For all New pellet stove users. How to deep clean your pellet stove.

Thanks for posting the video. I had not thought of doing it that way. Did you make this video or just find it?

is this on vaccum mode? it seems to be sucking, not blowing.


any tips for insert owners? I'm not sure that i want to climb on the roof and pop the cap off my pipe......

I have a quick release inside my house. BAsically the bottom comes open in the -U- area. I open that, and just tape on the pipe and tons of ash falls down while i have my ash vac running. it's a bit messy but does the trick.

briansol said:

I have a quick release inside my house. BAsically the bottom comes open in the -U- area. I open that, and just tape on the pipe and tons of ash falls down while i have my ash vac running. it's a bit messy but does the trick.

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You really need to run a brush through the pipes to remove all the ash. I am sure others will agree.

j-takeman said:

briansol said:

I have a quick release inside my house. BAsically the bottom comes open in the -U- area. I open that, and just tape on the pipe and tons of ash falls down while i have my ash vac running. it's a bit messy but does the trick.

Click to expand...

You really need to run a brush through the pipes to remove all the ash. I am sure others will agree.

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I agree with the brush through the piping. I did mine a couple of weeks back. I used one of those lint eater kits for a dryer. I have a fireplace insert and was worried about making a mess so I turned the brush real slow with my cordless drill all the way up to my chimney cap with my vac running at the same time. I was amazed at the amount of ash that came out from a vertical run. On the way back down the pipe I could run the drill a little faster. The lint eater worked pretty good I think.

I just cleaned mine today. The leaf blower isn't practical for my situation. I hooked up the shop vac from the inside and used a brush on the pipes from the outside in with vac running.

I will look into getting a brush i guess. I will do a test on this...

clean it our with the 'tap & shake' method i've been using until it's "clean".

Then, i will run a brush up it and see what comes out.

I personally can't use the leaf blower method to clean my stove, as the exhaust is out of the roof, and was from my old wood stove (8" pipe, plus I DON'T like heights!). I bought a Lint Eater 2 winters ago, and that works GREAT on the pipe.

As for the leaf blower method, those of you that try it this winter, make sure to do a full and complete stove cleaning FIRST, and THEN use the leaf blower to get any remaining loose ash.

Some members have even stated that while the blower is running outside, they go back inside, tap on the steel parts of their firebox and heat exchangers to shake loose ash (NOT cast parts!...if you're not sure what it is, DON'T HIT IT WITH ANYTHING)), and open & close their stove door to increase the vacuum effect.

jamesdjs said:

Panhandler said:

I just cleaned mine today. The leaf blower isn't practical for my situation. I hooked up the shop vac from the inside and used a brush on the pipes from the outside in with vac running.

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I sure a good size shop vac would do the same thing.
The object here is to get the ash that is hidden. How you do it may vary and each has it's pro and cons.

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It's not the hidden ash that is the problem....it's the 5 inches of compacted soot in the cleanout T or under the combustion motor housing. Take it apart and stop being so dang lazy!

Or..if you have a shop vac, fit the exhaust of the vacuum to the air intake and suck it out the exhaust with the hose of the vac. Same thing and its contained and not spewing across the yard into Mrs. Johnsons flower bed or into Ms. Corbetts dining room windows. :lol:

Will be starting my 3ed seaon now. I use the leaf blower method with opening and closing it off during the operation. I clean out all I can with the door open, and that is all I do. If I get brave, I'll try getting at the fans, but honestly, I once did try after doing the leaf blower and found the fans to be free of any ash. No caked on mess like there has been so many pictures posted about. I try to use the leaf blower after every ton or two. Got that big black smoke monster the first time, but now just a short burst and some gray ash blowing for a few minutes.

smwilliamson said:

jamesdjs said:

Panhandler said:

I just cleaned mine today. The leaf blower isn't practical for my situation. I hooked up the shop vac from the inside and used a brush on the pipes from the outside in with vac running.

Click to expand...

I sure a good size shop vac would do the same thing.
The object here is to get the ash that is hidden. How you do it may vary and each has it's pro and cons.

Click to expand...

It's not the hidden ash that is the problem....it's the 5 inches of compacted soot in the cleanout T or under the combustion motor housing. Take it apart and stop being so dang lazy!

Or..if you have a shop vac, fit the exhaust of the vacuum to the air intake and suck it out the exhaust with the hose of the vac. Same thing and its contained and not spewing across the yard into Mrs. Johnsons flower bed or into Ms. Corbetts dining room windows. :lol:

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Not being lazy at all. The stove is disconnected from the pipe. There is only about 6-8 ft of pipe total. The brush goes all the way thru the pipe.

save$ said:

Will be starting my 3ed seaon now. I use the leaf blower method with opening and closing it off during the operation. I clean out all I can with the door open, and that is all I do. If I get brave, I'll try getting at the fans, but honestly, I once did try after doing the leaf blower and found the fans to be free of any ash. No caked on mess like there has been so many pictures posted about. I try to use the leaf blower after every ton or two. Got that big black smoke monster the first time, but now just a short burst and some gray ash blowing for a few minutes.

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same here.
using quality softwood pellets.
I run the brush down the pipe, clean inside the stove, then the leaf blower.
after that I pull the combustion fan and its perfectly clean. every season.
YMMV

But what about all of the soot in the air? Doesn't this bother you on the environment level? :shut: Also, think of all of the things you CANNOT observe with your eye because you aren't actually inspecting anything? Find a way to contain the soot ye olde polluters!

smwilliamson said:

But what about all of the soot in the air? Doesn't this bother you on the environment level?

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nope don't bother me one bit.

smoke show said:

smwilliamson said:

But what about all of the soot in the air? Doesn't this bother you on the environment level?

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nope don't bother me one bit.

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I cannot imagine the looks I would get if I did this at a customer's home. Fun stuff though, I must admit. :cheese:

smwilliamson said:

smoke show said:

smwilliamson said:

But what about all of the soot in the air? Doesn't this bother you on the environment level?

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nope don't bother me one bit.

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I cannot imagine the looks I would get if I did this at a customer's home. Fun stuff though, I must admit. :cheese:

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You guys gotta play by the rules, Us home owners can cheat a little. :cheese:

I have never got that big cloud from mine. I do clean everything first and I just use the blower once things are done to be sure I get out what I missed. SMW, try it at home with your stove some time. It can be rather fun!

j-takeman said:

I have never got that big cloud from mine.

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thats from them dirty @ss Marth hardwoods.

smoke show said:

j-takeman said:

I have never got that big cloud from mine.

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thats from them dirty @ss Marth hardwoods.

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Are the Marths really the worst you guys burn out there?

you poseted this last season, thanks for the update

j-takeman said:

smoke show said:

j-takeman said:

I have never got that big cloud from mine.

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thats from them dirty @ss Marth hardwoods.

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Are the Marths really the worst you guys burn out there?

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worst I've burned.
only been burning 2 full seasons.
but I bought em again.
$160/ton early buy.
good shoulder pellets.