Most of the time wood pellet stoves will run better and more efficient when they are clean. The air inside can move around better and this will allow the appropriate combustion in the firebox. You can clean your pellet stove yourself and it will not take much time or work at all. You will have to have a few simple tools in order to get a better clean and have an easier time as well.
A few things that you will need to clean your pellet stove are a paintbrush, paper towels, cloths, shop vac and the scraping rod that usually comes along with your stove. When you place a new bag of pellets into the hopper of the stove, it is a good idea to clean the heat exchanger. When you are cleaning this it will allow the heat to move from the firebox to your area a lot easier. It is best to use a good quality pellet to avoid cleaning more often.
When you shut your pellet stove off, you can then use the paintbrush to clean the dust that the stove produces. You can use any other type of duster or brush for this job too. The brush will have the ability to get into the small cracks and spaces that the dust can fall into. You will then be able to vacuum the ash out of the collection pan easily.
Doing simple cleaning each month will make it easier to do a thorough cleaning every few months or so. You can use your brush or shop vac to clean the tough to see areas that are going to need cleaned. Each year you should get a professional furnace cleaner check your gaskets and motors to make sure that they are running freely. They will be able to get into the tough areas and see if there is anything that looks like it needs replaced or fixed. Also have the firepot cleaned well wand test your battery back up system if you have one equipped on your pellet stove.
When it is time to shut your pellet stove off for the summer, you should take out all of the pellets from the hopper. Pellets that are left inside over the summer may accumulate moisture and not need feed properly when you turn your stove back on in the fall. You will have to unplug your stove to protect in if there are any lightning strikes or even a power surge can harm your stove.
You should also check your owner’s manual to see if there are any other recommended cleaning and safety tips to follow. It is always smart to use caution and common sense when you are using a pellet stove. When you follow the rules and the instructions, you will see that this is a great way to heat your home.
Showing posts with label stoves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stoves. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Burning To Buy A Stove? Then Read This: Stove Buying Guide
Gone are the days when you have to bring a very bulky and very dangerous stove when you go camping. The stoves of today are small, lightweight and very efficient, not to mention very safe. One of today’s portable stoves would probably be your best buddy when you go out camping.
Here are a few factors that you might want to look at when choosing your very own stove.
Price
Generally stove prices can range from $20 - $200, depending on the brand and fuel; however, you can probably find a good quality type at around $50 - $90, or maybe even cheaper if you’re a good bargain finder.
Efficiency
Efficiency is often measure in BTU or British thermal units; however, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who actually understands the terminology. Generally 25,000 – 30,000 BTU is a good range. Another measure of efficiency however, is boiling time. This is the measure of how long your stove can run on high with a full tank of gas. But watch out for this figure, your stove might boast a 1 hour running time, but on 32 ounces of fuel. 10 minutes of burning time with one ounce of fuel is a fair measure.
Performance
Performance is measured by the time it takes for the stove to boil a quart of water under ideal conditions (ideal fuel, new stove) both at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at sea level. A good range would be 3-5 minutes. A good performance stove will ensure faster cooking especially if you’re on the go.
Fuel
Most stoves come in either solid, liquid or gaseous fuels, here is a profile of each.
Alcohol
Pro: Clean burning, stable and safe.
Con: Alcohol burns at a cool flame so it doesn’t pack much heat when burned, you’d be hard pressed to find stoves that burn with alcohol. In addition, alcohol burns with invisible flame, so there is a danger of a fire spreading.
Blended Fuel
It is a mix of butane propane and/or isobutane. You can buy it in disposable canisters and tanks.
Pro: If it is blended with isobutene, the fire is more efficient even if the pressure in the canister gets lower. Blended fuel is more dependable than simply butane or isobutene and safer than simple propane.
Con: It loses efficiency if used in temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit and higher altitudes.
Butane
Butane is sold in disposable canisters and is pressurized when bought; this type of fuel is typically popular in Europe.
Pro: It is very efficient and provides a high temperature
Con: It cannot be used in cold surroundings, mainly temperatures below 5o degrees Fahrenheit and it doesn’t burn as hot as blended fuel
Gasoline
Gasoline is the liquid fuel that powers most cars, however stoves like this should only be used as a last resort and you should make sure that the fuel has an octane content that is below 86 and is unleaded.
Pro: Burns fast and very hot
Con: This fuel is very poisonous, even the fumes can be a bit nauseating, not to mention the soot being toxic. The soot may get into the food you are cooking so it’s best to keep the food covered at all times. It is also hard to keep gasoline going in extreme cold. There is also a need for an extra pump to increase the pressure because of its liquid form.
Isobutane
Isobutene ha a chemical structure close to butane, it is used for plane fuel. Isobutene comes in disposable canisters.
Pro: It burns more efficiently than butane and can be used in temperatures down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kerosene
Kerosene is probably the oldest type of fuel and is also used in jet fuel because of the heat it generates.
