Five Tips on Wood Pellet Stove Maintenance

A wood pellet stove is usually a complicated system. There are various components that need to be cleaned regularly to keep the stove operating efficiently. This article will give you a few tips on pellet stove maintenance.

Heat Exchanger

The first part of pellet stove maintenance focuses on the heat exchanger. It is located in the combustion chamber and is designed to transfer heat from burning fuel into clean hot air to be distributed around the home. The surface of this heat exchanger should be cleaned periodically to keep your wood pellet stove operating at maximum efficiency. Some stoves require daily cleanings while others only require cleaning once a month. Cleaning is usually just a matter of moving a rod forward and backward a few times. Some designs require cleaning by professionals.

Burn Pot

The next area that requires pellet stove maintenance is the burn pot. This is the stove's carburetor and enables combustion by mixing the air and fuel together. The air and fuel rates should be properly adjusted so the stove operates at peak performance. The burn pot in the wood pellet stove should be cleaned occasionally to keep the air inlets free from clinkers and fines. Clinkers are formed when melted ash hardens, while fines are improperly formed pellets that have broken down before being used. The type and grade of the fuel that you use determines how often the burn pot should be cleaned.

Ash Bin

Before starting new fires, you should empty the ash bin. The amount of ash is a good indication of the quality of the pellets and the fuel efficiency of the wood pellet stove. Even when you're not starting new fires, you should empty the bin occasionally. Some designs require emptying once a week while others can be emptied once a month. A vacuum can be used to remove the ashes, but you must wait until they have had a chance to cool down.

Ash Trap

Another part of pellet stove maintenance is the ash trap. These traps are located behind the fire chamber to prevent excess ash in the exhaust from getting out of the wood pellet stove. Most designs are accessed easily and a brush can be used to remove build-up inside the ash trap.

Venting System