.
For the Cooler Weather:
Now that fall is quickly coming upon us, it is time to catch up on that cleaning schedule. Thoroughly clearing your stove and chimney of debris and old pellets should be done before you light up for the cooler weather. Make sure to give us a call here at Beach Stove and Fireplace to come give your chimney a sweeping and inspection, as well as looking at your pellet stove to make sure it’s running efficiently.
Weekly Maintenance:
Besides just paying attention to how the stove sounds and operates for any signs of problems, a weekly cleaning takes only a few minutes of vacuuming up ash and scrubbing to keep your stove looking pristine. Take out as much of the ash as possible and wipe down inside surfaces. The glass on your stove can be cleaned using a glass cleaner, and any buildup on the glass can typically be removed with steel wool.
With the upcoming cold season approaching us, it is important to keep your pellet stove clean and functioning. Not only is having a pellet stove efficient, but also it will save you time and money to take care of it. If you are interested in one of our custom pellet stoves, have questions about maintenance, or need to schedule your seasonal chimney sweeping and inspection, don’t hesitate to call!