What kind of service is required on gas and pellet stoves?
Contrary to popular belief, both gas and pellet stoves should have yearly routine maintenance performed by a professional. It saves you time and money by identifying potential problems before they effect the performance of the stove and also is required by most manufacturers to keep your warranty in effect. Routine gas service involves testing the pilot assembly, checking the logs for sooting, checking the burner for cracking and deteriorations, checking for gas leaks, check the air adjustment and cleaning the glass. If you are on propane rather than natural gas, it is even more crucial because the heat of the propane tends to burn out the pilot fixtures more quickly than natural gas does. Routine pellet service involves cleaning the exhaust ducts, vacuuming accumulated fly ash from inside the stove, cleaning out the exhaust blower and the venting and checking for air leaks around the door, glass and ash pan.
