Cleaning a pellet stove and maintaining

How to properly maintain your pellet stove it is very different from maintaining a traditional stove. A pellet stove is much more efficient than a corkwood stove in many ways. It generates less ash and requires less maintenance than a traditional stove. There are many ways in which you can maintain your pellet stove easily in a cheap and efficient way. Cleaning it is an important part of maintenance as dirt and excess food particles can disrupt the heat exchange and air flow.

 
The first step to cleaning the stove properly is to read the maintenance manual that comes with each stove. All stoves are different and the manual should be read properly before attempting to clean it. The complete cleaning should take approximately 15 minutes if done correctly. A pellet stove is very similar to a traditional stove in terms of maintenance.

 
Make sure that the stove is cooled completely before cleaning it. The initial step is to remove ash from the burn chamber. There is an additional ash trap is many stove models. Clean the ash trap of the ash completely. Use an ash vacuum to remove the ash. Do not use the household vacuum as the ash can get stuck inside the bag and damage the vacuum. The next step is to rub the soot off the burn pot. Clean the heat exchanger also as soot can deposit over the tubes over prolonged periods. Use a wire cleaning brush to scrap clinkers and other solid deposits on the tubes. These deposits can block the air pathways and reduce the efficiency of the burner. Clean the tubes and other surrounding areas to maintain continuous airflow. Check the hopper and auger to ensure a good supply of pellets to the stove. If the burn pot of your stove has a glass door, clean it with a glass cleaner to remove any stains and soot marks. A clean glass door allows you to see the color of the flame when the stove is used. Schedule a service for your stove when the flame turns dark orange. A white or bright yellow flame means that the stove is working efficiently and properly.

 
The quality of the pellets used in the stove is an important factor to understand the frequency of cleaning your stove. Superior quality pellets generate lesser ash content and enhance the efficiency of the stove. You can also improve the performance of the pellet stove by cleaning the auger tube and scheduling a professional service for your stove.

from Maize Stove http://www.maizestove.com/cleaning-a-pellet-stove-and-maintaining/