Can hot embers come out of your pellet stove and burn your house down

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Kiver

Member
Jan 28, 2011
58
Western Ma
My wife is driving me nuts right about now since we installed a new stove. She is worried that if we are out for the day that a hot spark/ember will escape from the stove and burn the house down. My hearth was built within spec of the stove. Has this ever happened to anyone?? if so would a product like this be worth it to satisfy her fear??
http://www.whateverworks.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=K6177&ref=us

She also wants me to ask if it is normal to have an occasional pellet bounce out of the pan
 
I have never heard of a spark getting out of a stove, unless you leave the door open. And as far as "an occasional pellet bounce out of the pan", not sure what you mean. Ash pan? If so, again, I have no idea how one could get out of the ash pan unless it was left open.
 
A pellet that bounces out of the burn pot and into the ash pan. Sorry to bug you but as much as I love her she is driving me nuts
 
Kiver said:
A pellet that bounces out of the burn pot and into the ash pan......

I'm sure it happens occasionally, but that's what the ash pan is for....to collect hot ash/burning bits of pellets. I don't think a large burning pellet normally can get in there. Tell her to save the money for the fire blanket and buy more pellets.

Just curious....what brand/model stove are we talking about? (hint....put this info into your signature line)
 
imacman said:
Kiver said:
A pellet that bounces out of the burn pot and into the ash pan......

I'm sure it happens occasionally, but that's what the ash pan is for....to collect hot ash/burning bits of pellets. I don't think a large burning pellet normally can get in there. Tell her to save the money for the fire blanket and buy more pellets.

Just curious....what brand/model stove are we talking about? (hint....put this info into your signature line)

Breckwell p2000fs
 
Kiver... that is what we wives do the best!!! We worry about little things, and we mean to drive you nuts. It's the law!!! I have had my stove for 18 years, runs 24/7 during the winter, except for cleaning, and never had a pellet out of the stove!!! Keep loving her, she is precious!! :)
 
Pellets can bounce out of the burn pot, but that shouldn't be a problem if you keep the door closed, even when pellets get bouncing they do not go very far and are more apt to wind up back in the burn pot.

Your biggest exposure to burning pellets is when you clean the stove and don't follow proper procedure, this exposure is due to not having the proper tools to remove and dispose of hot materials.

People visit here every year who discovered the hard way that proper handling and disposal of ash is required. If anyone tries to tell you that pellet ash can't have live coals in it they are mistaken. It may be a fairly rare thing to happen but it can and does, further people have fires as a result.

Follow the manufacturers recommendations and warnings for safe use of your stove.
 
Here is running the stove for 3 hours. All the bouncers


ca1345d4.jpg
 
If there is a damper on the stove close it a bit.

But those aren't going to cause any problems if you have the door closed.
 
My bigE did that too. Eric at Kinsman stove had a cover of sorts made to help keep pellets in the burnpot. send him a PM.
 
Looks like they are bouncing off the rim of the pot... They are not being shot out..
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
If there is a damper on the stove close it a bit.

But those aren't going to cause any problems if you have the door closed.

ok...thanks
 
DexterDay said:
Looks like they are bouncing off the rim of the pot... They are not being shot out..

Exactly what I saw with the bigE. They hit the lip of the pot and bounce into the ash pan. If you notice they have no scorching. The cover that Eric posted was slighly wider and higher sides to also help the ones that just bounced out. I didn't buy one as I knew I was going with a bigger stove. But some others did get them. I'll see if I can find the post.
 
j-takeman said:
DexterDay said:
Looks like they are bouncing off the rim of the pot... They are not being shot out..



Exactly what I saw with the bigE. They hit the lip of the pot and bounce into the ash pan. If you notice they have no scorching. The cover that Eric posted was slighly wider and higher sides to also help the ones that just bounced out. I didn't buy one as I knew I was going with a bigger stove. But some others did get them. I'll see if I can find the post.

That's it..No scorching
Thank you
 
j-takeman said:
DexterDay said:
Looks like they are bouncing off the rim of the pot... They are not being shot out..

Exactly what I saw with the bigE. They hit the lip of the pot and bounce into the ash pan. If you notice they have no scorching. The cover that Eric posted was slighly wider and higher sides to also help the ones that just bounced out. I didn't buy one as I knew I was going with a bigger stove. But some others did get them. I'll see if I can find the post.

They also look like partial rather than full sized pellets for the most part.
 
In my humble opinion, I would connect her with some other ladies who have pellet stoves in their homes. She trust you, she believes her sisters.
 
save$ said:
In my humble opinion, I would connect her with some other ladies who have pellet stoves in their homes. She trust you, she believes her sisters.

You know my wife was far more at ease with the pellet stove than I was.

The key with these stoves (or any heating device) is to be damn certain that it is properly installed and where conditions permit an extra safety margin can be provided do so.

As an example, if the manufacturer of the pipe says 1" to combustibles and you can do more do more, same with clearances to windows, a heavier duty and/or larger hearth pad, and so forth.

Last but not least, follow the instructions.
 
i can hardly believe no one has suggested using a spark bucket yet. :)
 
St_Earl said:
i can hardly believe no one has suggested using a spark bucket yet. :)

Wheres Slickplant??

This is inside the house.. Slickplants spark bucket was for under the vent outside.. Still funny to read that thread.
 
St_Earl said:
i can hardly believe no one has suggested using a spark bucket yet. :)

I just KNEW somebody would bring this up.
 
j-takeman said:
My bigE did that too. Eric at Kinsman stove had a cover of sorts made to help keep pellets in the burnpot. send him a PM.

That would be a "Burn pot coller" Breckwell Big E's have this problem. Pellets would bounce out and lay in the ash pan and over time smolder in the ash pan and warp the pan so bad that you could not remove the pan at all.
 
It annoys me so much when the pellets bounce out. LOL I don't know why. At least they don't land in the ash pan - they land on the grate thingies next to the burn pot.
 
I don't have the same type stove, but the only thing I ever worried about letting a spark get out was if the glass in the door would happen to break. Which is not very likely. Once the colder weather hits I run mine all the time. There's your input from a woman who runs a pellet stove for primary heat. :)
 
We have had pellet stoves here for heating the house for many many years.

The Quadrafire will on occasion let a spark out the vent pipe (direct vent system) but these little jewels go out within a foot of the end of the pipe.

As far as a fire in the house, as long as the stove is maintained right and installed properly, there is more chance that a bolt of lightning will hit your chimney and burn the house down than the stove doing it.

Being ANAL and worrying about stoves/fire is a good thing, but not to the point of going nuts over it.

What sort of heat did you use before you got the Pellet stove ??


Snowy
 
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