summers heat 55shpep cleaning - blower starting to make noise

[northeast bob]

When you pull out the ash pan I noticed a small square plate on each side. On the parts list they are called exhaust clean out covers. Should I be removing them and vacuum out behind them ?

Thanks

 

[slvrblkk]

Yes, you need to check them every so often so they don't get filled up with ash.....maybe check every half ton or so....

 

[northeast bob]

so just pull off the covers and vacuum ?

Do they have gaskets behind them ?

 

[slvrblkk]

No gaskets....really should not have too much ash behind there. Is the stove new?

 

[northeast bob]

Yes this is my first year. I have burned about (20) bags so far. I shut down and vac and clean the burnpot everyday. Once a week I have dropped the heat exhanger plate and clean behind there. If ash goes down the holes on the shelf under the exchanger tubes where does it go ?

I love the stove and I haven't even started my oil fired boiler yet, even this weekend when it was windy and down to 15 degrees the pellet stove did fine.

 

[slvrblkk]

The ash can settle anywhere through the exhaust and vent but that's why those "traps" are there so you can clean it....Harbor freight has a great, cheap brush kit that works great to get in there during a full stove clean-out.....$4.99...even cheaper with a coupon....