Heating our home is necessary during the coldest months of the year. We can resort to resources such as heating, fireplaces, or even stoves to achieve this. The latter is a great option if we live in an area where the cold is not too pressing.
In this sense, pellet stoves have become a very interesting alternative since they have a high energy efficiency that allows us to save on fuel, as long as we have correct maintenance. And we are going to talk about the latter today, so if you want to know how to clean a pellet stove step by step, you should continue reading.
Steps to clean a pellet stove properly
In recent years, pellet stoves have become one of the preferred alternatives for many people when heating their homes due to the many advantages of their use compared to other heat supply systems.
However, using this type of stove also entails cleaning them properly to prevent the accumulation of dirt. Otherwise, the efficiency of the furnace could be considerably reduced.
That is why today we will explain the best way to clean a pellet stove to optimize its operation, but at the same time, it is simple and quick to perform. Take note!
How much does a pellet stove burn approximately?
Pellet stoves are an excellent way to reduce heating costs, they usually cost about a third of what other heating stoves on the market cost to run, and this means that you can save money on your heating bill each month and, over a year, you can save quite a bit of money on your heating costs.
How often should we clean a pellet stove?
The cleaning tasks that we have indicated are essential to keep our stove in perfect condition. Still, we recommend performing a thorough cleaning annually if you want to optimize its operation. This will entail the revision of internal parts of the stove, such as the smoke evacuation or the combustion chamber, and a specialist should perform it.
Regarding the periodicity with which to carry out this periodic cleaning, we must be aware that it will depend on different factors, such as the time of operation or the quality of the pellet we use. These factors are what will cause the stove to generate a greater or lesser amount of residues and that is what should guide our stove cleaning routine. In this way, if we see that the glass is very dark or that a lot of residues are generated, we will have to clean it more regularly than if this does not occur. We hope this article has helped you to see how to clean a pellet stove simply, with three resources, and in very few steps.
Steps to clean your pellet stove
1. Turn off the stove and wear gloves for cleaning.
As expected, to carry out the deep cleaning of our stove, it is necessary to turn it off and wait for it to cool down because, otherwise, we could burn ourselves or damage our hands.
In addition, we are highly recommended to use gloves and a mask to prevent us from aspirating any debris or residue we remove during the cleaning process.
2. Remove the burner from the stove.
Once you have everything ready to start the cleaning tasks, the first thing to do is to remove the burner that has the stove and vacuum it until there is no dirt left. You can use a specific vacuum cleaner for ash or help yourself with the one you usually have at home.
In addition, to properly access the nooks and crannies of this area, you can use a clean brush to give you better access.
3. Aspires to resistance
The next thing to do is to vacuum the area where the ignition resistor is located thoroughly. You can remove any ash that has fallen in there because it could clog the site and make it difficult for the stove to work or cause it not to heat as much as it should.
4. Put everything back in place
Once you have checked that all parts are completely clean and ash-free, it is time to put them back in place. At this point, you must check that you have fitted them correctly. Otherwise, you may experience a malfunction.
5. Clean the door and exterior
Finally, it is also important that you look at the pellet stove’s exterior details, as they are also subject to dirt. Above all, you must spotless the glass door of the furnace because it tends to accumulate quite a lot of residues and becomes opaque, making it impossible to see if the pellets are burning properly.
But also keep an eye on the exterior details and wipe with a damp cloth to remove the dust on your stove. After completing this step, your stove will be ready for its next use.
Which is more efficient, a pellet or an electric stove?
A pellet stove is more expensive to operate than an electric stove. Pellet stoves require you to purchase pellets, which can be costly and require more maintenance than electric stoves. Electric stoves are cheaper to operate and require less maintenance.
However, if we talk about the heat provided to the room and the maintenance of this as well as the total cost, in the long run, a pellet stove is much cheaper.