ash filling pipe of pellet stove

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ssandersferris

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Oct 6, 2008
1
western MA
I have a St Croix pellet stove. I got it last year to replace a 20-year-old pellet stove. This new St Croix stove has the pipe coming out the bottom of the back of the stove. (My old pellet stove's pipe came out the top of the stove.) Last year when using the St. Croix stove my house filled with smoke once and I also had my carbon detector go off. This was so disturbing I have not used the pellet stove since. (A knee-jerk expensive reaction.) I am ready to have a go at it again and I am wondering if my set up is all wrong. I am thinking that my pipe is full of ash and that caused the smoke and carbon. The pipe comes out the bottom back of the stove and then goes up about four feet to go out to my chimney. Would that cause the pipe to fill with ash? I never had any problems with my pipe or chimney with my old pellet stove. Any advice is most welcome. Thank you.
 
A picture of your setup would help to see if your setup is the issue.

As far as cleaning your pipes. My pipes and exhaust fan do get built up with ash throughout the burning season. Usually a quick brushing in the middle of burning season, and then a thorough cleaning of the pipes and stove at the end of the season keeps the exhaust going out.
 
Don't know the particulars about your stove but my Countryside is similar. It has a place in back that fills up with corn ash usually. Its just a place that needs regular cleaning as they say in the book, no big deal. Mine shows a funny lazy orangy flame when its time to clean. Keep your eye out for posts by folks with similar stoves who mention similar things going on you may get a definitive answer from them.
 
If you have an elbow joint as the 1st piece of pipe coming out of the stove then i can see this being a problem. Is there an appliance adapter as the 1st piece out?. Looks like that setup will require cleaning often. I would think about a straight out exhaust to the outside 12" from the house. What model st croix is the stove?
 
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