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The days are finally getting warmer! If you feel like turning off the pellet stove - that kept you company for the whole winter - once and for all, follow the three simple pieces of advice given by Giuliano, an MCZ technician responsible for training in support centres across the whole of Europe.

1. CAREFULLY CARRY OUT ALL “ROUTINE CLEANING STEPS”

What does “routine” maintenance mean? It includes all the steps you learnt to perform during winter, though they are even easier to carry out when the stove is off and cold.

So we are referring to these two simple little things here below. We are NOT speaking about cleaning the flue or parts inside the stove (feed screw, fan, etc.) which are things best left to the experts (it's really not a good idea to try cleaning these yourself).

Cleaning the brazier and the ash pan

Empty the ash pan and clean it. Take out the brazier and thoroughly clean all the holes and the grate, until it looks like this (see the photo here below). If there are no encrustations, a brush is usually all you need. You also need to remove ash from the compartment around the brazier. You can use a normal vacuum cleaner, though make sure it is suitable for very small particles as well.

Cleaning the glazing

A dry brush is usually all you need to remove ash residues from the glass. If, instead, there are encrustations, you can use specific sprays for glass that do not contain abrasive products. Use a small amount of detergent and do not spray it on painted parts of the stove or on the ceramic fibre seal on the fire door, as it might damage them.

Empty the pellet tank

If pellets remain in the tank for a long time, they may produce sawdust or expand due to the moisture. Therefore, if you are not using the stove, it is always best to leave the tank empty.

2. PULL OUT THE PLUG

Yes, we're speaking of actually pulling out the plug, not just turning off the stove. You may think that this is obvious, but you have no idea how many stoves could no longer be used due to an electric jolt during a thunderstorm. This is a simple rule that applies to all electrical appliances. If you won't be using the stove for some time, pull out the plug from the socket.

3. FIX AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE TECHNICIAN FOR AN ANNUAL CLEANING

We'll never stop saying it: don't wait until the last minute to book an annual maintenance. Technicians are not very busy in spring and summer, they have more time for you, maybe also to tell you about the latest tips to get the best out of your stove. Of course, they are much busier when the weather starts getting cold, when everyone is calling them. If you call your technician in October, he or she might not have time for you for weeks. It's not a nice feeling at all to be left in the cold, is it?

Do you live in UK? Ask to Specflue, MCZ's partner in UK, to have a list of authorised technicians in your area.