Since every pellet stove is different, some of the best advice can be found in your stove manual. Whether you’re burning pellets for the first time in a new stove, firing up your system at the start of a new season, or switching to a new brand of pellets, this quick reference guide for troubleshooting some common burn quality issues should come in handy.
| The Problem | The Likely Culprit | The Solution |
| Poor burn quality | Dirty stove | Clean your stove according to your manufacturer’s recommendations, or schedule a professional cleaning. |
| Blackened glass | Burning on ‘low’ | Adjust heat setting to medium or medium/high. |
| Excessive clinkers | Airflow leak | Clean all vents, check and repair/replace all gaskets, adjust damper or airflow setting. |
| Trouble igniting | Air-to-pellet ratio | Adjust air-to-pellet ratio by increasing air flow. |
| Lazy or small flame | Air-to-pellet ratio | Adjust air-to-pellet ratio by increasing air flow and/or decreasing feed rate. |
| Low heat output | Air-to-pellet ratio | Adjust air-to-pellet ratio by increasing air flow and/or increasing feed rate. |
| Sparks flying / embers in the ash pot | Air-to-pellet ratio | Adjust air-to-pellet ratio by decreasing air flow and/or decreasing feed rate. |
| Whole, charred pellets left in the burn pot | Air-to-pellet ratio | Adjust air-to-pellet ratio by decreasing air flow and/or decreasing feed rate. |
| Auger jamming / stove shutting down | Long pellets | Drop bags on the floor – this can break long pellets into a manageable length. |
| Excessive ash build up / whole, charred pellets in burn pot | Short pellets | Reduce feed rate. |
As you can see, many burn issues are directly related to your stove’s airflow. If you have reviewed your owner’s manual to make the proper settings adjustments, but you’re still experiencing problems…you might have a leak. Wood pellet stoves operate through a system of air intake and exhaust, and the exhaust fan sucks air out through the burn pot to cause combustion of the pellets. It’s important to inspect your venting setup to see if it’s properly sealed, but it’s more likely the leak is through your door gasket.
It’s simple to test the door seal efficiency with a dollar bill. While holding on to one end of the bill, insert the other side into the door, and shut it. Pull out the dollar while the door is still shut, and note the resistance. You shouldn’t be able to remove the bill without a good amount of resistance. Repeat this method all around your door to check the full effectiveness of your gasket.
Please call 1-800-PELLETS if you have any concerns with the quality of your Woodpellets.com fuel. Learn about our Quality Guarantee, here.
