Leaf Blower Cleaning Question

[gerryger]

I'm getting my stove all set for the upcoming winter and am wondering if I need to clean my vent piping since I only used my Santa Fe for about 6 weeks last year. It was installed in mid February.

If I do need to clean the vent piping I would like to use the leaf blower trick. Unfortunately my leaf blower only blows...it does not suck. There's a joke in that statement somewhere. My exterior vent piping has a cleanout at the bottom. Can't I just remove that and blow the air up the vent and out the goose neck. Has this been done or will too much soot and ash get into the stove and onto the mechanical components.

By the way ....great forum

 

[smoke show]

I think the benefit of sucking is getting everything out of the stove.

Don't think thats gonna happen blowing as you describe.

 

[soupy1957]

Using a Leaf Blower seems a bit extreme somehow................I have visions of blowing ash all over the living room!

Isn't a brush on a long handle good enough?

-Soupy1957

 

[DexterDay]

As stated above. Suction is better. By blowing, you will put positive pressure in the vent and stove. Causing ash to come out of any open hole (auger opening in hopper, air wash, etc).

A good unit that has the vacuum feature, can be had for $40 (give or take, depending on model)
You say 6 weeks?? Were you burning full time. By that I mean how many bags of pellets did you burn? Some people may burn 10 bags (part time burners) and others like myself may have burned over a toWhatever you do, always make sure you disconnect the vacuum hose from the vacuum sensor on your stove. You do not want to ruin the switch. A good pre-cautionary measure to take.

I paid about $40 for my Troy-Bilt. Its 240 MPH and 450 CFM with 5 or 6 speeds.

 

[gerryger]

I pretty much burned 24/7 from mid Feb thru March. I'll say about 30 bags. With that amount of limited use do you think the vent piping should be sucked out.

 

[gerryger]

Whatever you do, always make sure you disconnect the vacuum hose from the vacuum sensor on your stove. You do not want to ruin the switch. A good pre-cautionary measure to take.

I'm going to buy a new leaf blower today and attempt to clean the vent piping. You think I should remove the hose from the vacuum sensor. Just disconnect it and leave it dangling in the stove and reconnect when done? I'll do that, but out of curiosity what's the difference if the hose was on or off. Can't the vacuum sensor get damaged if the hose wasn't connected also.

I'm new at this ...just trying to learn. Does anyone have any photos of this procedure?

Thanks

 

[PJPellet]

I pretty much burned 24/7 from mid Feb thru March. I'll say about 30 bags. With that amount of limited use do you think the vent piping should be sucked out.

I think it's a good idea because this way you can start the new season with a fresh clean stove and vent pipe. I only burned from February on and still cleaned everything, just a bit of preventative maintenance. BTW I do not do the leaf blower trick I just use the pellet pipe brush. Some day when I get a leaf blower I will do it but for right now I am not concerned that much, the pipe brush works fine for me.

 

[DexterDay]

Whatever you do, always make sure you disconnect the vacuum hose from the vacuum sensor on your stove. You do not want to ruin the switch. A good pre-cautionary measure to take.

I'm going to buy a new leaf blower today and attempt to clean the vent piping. You think I should remove the hose from the vacuum sensor. Just disconnect it and leave it dangling in the stove and reconnect when done? I'll do that, but out of curiosity what's the difference if the hose was on or off. Can't the vacuum sensor get damaged if the hose wasn't connected also.

I'm new at this ...just trying to learn. Does anyone have any photos of this procedure?

Thanks

Your stove, when running, is under slight negative pressure. Which activates the vacuum sensor. When you perform the leaf blower trick, you put with stove umder a very high amount of negative pressure (door closed) This could damage the vacuum sensor. Only takes a second to disconnect the line from the stove or from the sensor. Better to be safe than sorry.

Also. Make sure you open and close the door a few times. The leaf blower cleans and sucks better with the door open (greater volume/CFM's) but putting it under high pressure and low pressure, will help get a little more out. Doing it with the door closed the entire time, will get it done. But door should be opened and closed a few times. To achieve better results. IMO

 

[imacman]

.......I have visions of blowing ash all over the living room!
Isn't a brush on a long handle good enough?-Soupy1957

Yes, the brush in the pipe should do just fine, but pellet stoves don't leave much in the vertical pipes anyway.....the real advantage to using the leaf blower to suck is when it's pulling ALL the vacuum through the stove. Getting every last bit of ash out of the stove innards is the ticket to making these stoves run their best.

Maybe the OP could sell his "blow only" unit on Craigs List (since fall clean-up isn't far off), and get an inexpensive blow/vacuum unit.

 

[gerryger]

Thanks for that great explanation. I always like to know why I am doing something before doing it.

 

[imacman]

Thanks for that great explanation. I always like to know why I am doing something before doing it.

Oh, and don't forget that the leaf blower is used AFTER the stove has gotten a COMPLETE and thorough regular cleaning.

 

[jamesdjs]

Here is a link to a video on you tube showing a leaf blower in action.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLRfu4WNaR8&feature=youtubedata_player[/youtube]

 

[Nicholas440]

I seriously doubt that you have any significant build up of ash in your vent pipe with only 30 bags used... I would also say that I think just using a good brush and vacuum, will clean any stove. I have mine done every year by a professional , and he just uses a vent pipe brush, and his ash vacuum and the stove looks like new when he gets done, and works as new also... I'd skip the leaf blower it can be very messy for the tiny amount of ash that it pulls out.