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There are several ways to determine if your chimney or fireplace damper is open or closed. A simple method is to check for airflow by placing your hand near the fireplace opening; if you feel a draft or hear wind whistling, the damper is open. An open damper might also make the room feel cooler, similar to the outdoor temperature, or cause your HVAC system to work harder than usual. For a more definitive test, you can try a visual inspection, although it may be difficult to see. Alternatively, you can light a small piece of paper and observe the smoke; if it is drawn up the chimney, the damper is open. Always use the damper handle to adjust its position.

Yes, you can put a freestanding one in a corner if you’re tight on space. Because pellet stoves don’t get as hot as other types of wood stoves, there only needs to be 3 inches of clearance from the wall on each side. Placing it in a corner should not impact the ventilation—you’ll still need to follow safety precautions by not installing too close to a window. Typically, it’s 4 feet from a window or 18 inches if the stove uses an external air source for combustion. Always check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.

Once your ashes have fully cooled, you can place them in a heavy-duty trash bag and put them into the bin with your normal trash. If you have wood ash, you can add the ash to your composting pile or sprinkle it over your grass or plants directly for added nutrients.

This will depend on the size of the pellet stove and how much of the house you’re heating, i.e. just one room or the entire house. Many pellet stoves use anywhere from 80 to 345 watts of electricity per hour. In terms of the pellets, a 40-pound bag can cost $5 to $9. A bag of pellets will burn for about 24 hours.