Pellet stoves are common in Colorado Springs homes east of town toward Falcon, Peyton and Ellicott where natural gas lines do not reach. They are also popular in the older neighborhoods of Security-Widefield and Fountain. When a pellet stove stops working, it usually comes down to one of four components: the auger, the igniter, the combustion blower or the control board. This guide covers each one and what you can expect from a repair call.
The short answer: most pellet stove problems in Colorado Springs trace to the auger motor, a clogged burn pot, a failed hot rod igniter or a dirty combustion blower. All four are repairable. None require replacing the stove.
The Most Common Pellet Stove Problems We See in Colorado Springs
Auger Not Feeding Pellets
The auger is the screw-shaped motor that moves pellets from the hopper into the burn pot. When it stops, the fire goes out and the stove shuts down. Auger failures usually happen for one of three reasons: the auger is jammed by a foreign object or a misshapen pellet, the auger motor has burned out, or the control board has stopped sending power to the motor.
A jammed auger you can sometimes clear yourself. Unplug the stove, remove the access panel, and check for a pellet stuck sideways in the auger tube. A burned-out motor requires replacement. Use only dry, premium pellets in Colorado Springs. Cheap pellets with high moisture content are the number one cause of auger jams and early motor failure. According to the Pellet Fuels Institute, premium-grade pellets should have less than 8% moisture content.
FAQ: Why does my pellet stove keep shutting off after a few minutes?
A pellet stove that runs briefly then shuts off is usually experiencing one of two problems. Either the burn pot is full of ash and the fire cannot get enough air, or the igniter is failing and the stove shuts down on a safety lockout after detecting no flame. Clean the burn pot first. If the problem continues, the igniter needs testing. Our stove igniter repair page covers exactly how igniter failure looks and what the replacement involves.
Stove Will Not Ignite
The hot rod igniter is an electric element that glows red and lights the first batch of pellets. When it fails, the stove goes through its startup cycle, the auger drops pellets into the burn pot, but no flame appears and the stove locks out. Hot rod igniters have a limited lifespan, typically two to five years depending on how often the stove runs.
Colorado Springs winters push pellet stoves hard. A stove that runs from October through April for ten or twelve hours a day will wear through an igniter faster than one used occasionally. If your stove is more than three years old and will not ignite, the igniter is the first thing to check.
Combustion Blower Running Weak or Noisy
The combustion blower pulls air through the burn pot and pushes exhaust out the flue. A weak blower causes incomplete combustion, which creates clinkers (fused ash balls) in the burn pot and can trigger safety shutoffs. A bearing that is starting to fail produces a grinding or squealing noise that gets louder over time.
At Colorado Springs altitude, the combustion blower has to work slightly harder because the air is thinner. A blower that is marginal at sea level will fail sooner here. We carry common blower assemblies for major pellet stove brands on our service trucks.
FAQ: How often should I clean my pellet stove in Colorado Springs?
Clean the burn pot and ash trap after every 50 pounds of pellets, or roughly every three to four days of heavy use during Colorado Springs winter. Do a full cleaning including the heat exchanger tubes and combustion blower housing at the start and end of each heating season. Altitude does not change the cleaning schedule, but it does mean the combustion is slightly less efficient, which creates slightly more ash residue.
What a Pellet Stove Repair Call Looks Like
When Stove Works arrives for a pellet stove call in Colorado Springs, we run through the full system in one visit. We test the auger feed rate, check the igniter resistance, inspect the burn pot and heat exchanger, and test the combustion blower output. Most repairs are completed the same day.
Pellet stove repair is different from gas or electric stove repair because the systems are more mechanical. If you are comparing whether to repair or replace an older unit, read our guide on stove repair vs replacement which covers the 50/50 rule for all stove types. To book a service call, call Stove Works at (719) 467-3100.
FAQ: Can I use any brand of pellets in my Colorado Springs pellet stove?
Yes, but quality matters. Stick to PFI-certified premium or super-premium grade pellets. In Colorado Springs, look for brands with less than 1% ash content. High-ash cheap pellets clinker quickly in the burn pot, causing the stove to shut down on safety lockout and accelerating wear on the auger and blower. The extra cost of premium pellets is almost always recovered in fewer repair calls.