Remember, creosote can form in any wood fuel burning device.  All you need are the proper conditions.  When wood is burned, the products of combustion will combine with moisture and form a sooty residue.  The moisture comes from condensation in the chimney pipe as well as from the fuel itself.  This is creosote and it is more likely to be a problem in a pellet stove chimney where a small fire is being burned.  This cooler fire allows for a lower chimney temperature and makes it easier for the smoke to attach itself to the chimney pipe in the form of creosote.  If the pipe is not cleaned, a chimney fire is eminent.

Creosote Filled Pipe

Both above and below you can see the aftermath of a pellet stove chimney fire.

After chimney fire

These pictures are from a customers stove, and in this case the fire was contained inside the chimney and stove but the silicone gasketing that seals each piece of pipe was destroyed due to the extreme heat.  As you can see in the above photo, the exterior of the rigid pellet vent was slightly discolored but otherwise safe to reuse.  The stove contained it’s portion of the chimney fire and sustained only minor damage as well.  We had to replace the stoves thermocouple in the exhaust tailpipe.  Once the pipe was reinstalled, the stove functioned fine.

Under the correct circumstances your fuel savings can be even greater when you compare central heat to a pellet stove installed in your living space. Remember, a pellet stove is a zone heater. It heats more efficiently because it is directly in your living space. There is no heat lost in the delivery and central heaters can loose 30% efficiency or more that way. So even if the price per btu were equal between oil and pellet, you would still save a significant amount of money burning pellet because of the inherent efficiency of the zone heater. Zone heating is considered by many to be a superior form of heat because it results in warm and cozy living areas while outlying areas such as bedrooms are left cooler for sleeping comfort. The more open your floor plan is, the more you can benefit from zone heating.

Either way, weather it is a pellet stove or a pellet central heater you can burn an environmentally friendly fuel and be warmer for less money for many years to come. In addition,folks who heat with electricity or propane in the Connecticut market can save even more money than oil users.

The current generation epa certified wood stoves require high quality fuel in order to achieve their impressive efficiency numbers of 75 to80%. The single most important factor for quality fuel is moisture content. When one is advertising seasoned wood for sale they should be selling wood that has been cut and split and air dried for a minimum of six months. It is also important that they keep it dry for the entire storage time before it is sold.

Unfortunately, I too often encounter customers who have bought wood that is wet. You should ask to see the wood before you buy it. If it is just sitting in a huge pile then only the top layer is dry. What is buried inside is more than likely wet wood. If it is covered by a tarp check to see it is not just a hole filled tarp that lets rain water in and then traps it. If it is seasoned then it should not be be damp!!! Seasoned wood should be dry to the touch and fairly light or bleached in color. There should be some checking evident which would show slight shrinkage caused by drying out. If you’re not sure then check it with a moisture meter before you pay for it.
If you’re lucky enough to buy seasoned wood it is important you keep it that way. Don’t let it just sit there in the driveway getting rained on until you get to it. Get out and stack it being careful to maintain airflow space in the pile. Then most importantly, cover it to keep it dry. Cover just the top. Don’t wrap it up completely because you will make the wood pile into green house from which moisture will never escape.

Most reputable pellets suppliers strongly request that we take orders from them 12 months out of the year in an attempt to even out production.  They will typically provide about  a 10% discount in the summer months in exchange for our summer orders.  In addition, we will also discount our normal margin, resulting in your best possible price on pellets.  It is this money persuasion that is designed to help keep inventory moving in the summer.   If customers take us up on the early buy pricing then it’s a win win for manufactures, customers, trucking companies and us.  If customers don’t, it creates spikes in demand in the fall which can result in bottle necks in supply.

The bottle neck starts at the manufacturers.  Remember, the manufacturers want to produce year round not just for the fall and winter.   It is difficult for manufacturers to deal with spikes in demand in a timely manner.  When they do their production costs go up due to overtime and so on.   Next, hauling companies struggle to have enough trucks to deal with the increased demand driving up their prices as well.  Combine this with expired discounts from manufacturers as well as from us and now that $245 ton of Great American Pellets for example could possibly approach $295 in November or approximately a 20% increase, ouch!!! 

 The above chain of events is business as usual for the pellet industry. This process can be negatively impacted further  by various outside factors including oil price spikes.   Have you seen what oil increases have done to food prices lately!  

Now I get it, not everyone can afford to buy now and not everyone has the storage space either.  But based on the lackluster response we have seen to our early buy offerings, it seems to me not enough people are concerned with the above explanation of  supply and demand and how it effects pricing.  Remember hurricane Katrina in 2005 or the 2008 oil spike.  It pays to be prepared!!!!

