Pellet stoves make great alternatives to other stoves and traditional fireplaces. In fact, performing cleaning on a pellet stove is much simpler than most other heating appliances. You must clean your pellet stove regularly if you want the appliance to run as efficiently as possible.
Purchase the Right Pellets
You should only burn high-quality pellets in your stove. You may notice that the cost to heat the home could increase slightly with quality pellets, but it is worth the money because low-grade pellets could create excess soot and other issues. The pellets you use should also have a moisture content no higher than 10 percent.
Furthermore, the pellets should be the correct ash type for your stove, or the appliance could fail to burn the fuel properly. Avoid buying bags with fillers, glue, or sawdust, or you risk the stove producing too much smoke and ash.
Service Annually and Perform Soot Sweeps
Once a year, before the cold weather arrives, seek professional help to service your stove. You want to check for any broken, dirty, or missing components so the stove can run efficiently for winter. If you do not have someone look at your stove once a year, you could run into issues in the middle of winter.
Aside from getting professional care once a year, perform weekly cleaning to tidy up the stove. Even the smallest amount of soot buildup can decrease the heat transfer of the appliance. Dispose of the ash you remove from the appliance properly to avoid any fire dangers.
Clean the Window Periodically
When you burn pellets constantly in your stove, soot, ash, and grime will accumulate on the glass blocking the inside from your view. Do not wait too long to clean the pellet stove glass because, after so much buildup, it will become difficult to perform maintenance on it. Don’t use abrasive products or cleaners—instead, you can use a natural cleaner like vinegar to wipe away the grime.
Keep up with routine cleaning of your pellet stove to ensure you give the appliance the longest life possible. Failing to maintain your stove will result in insufficiency. Clean-up is easy; it is best to get the chore over with rather than let the issues sit and worsen.
