When the little stretches of warm days transition into consistent summer weather – you’re ready to let your pellet stove go on vacation. But, there are extra steps you should consider taking to protect your precious heating investment.

Turn off your stove and unplug it from the surge protector, or unplug the entire thing. Why do you need a surge protector? Most modern pellet stoves have a circuit board that can be damaged without protection from even small electrical surges caused by power outages. Be sure to check your manual for information on electrical recommendations.) Once you’re fully disconnected, make sure it’s completely cooled off before moving forward.

Remove all wood pellets from the stove whether they’re burned or unburned. Because wood pellets are made up of kiln-dried wood fibers, they attract and absorb even the smallest amount of moisture. If absorbed and left all summer, rust can form inside your stove. Once all pellets are removed – you’re ready to get to the real cleaning.

To clean the stove’s glass, use a heat-safe cleaning solvent and a soft cloth. Do not use any cleaning solvent with ammonia in it, because it can cause damage to the glass.

This next part can get pretty dusty – so suit up with a breathing mask and some gloves. Start by using a stiff brush to sweep away ash buildup on the inner walls, heat exchanger and within all the nooks and crannies. For the stubborn residue in the burn pot, use a metal scraper. Most pellet stoves come with one, but if yours didn’t – just pick one up from from a stove parts store or online.

To remove all the remaining residue and dust, use an ash vacuum or any wet/dry vacuum. However, if the vacuum isn’t meant for cleaning wood burning stoves – make sure to use a special high-efficiency filter that will catch and contain the minuscule particles. Do NOT use a standard household vacuum, because they can easily be damaged by the fine ash.

If you’re unable to get to the inner parts of your stove – you might want to consider a professional pellet stove cleaning. It’s a great way to make sure everything is cleaned out properly and is protected for the summer months. It’s also a good opportunity to have all the stove parts inspected. Your stove’s “vacation” is probably a more convenient time to deal with a problem, rather than in the middle of winter.