Because pellet stoves receive constant use during the heating season, regular and proper care and maintenance are necessary to keep them operating efficiently.

Just how often a pellet stove will need inspection and cleaning will depend on the design of the stove and the grade of fuel burned. Consult your owner’s manual.

Before each heating season, have a qualified pellet stove/chimney professional inspect and, if necessary, clean your pellet stove’s flue. If you are buying a new pellet stove, ask about a service contract.

In addition to annual servicing, pellet stoves need regular maintenance. Here are some tasks you should perform on a weekly basis during heating season: 

• Empty the ash trap or drawer, usually situated behind the fire chamber.

• Look for “clinkers” that form when ash melts and hardens. Clinkers can impede air flow and upset the proper mixture of fuel and oxygen to the burn pot. Remove them with a special rake or ash tool made for this purpose.

• Look for a build-up of soot on the inside surfaces of the stove. (As little as 1/10th inch of soot can drop the heat-transfer efficiency by 50 percent.) Clean the soot off with a wire brush, but do not use the brush on the glass doors.

Why we like it: • Flexible brush for cleaning 3-inch-diameter vent pipes, 10 feet long • Steel brush for cleaning ash buildup in burn pot

• Clean the heat exchanger as advised by the owner’s manual.

• Clean the glass so you can tell whether the fuel is burning efficiently. Turn off the stove and wait for it to cool, then use a commercial glass cleaner and paper towels to clean both inside and outside surfaces.

• Check the flame—if it is orange or dark instead of bright yellow or white, it is time to call in a service professional.

• Allow the auger tube and fuel hopper to completely empty on occasion so that sawdust and pellet debris don’t build up and block the feed system.

• At the end of the heating season, empty unused pellets from the stove hopper and feed system as they can collect moisture and cause rust that can damage the stove. Fresh pellets will also be easier to start at the beginning of the next heating season.