New Pellet Stove Owners - Tip - Remember To Consider Moisture In Summer

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bdaoust

bdaoust

Member
Nov 28, 2012
183
Western, MA
I see a lot of people buying or thinking about buying a stove for this winter.

I bought a house with a stove last winter and was very excited about using it. Did a lot of reading.

One thing I didn't think about (or read) was to consider moisture in the summer. Because of that, I had some rust in the stove this fall. Thankfully, it isn't awful. I was hoping most of it would burn off, but looks like I might need a wire brush at some point.

There are threads here to give you ideas how to prevent it, but figured I pass that along even though it will be a couple of months before we are not burning =)

Cheers.
 
bdaoust said:
I see a lot of people buying or thinking about buying a stove for this winter.

I bought a house with a stove last winter and was very excited about using it. Did a lot of reading.

One thing I didn't think about (or read) was to consider moisture in the summer. Because of that, I had some rust in the stove this fall. Thankfully, it isn't awful. I was hoping most of it would burn off, but looks like I might need a wire brush at some point.

There are threads here to give you ideas how to prevent it, but figured I pass that along even though it will be a couple of months before we are not burning =)

Cheers.
Click to expand...
Wow, im a new Harman accentra owner, learning a lot here. , just adding this to the list!

thanks
 
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I agree. I bought an XXV in march. When I opened it up to do a preseason cleaning, the entire inside was covered in rust. Next year, I will cover the end of the exhaust, and put something inside the stove to absorb moisture. Maybe even do some sort of light oiling of the inside.
 
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jslinger said:
I agree. I bought an XXV in march. When I opened it up to do a preseason cleaning, the entire inside was covered in rust. Next year, I will cover the end of the exhaust, and put something inside the stove to absorb moisture. Maybe even do some sort of light oiling of the inside.
Click to expand...
Don't forget to plug the OAK intake. I stuffed stainless kitchen scouring pads in the intake (for critters) and disconnected the OAK pipe at the thimble and stuffed a towel in there.

Make some sort of "remove before flight" indicator so you remember to un-cork everything come burning time!
 
I fight this problem every year. The things I have found that work are 1) spraying the inside of the stove with Pam 2) Putting damp out in the stove- I use two of them 3) Covering the exhaust pipe-This year I used a rubber cover that I found in the pluming section of the Home Depto 4) As stated above I stuffed a towel in the OAK. The other key I found is to get all this done as close to the end of the burning season as possible. This year I waited to long and left the end of the year cleaning for a while. Unfortunately the rust got to it. So, I had to use a wire brush and I painted everything. At the end of this burning season I will make sure to get to the cleaning quickly, do steps 1-4 and I am thinking I will also paint everything to hopefully keep the rust away.
 
LMPS said:
1) spraying the inside of the stove with Pam
Click to expand...
I use cooking spray for quite a few different things.
I will NOT put it in the hopper again to prevent rust! That stuff is like glue on the surface.

LMPS said:
2) Putting damp out in the stove- I use two of them
Click to expand...
I will try this next year. Ice Melt (Calcium Chloride) is the same stuff as "Damp Rid", so save a ton of money and put Ice Melt in the stove, not loose, it may not burn too well.

LMPS said:
At the end of this burning season I will make sure to get to the cleaning quickly
Click to expand...
I am always afraid that I will need the stove "Just one more time", and waited too long last year. I love my heat!

Bill
 
bill3rail said:
I use cooking spray for quite a few different things.
I will NOT put it in the hopper again to prevent rust! That stuff is like glue on the surface.
Click to expand...

But it burned off didn't it? I've used pam liberally with no apparent side effects over the past few seasons... That and a full hopper of pellets, too. Sealing oak/exhaust is a must if you can...

EDIT - Hopper??? I would never coat the hopper, just the fire box......
 
