A house full of smoke is the one of the very worst things to come home to or have wake you up in the middle of the night. Fortunately, most wood pellet stove incidents are not fire but rather heavy, very smelly smoke as pellets smoulder up through the auger mechanism and into the hopper. Wood pellet stoves do occasionally start major fires in homes, and frequent maintenance and cleaning is advised for safe operations of these heating appliances so common in our area homes.

The folks at FloodCo specialize in effective property disaster solutions for residents of the Flathead Valley and Northwest Montana communities. From structural drying of carpets and hardwood floors to fire and smoke problems, the disaster restoration specialists at this locally owned and operated business will respond quickly to restore your home following an in-home disaster.

During each of our long winters you will be giving your wood pellet stove a work out. To ensure maximum safety and efficient operation during it's life, keep the following precautions in mind:

• Maintain Your Wood Pellet Stove all through the burning season: Hire a professional in the fall to clean and check your wood pellet stove. Frequently remove ash and clear the auger of dust or resin buildup. As with all heating appliances and fireplaces, keep the space surrounding your fire source clear of papers, magazines and all other combustible items. Reread the owner’s manual to make sure all stove operators in the family know how to properly operate this appliance. (Go online to find an owner's manual if your manual is lost.)
• Burn Fires Safely: Before lighting your stove, make sure the flue is unobstructed and vent fan switch is operating so that the stove will vent properly. To start your fire, use only a match or lighter, and never use flammable liquids. Avoid leaving a lit pellet stove unattended, particularly during night time hours. 
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home near bedrooms and living areas. Be sure to replace batteries frequently- 1-2 times each year at a minimum.
• When cleaning ash from the stove, be certain the ashes are totally cool before your discard them. NEVER vacuum ash with a standard household vacuum as ash dust will ruin this type of vacuum or hot embers may cause a fire to ignite inside a plastic vacuum. Use a nonflammable bucket and never store ash inside the house. Embers in stoves can stay hot for days.
• If your stove begins to misfire or smoke after years of operation, get professional service and also give serious consideration to immediate replacement. Because these appliance have moving parts, motors, auger, vent blower, these parts can and do wear out. Safety first! Worry about an older, tired wood pellet stove because a wildfire or heavy smoke in a building can kill you or your loved ones!

FloodCo LLC will help you put your home back together again should disaster strike your home or business. They will work with your insurance company to be sure claims are handled properly. 

Call (406) 892-1717 to speak with a compassionate team member about fire and smoke mitigation or emergency water removal. You may also visit the website to find out more information about FloodCo's many valuable services.