Pellet Burning Tips

  1. Never buy pellets that are uncovered and open to the weather. The plastic wrap covering the pallet should also be inspected for rips or holes.
  2. Check bags for “bloating”. This indicates pellets are wet and disintegrated.
  3. Store your pellets in a dry, cool place. Never store the bags directly on a concrete floor.
  4. Always pour your pellets into a coal bucket, or similar, before pouring into the stove hopper. This will allow you to visually inspect the fuel for excessive amounts of sawdust. Avoid dumping any sawdust into the hopper.
  5. Adjust the combustion air so that the pellets burn with a vibrant, bright flame. Lazy flames with dark tips indicate the fire is air deprived.
  6. To ensure proper air circulation, keep the stove clean. This is particularly important around the burn gate. Heat transfer pipes (heat exchanger) should be inspected regularly to make sure they haven’t become coated with “fly ash”.
  7. Never use a household vacuum to clean out the stove. Pellet ash is very fine and will pass through most vacuum filters.
  8. As with any solid fuel appliance, pellet stoves must be inspected & cleaned annually (or every 2-3 tons of pellets) by a certified stove technician.