I just got an email the other day from a guy who has an older pellet stove in need of some replacement parts. His question to me was should he even bother trying to fix it or just buy a new stove.
This is a great question and maybe one you’re thinking about right now. A salesman would tell you that the old stove will just keep on breaking and you should buy a new one. Well, of course he’s going to say that because that is the only way for him to make money. I, on the other hand, only make money when you buy parts so I’m going to tell you the exact opposite. Who can you trust?
Here is the truth. If there is a new pellet stove that you really go like, go buy it! Don’t spend a dime on fixing a stove that you don’t like or that doesn’t work well for your situation. However, if one pellet stove is just as good as another to you and you have a basic mechanical knowledge, fix it!
Here is why. Pellet stoves are very simple machines. They are nothing like a car or computer. They have lest than a dozen parts that can go bad and there are usually only 4 parts that ever go bad. These are:
- The Auger Motor
- The Exhaust/Combustion Fan/Blower
- The Convection Fan
- The Circuit Board
As long as you can get the parts you need you will spend way less money on fixing your stove. The reality is that there is no guarantee that a brand new stove won’t have any problems. I’ve seen plenty of brand new stoves break and there’s nothing worse than having something new break and not work even if it is under warranty.
Pellet stoves are built out of very thick steel that will last for a very long time. The motors and electronics are more fragile and will need to be replaced from time to time. As long as you can get these the stove will virtually last forever. The pellet stove next to me in the picture at the top of this blog is 20 years old and still going! I can still get parts for it and fix any issue with it fairly simply.
In summary if you don’t like what you have or can’t get parts, go buy a new one. But if you like it and can get parts and have a basic mechanical knowledge, just fix it…
To see find parts for your stove visit my store at
