Safety First: Ensure your pellet stove is unplugged before conducting any maintenance. For your safety, it’s always best to make sure an electrical device is unplugged while working on it. Your pellet stove is no different!
Gasket Maintenance: Gaskets can degrade over time, even with typical usage. Regularly inspect all your pellet stove’s gaskets to ensure they still performing their function. Employ the following “Dollar Bill Test” for assessing the seal’s tightness. To conduct this test:
- Close a dollar bill within the stove door. You can also use this trick in the hopper area, where there is another gasket.
- With the door closed, try to pull the bill out. If the bill comes out with difficulty or not at all, your gasket is still retaining a seal. If it slips out when you pull it, the gasket is worn and it’s time for replacement..
Tip: Dollar bills are used instead of regular paper because of their increased fibrous durability. Use a $100 bill if you’re feeling fancy!
Inspecting Firebricks & Baffles: During your yearly maintenance, remove the firebrick and baffles to examine them for any damage or cracks. If you notice any degradation, it’s best to replace these components, as they are responsible not just for the appearance but also the most efficient function for your stove. Additionally, ensure you clean any ash traps located behind the brick. Feel free to contact us at stoveinformation@gmail.com if you have any questions about the correct make and model of your bricks and baffles.
Caring for Combustion & Convection Blowers: Detach the combustion blower and clean any ash or creosote accumulation from the fan blades and enclosure. This is an opportune moment to test the combustion motor’s efficiency. For any stubborn deposits on the convection blower, use compressed air and a delicate brush.
Interior Maintenance: Post blower cleaning, inspect and clear any exhaust channels and, if available, clean the heat exchanger tubes. For the stove’s interior, employ a nylon brush for initial cleaning, followed by vacuuming and a gentle wipe-down using a moist cloth before re-attaching the combustion motor.
Glass Cleaning Tips: Ensure the stove has cooled entirely before cleaning the glass. A soft cloth combined with stove glass cleaner works best. Always ensure you avoid using highly abrasive materials that might scratch or damage the glass such as steel wool or dish scrubbers.
Secret Tech Tip: A great and very mild abrasive to use to clean glass on both pellet and wood stoves is simply ash leftover from the products of combustion in your stove. Smear some of this ash onto a moist washcloth and use this to clean the glass of your stove.
Stove Pipe Check: Finalize your maintenance by inspecting the stove pipe, focusing on areas near the chimney connection. Should you detect any damages or excessive creosote, replacement will be essential. This part of the inspection is important to prevent stove pipe fires. Also, don’t neglect the chimney. Annual chimney cleaning is paramount for optimal safety. To find certified professionals near you for chimney inspection, consult the Chimney Safety Institute. They can help pinpoint and rectify potential hazards, minimizing the threat of chimney fires and carbon monoxide incidents.
