leaf blower trick... finally

i was just sending you a pm but ill post here. 10 minutes gone by and im still laughing. that was a great post

Thanks Glad you enjoyed it!

I like the method. My neighbor has asked me to clean his chimney and pellet stove, Seems pretty easy to do. Just point in the direction of the wind is blowing. The video looks cool as it's done. I want to see his reaction when all the ash flies out. The chimney will get the usual boring brush cleaning and dig out the creosote cake.

LMAO...thanks guys...for the advice...and awesome pics...I ended up buying an electric with 530cfm...40$...couldn't be more happy...it hooks up with duct tape, and I use a compressor inside...KABBOOMM...AND POOF clean and hot!

Newb to the LBT scene but going to start this year after Smokey's and others suggestions. Quick question, can you use a gas powered leaf blower or is that not suggested? I already have the gas powered one, but if it an electric is recommended, off to Home Depot/Lowes I go.

The gas one works fine...I borrowed a gas one initially...but wanted to own one and the cheapest was an electric.

Problem with some gas one models, is with the throttle. If it has a Trigger throttle, then you must be standing relatively close to that area.

An electric model will allow you to plug in the extension cord, from a remote location.

I vote electric and get as High as CFM as you can. My Troy Bilt is 450 CFM and will suck the ash out of the ash pan

Wait...these are PELLET stoves?.... no wonder my wife won't start my PALLET stove...

When you do the leaf blower trick do you have to unplug any wires or open the stove door?

It is highly recommended to have the stove door open. Some remove the vacuum hose from the switch, also.

Will doing this take the ash out of the exhaust blower area?

Yes, it will take any loose ash from anywhere in the stove that the air travels. It is highly advisable to do this AFTER the stove has been cleaned completely already. It's just like the icing on a cake....done last.

Opening & closing the door a few times might also help get more ash out, along with giving the STEEL back walls a couple of good smacks with a mallet to dislodge any crud in the ash traps/heat exchanger areas.

I can't get into the areas where the adapter and cleanout tee meets the stove. Do you think the leaf blower trick will still work?

It gets mounted on the end of the pipe OUTSIDE the house.

Just to make sure- you use the SUCTION part of the leaf blower, connected to the venting outside, to SUCK the ashes out. Look for some videos on YouTube. Here are a couple:

It will help, but it's best if you can loosen the ash with a brush, etc. There is an area of my stove that I can't get at without removing the combustion blower. I do the LBT about once a ton, and when I do remove the blower in the spring, there's very little ash in there. I'm not saying anything except that it works for me, YMMV.

Why are you saying do the blower after a cleaning? Why can't you run the blower and have it suck the ash out as you are cleaning the stove?

My dealer recommended that we don't move the blowers out/around since the gaskets can be easily damaged. I was thinking of brushing the venting, cleaning the inside of the stove (removing baffles, vacuuming the inside, clean ashpan) and then doing the leaf blower trick. Does this sound about right for the end of year cleaning?

I will be doing the leaf blower trick as soon as the season is over and I promise to post a video.. I was also thinking that while the leaf blower was blowing, why not use a small compressor and blow in the exhaust port from inside the stove? any benefit or is there any possible damage that could occur? (and I dont mean blowing 200psi or anything like that, just to get a good flow thru the exhaust section of the stove.)

Most people pull the combustion blower and clean it at the end of the season and replace the gasket. This is pretty standard service for all pellet stoves at the end of a year. A lot of the manuals even mention it. The ones that don't usually say pay the dealer to service it and they should pull the blower and clean. If you do it once and there is no buildup and the blades are not caked you can probably go longer the next season.

I do this. I have a little hose on my air nozzle. Gets all the nooks and crannies

ooooo, I like that

Do you blow around the stove or just down the exhaust.. I am alittle cautious about blowing ash into the livingroom.. My wife would murder me...

With the Leaf blower running, I just do whatever. All ash is expelled and sucked into the stove.

Hell, I paint the firebox every year and get ZERO smell in the house. Just keep the leaf blower on.