Pros: It is available anywhere and burns very hot in any condition.
Con: Like gasoline, the soot from kerosene is also very poisonous. It also burns with a lot of soot. Generally kerosene burners get clogged quickly because of the excess soot. And like gasoline, needs an extra pump because of its liquid form.
Propane
Propane is a highly combustible, clear gas that is used in most household stoves and barbecue grills. Propane comes in disposable canisters.
Pro: Propane burns with a very hot and steady flame. There is practically no soot with a propane flame. In addition to that it has good cold weather performance.
Con: Not very good for very trepid and high altitude locations.
White Fuel
Pro: This fuel is very inexpensive and can be bought by the gallon at almost any supermart. It burns in almost any weather condition and unlike others can withstand low temperatures and high altitudes.
Con: The fuel is a liquid and will therefore need a pump to keep the pressure steady.
Wood
Pro: Wood is as old fashioned as you can get, but if you have an excellent source like for example the twigs on the forest floor, a wood stove would be a good idea.
Con: A wood stove would be hard to use during rainy season because wet wood is hard to heat up.
Here are a few factors that you might want to look at when choosing your very own stove.
Price
Generally stove prices can range from $20 - $200, depending on the brand and fuel; however, you can probably find a good quality type at around $50 - $90, or maybe even cheaper if you’re a good bargain finder.
Efficiency
Efficiency is often measure in BTU or British thermal units; however, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who actually understands the terminology. Generally 25,000 – 30,000 BTU is a good range. Another measure of efficiency however, is boiling time. This is the measure of how long your stove can run on high with a full tank of gas. But watch out for this figure, your stove might boast a 1 hour running time, but on 32 ounces of fuel. 10 minutes of burning time with one ounce of fuel is a fair measure.
Performance
Performance is measured by the time it takes for the stove to boil a quart of water under ideal conditions (ideal fuel, new stove) both at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at sea level. A good range would be 3-5 minutes. A good performance stove will ensure faster cooking especially if you’re on the go.
Fuel
Most stoves come in either solid, liquid or gaseous fuels, here is a profile of each.
Alcohol
Pro: Clean burning, stable and safe.
Con: Alcohol burns at a cool flame so it doesn’t pack much heat when burned, you’d be hard pressed to find stoves that burn with alcohol. In addition, alcohol burns with invisible flame, so there is a danger of a fire spreading.
Blended Fuel
It is a mix of butane propane and/or isobutane. You can buy it in disposable canisters and tanks.
Pro: If it is blended with isobutene, the fire is more efficient even if the pressure in the canister gets lower. Blended fuel is more dependable than simply butane or isobutene and safer than simple propane.
Con: It loses efficiency if used in temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit and higher altitudes.
Butane
Butane is sold in disposable canisters and is pressurized when bought; this type of fuel is typically popular in Europe.
Pro: It is very efficient and provides a high temperature
Con: It cannot be used in cold surroundings, mainly temperatures below 5o degrees Fahrenheit and it doesn’t burn as hot as blended fuel
Gasoline
Gasoline is the liquid fuel that powers most cars, however stoves like this should only be used as a last resort and you should make sure that the fuel has an octane content that is below 86 and is unleaded.
Pro: Burns fast and very hot
Con: This fuel is very poisonous, even the fumes can be a bit nauseating, not to mention the soot being toxic. The soot may get into the food you are cooking so it’s best to keep the food covered at all times. It is also hard to keep gasoline going in extreme cold. There is also a need for an extra pump to increase the pressure because of its liquid form.
Isobutane
Isobutene ha a chemical structure close to butane, it is used for plane fuel. Isobutene comes in disposable canisters.
Pro: It burns more efficiently than butane and can be used in temperatures down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kerosene
Kerosene is probably the oldest type of fuel and is also used in jet fuel because of the heat it generates.
Pros: It is available anywhere and burns very hot in any condition.
Con: Like gasoline, the soot from kerosene is also very poisonous. It also burns with a lot of soot. Generally kerosene burners get clogged quickly because of the excess soot. And like gasoline, needs an extra pump because of its liquid form.
Propane
Propane is a highly combustible, clear gas that is used in most household stoves and barbecue grills. Propane comes in disposable canisters.
Pro: Propane burns with a very hot and steady flame. There is practically no soot with a propane flame. In addition to that it has good cold weather performance.
Con: Not very good for very trepid and high altitude locations.
White Fuel
Pro: This fuel is very inexpensive and can be bought by the gallon at almost any supermart. It burns in almost any weather condition and unlike others can withstand low temperatures and high altitudes.
Con: The fuel is a liquid and will therefore need a pump to keep the pressure steady.
Wood
Pro: Wood is as old fashioned as you can get, but if you have an excellent source like for example the twigs on the forest floor, a wood stove would be a good idea.
Con: A wood stove would be hard to use during rainy season because wet wood is hard to heat up.
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