Cleaning & Maintenance Tips for Peak Pellet Stove Performance
Your pellet stove is the heart of your home during winter, providing steady, efficient warmth. But just like any heating appliance, it needs a little TLC to keep it running at its best. Regular cleaning and smart maintenance not only extend the life of your stove but also ensure you’re getting the highest heat output for every dollar spent on pellets.
Here’s how to keep your pellet stove performing like new all season long.
1. Clean the Burn Pot Regularly
The burn pot is where pellets ignite and burn. Over time, ash and small clinkers (hardened bits of residue) can block airflow, reducing efficiency and heat output.
- It’s recommended that you empty the burn pot every 2–3 days during heavy use.
- A clean burn pot will result in a hotter, and cleaner flame.
2. Empty the Ash Pan Before It’s Full
Letting ash build up in your ash pan can cause it to overflow into your stove’s internals, making it harder to clean and possibly clogging fans. Check the ash pan at least once a week, or more often if you’re burning around the clock.
3. Check and Clean the Heat Exchanger
Your stove’s heat exchanger is what transfers heat into your home’s air. Soot buildup here acts like an insulator—trapping heat inside the stove instead of pushing it out.
Tip: Many stoves have a built-in scraper rod. Run it back and forth daily if you’re burning consistently.
4. Don’t Forget the Vent Pipe
Your exhaust vent can collect fly ash and soot over time. A partially blocked vent reduces draft and can trigger shutdowns.
Inspect and clean your vent pipe at least once or twice per season.
Bonus Tip: Use Premium-Grade Softwood Pellets for a Cleaner Burn
Like any product, not all pellets are created equal. Different manufacturers may source materials from different types of wood, or even use a blend to produce their pellets. Premium-grade softwood pellets are typically single-sourced pellets from high quality wood. They tend to produce hotter burns while maintaining a lower ash content. Which means less cleanup, less risk of clinkers, and a more efficient stove overall.
At North Atlantic Fuels, we take pellets seriously. We’ve sold several types of softwood pellets over the years, and through testing out different pellets, meeting the manufacturers, and touring facilities around New England, we’ve ultimately decided to reserve Wood & Son’s Premium Softwood Pellets for our customers here in Southern Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Wood family has designed a superior product that they are proud to have manufactured locally in Sanford, ME. Click Here for a video tour of their mill.
Wood & Son's Premium Softwood Pellets
Available in 20lb & 40lb bags. Priced by the ton.
Keep Your Stove Clean & Your Home Warm
Ready to stock up? Order your premium softwood pellets here and experience the difference a cleaner, hotter fuel makes. We can deliver across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Southern Maine. Click here to see our current delivery rates.
Call us today at 603-945-5305 or order online and see the difference softwood pellets can make in your stove this winter.
Request a Delivery
Get reliable, hassle-free firewood & wood pellet delivery at the best prices in Maine & Southern New Hampshire.
76 Depot Road. Epping, NH 03042
(603) 945-5305