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What causes excessive soot & ash?

Whitfield stoves are designed to operate on top grade wood pellet fuel. Whitfield does not recommend agricultural pellets like corn. Try switching to higher quality pellets if you are experiencing high ash build up or frequent clinkers in the firebox. Different pellets may require an adjustment to the damper control or fuel feed trim to accommodate differences in size and density of the pellets. Longer pellets will feed slower, while shorter pellets feed faster.

Whitfield stoves are designed with an air wash system to help prevent soot from building up on the glass. Air is delivered through a gap between the doorframe and the glass. For optimum operation, the gap between the glass and the deflector plate should be maintained between .070 and .075 inches. Over time this opening can become inhibited by dust and animal hair and should be cleaned periodically.

Ash and soot are a natural product of combustion, but excessive ash and soot build up sometimes indicates a combustion issue in the stove. Thoroughly clean the stove and remove ash build up from the burn grate, heat exchangers, ash pan, air passages, and exhaust venting as well as behind the firebrick.

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