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i switched to just painting the inside of the firebox. as well as as much of the exhaust channel as i could reach.
i used brush on high temp stove/grill paint using a sponge brush. that allowed me to do the blind painting on the inner face of the firebox and under all the ledges etc...
after that i placed a damp rid container inside.

i had the spray graphite out for the combustion motor fan blades, so i used that on the area of the exhaust channel i could access when the motor was off.
couldn't reach that part to paint it.
i used it on the burn pot too.

i'm sure pam would have been fine. and cheaper too (than the graphite). i may go back to that next year.

the first time i used pam, i didn't also use damp rid, and the moisture condensed and rusted right through the pam.
in my opinion, whatever method you use, be sure to use damp rid or other similar product.
this will also help protect any areas you just can't reach with paint or pam.
 
This post is timely. Just finished sanding and painting the inside of one of my stoves. Need to remember to put a bag in the vent (goes straight out though the wall) and cover the outside with another. The Dry Graphite sounds like a great idea on the convection blower. Stove is drying over night and I will do a burn off tomorrow. Just in time as the cold sinks in here the middle of next week.
 
Augmister said:
This post is timely. Just finished sanding and painting the inside of one of my stoves. Need to remember to put a bag in the vent (goes straight out though the wall) and cover the outside with another. The Dry Graphite sounds like a great idea on the convection blower. Stove is drying over night and I will do a burn off tomorrow. Just in time as the cold sinks in here the middle of next week.
Click to expand...

some folks here are using dry moly spray instead. evidently it works even better. but spray graphite does really well too.
i just couldn't find any in our little burg. and on the web it all had shipping near equal to the product cost.
 
bill3rail said:
I use cooking spray for quite a few different things.
I will NOT put it in the hopper again to prevent rust! That stuff is like glue on the surface.




I never put it in the hopper, have not had a problem with rust in the hopper but can see how that would be a problem since it would not burn off in the hopper!!
Click to expand...
 
If your stove`s environment is such that it attracts rust during the summer months , you should be running a dehumidifier. Spraying paint and oil on the accessible areas protects only those areas that are accessible. Probably even more important are the areas you can`t get to.
 
MCPO said:
If your stove`s environment is such that it attracts rust during the summer months , you should be running a dehumidifier. Spraying paint and oil on the accessible areas protects only those areas that are accessible. Probably even more important are the areas you can`t get to.
Click to expand...

^exactly why i use damp rid in the stove.
 
just by capping your exhaust and OAK should be enough to stop any rust

I've never had to spray anything in my stove over the summer
 
CTguy9230 said:
just by capping your exhaust and OAK should be enough to stop any rust

I've never had to spray anything in my stove over the summer
Click to expand...

just because that's your situation doesn't mean it "should" work for everyone.
plenty of long time members here paint or otherwise rustproof their stoves for the off season.
 
MCPO said:
If your stove`s environment is such that it attracts rust during the summer months , you should be running a dehumidifier. Spraying paint and oil on the accessible areas protects only those areas that are accessible. Probably even more important are the areas you can`t get to.
Click to expand...

You are correct I should be using dehumidifier. Problem is I can not afford the increase in electric bill.....it would cut into my beer consumption......a man has to have his priorities you know...
 
just because that's your situation doesn't mean it "should" work for everyone.
plenty of long time members here paint or otherwise rustproof their stoves for the off season

sorry, from now on i'll let the "long time" members post
 
St_Earl said:
some folks here are using dry moly spray instead. evidently it works even better. but spray graphite does really well too.
i just couldn't find any in our little burg. and on the web it all had shipping near equal to the product cost.
Click to expand...

This is in stock, in store at HD... almost picked some up today. PB Blaster Spray Graphite......Can take heat up to 850F....
 
LMPS said:
You are correct I should be using dehumidifier. Problem is I can not afford the increase in electric bill.....it would cut into my beer consumption......a man has to have his priorities you know...
Click to expand...

Ya, I ran a dehumidifier and it increased my electric bill by $30.00 a month! And it has the energy efficient star! Bullchit!
 
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