So lets get started. If you choose to tackle it yourself, the first thing you should do is read your owners manual and understand the maintenance procedure as described by the manufacturer.  Remember, don’t be intimidated if it seems to complicated because there are lots of places to get help should you be confused by the manual. The preparation is probably the most important phase of the job and a little extra effort here can pay off big when you begin the task.  Your local stove shop is probably your best place for accurate advice.  The manufacturers web site may also offer additional info as well.  YouTube is another great resource for visual aid on pellet stove cleaning.  As a service to our valued customers we are compiling a library of cleaning articles for you to use.   Follow this link to the maintenance section of our web page. http://blazinghotstoves.com/trusted-services/maintenance/maintenance-tips/

Now, hopefully you have a good idea of what you need to do and  all you need now is some common sense and the right equipment.  Some basics are listed below.

1. A shop vac with a good filter 

2. Dust mask and drop cloth

3. Chimney brush as well as any specialty brushes from the manufacturer

 4. A scraper and an old paint brush for detail work

5. Drop Light

6.  Replacement gaskets (if one tears you’ll be able to complete the job without interruption)  

Some cleaning basics common to all pellet stoves are a thorough inspection, vacuuming and dusting of the stove as well as a inspection and sweeping of the chimney.  In addition, the exhaust blower and chamber should be accessed and cleaned.  Don’t forget the circulation blower either.  That can get packed with dust and dander and should be cleaned and dusted at least once a year if not more often.  Inspect all pellet stove systems for obvious damage and make sure all the wiring is secured properly with no melted insulation.  Most importantly, you must also identify and clean any ash traps and air journals specific to your stove model.  Remember, there are many different styles out there so this is where your research and homework will pay off as well as those specialty tools.  If you don’t identify and clean the tight spots, it will be as if your pellet stove was never cleaned.  The small details will make sure your job is thorough and correct.  Once finished, you should replace all worn gaskets and reassemble the stove.  All that’s required now is a test fire.

When in doubt call, a pro who can guarantee his work and be wary of the low ball pricing!!!  You could end up with someone who only performs a dusting of your stove and doesn’t go as deep into the pellet stove as he should, leading to a failure during heating season.  That person may only be looking for a way into your home to up sell you on other lucrative work such as chimney repair.  Thanks for reading and enjoy.  Be sure to check out our web site and if you have any questions or comments, let us know.

If you burn a wood or coal stove you should sweep and inspect the chimney at least once a year. In addition, you should vacuum out the stove and inspect for damage such as disintegrated fire bricks or any deterioration in the integrity of the stove itself such as cracks or warped /drooping parts which may have been over fired.  If the stove checks out then a fresh coat of paint will help keep the stove looking as good as it performs.   You should also give the stove gaskets a look over at this time.   If they are still firmly anchored and not frayed that is a good sign.  Then you must test the integrity of the gaskets and to do so you can try this simple test.  Close a strip of paper in the door and if it gives light to moderate resistance when you pull it out, then the gasket should be adequate.  If not, then you should adjust the door catch if possible.  If you don’t have any adjustment then just replace the gasket.  Take a measurement of the gasket length and bring a sample of the gasket to the hearth store so it can be matched up.  Remember, don’t remove the gasket until you’re sure you’re done heating for the season!!! 

Don’t forget the chimney either.  If it is a brick chimney you should check for cracks in the mortar or the crown.  You should also inspect the chimney and roof flashing.  Check the chimney cap and also look for mineral deposits on the bricks as well.  These mineral deposits can  be a telltale sign of water seepage and potential damage to the mortar.  If you observe this condition you should have the chimney sealed with a masonry sealer such as Chimneysaver brand water repellent but never Thompson’s sealer or any product for sealing wood.  That will only trap moisture in the brick and not solve your problem.  If it’s a metal or “class a”  chimney system then you should also inspect the sheet metal plus any fasteners, brackets and flashing’s for corrosion and structural integrity.

If you have a pellet stove you should  perform all of the above that may apply to your chimney venting configuration.  Then look at the pellet stove itself.   It will usually need a bit more attention on an annual basis then a wood stove does.  In that case, you should consult your owners manual or call your dealer and schedule an annual seasonal cleaning.  We will discuss more detailed pellet stove cleaning tips in another article.

If you own a gas stove, you should again inspect the venting system as mentioned above.  Then turn your attention to  the appliance itself.  This is another case where the owners manual will be  vital to you.  Using the manual as a guide, the basic annual  maintenance should include removal and cleaning the glass,  log set and embers.   While they are out, vacuum and inspect the firebox.  Use care in handling the components such as the logs because they are fragile and are expensive to replace.  Most stove shops should offer this service should the scope of this job be above your capabilities.  Either way, this should be performed annually.

Now is also a good time to start shopping for your cord wood and pellets.  This time of year your dollar will go further then if you wait until later summer.  Or, if you use propane you may want to inquire now about your best possible rate per gallon or see if there is a budget plan available.

Your local hearth shop should have everything needed to perform these services and repairs so stop in today and get your supplies as well as some free advice before you begin your project.  Remember, next heating season is just around the corner.

Always keep your wood bark side up.