Wood stove service. Cleaning, gaskets, and inspection.
Wood and pellet stoves need more than a fireplace sweep. We clean the burn pot, baffle, and exhaust passages, replace door and glass gaskets, inspect the cat or non-cat secondary burn system, and verify the stove still meets the manufacturer's clearance requirements. CSIA-trained on EPA Phase 3 stoves and major brands.
What's included in this service?
- Full stove disassembly cleaning — baffle, secondary tubes, ash pan
- Catalytic combustor inspection, cleaning, and replacement
- Door, glass, and ash-pan gasket replacement
- Pellet stove burn pot, auger, and exhaust fan cleaning
- Insulated stainless liner inspection through the entire run
- Stovepipe (single or double wall) cleaning and joint check
- Combustion air verification and outside-air kit inspection
When do you need this service?
- Stove is harder to start or smokes back on reload
- Glass blackens fast even with seasoned wood
- Heat output has dropped noticeably in the same conditions
- Door gasket no longer holds a dollar bill when closed
- Catalytic combustor is past 12,000 hours or shows visible damage
- Annual service is due (CSIA recommends every season for stoves)
What do homeowners ask about Wood Stove?
How is wood stove service different from a fireplace sweep?
A stove has a sealed firebox, baffle, secondary burn tubes, and often a catalytic combustor — none of which are in a fireplace. We disassemble those parts, clean each one, and put it back together to manufacturer spec. Fireplace sweep is mostly the flue. Stove service is the stove plus the flue.
How do I know if the door gasket is bad?
Old test: close a dollar bill in the door and try to pull it out. If it slides, the gasket is shot. Visual signs: glass blackens fast, fire is hard to control, secondary burn never engages, wood burns through faster than it used to. Gaskets are a $30 part and a 30-minute job — they are the highest-leverage stove maintenance you can do.
Do you work on catalytic combustors?
Yes. Cats need cleaning every season and replacement every 6–10 years (or 12,000 hours of burn time). We carry common cats for Blaze King, Woodstock, Vermont Castings, and Buck. If your stove uses a manufacturer-only cat, we order it and schedule the install.
What about pellet stoves?
Pellet stoves are different work — burn pot scraping, auger inspection, exhaust fan cleaning, vacuum flue cleaning, and ash compartment service. Annual service is essential because pellet ash is fine and abrasive and clogs the exhaust path quickly. Plan on $269–$389 per visit depending on stove model.
Are EPA Phase 3 stoves any harder to service?
Not really. The secondary burn tubes need careful cleaning and inspection for cracks. The catalysts (in cat models) need annual attention. Otherwise the work is the same as older stoves — and the EPA Phase 3 designs actually run cleaner, so the flue side of the service is usually faster.
Where do we offer Wood Stove in San Diego County?
We provide wood stove in every city and community in San Diego County. Pick your city for local climate notes and service specifics.
See wood stove in all 48 cities
Homeowners who hired us for this
Bought our 1980s house with no service history on the fireplace. Their camera scan found a cracked clay tile we never would have spotted. Sweep was dust-free — couldn't tell they'd been in our living room. Written report in my inbox the next morning.
Called for a leak that two roofers had blamed on the roof. Their tech ran a hose test and showed me it was the crown — pictures and everything. Crown rebuild stopped the leak the same week. Honest work and clear pricing.
Raccoons in the chimney for two seasons. Other companies wanted to sell me a full inspection package first. Draft Pro came out, installed a stainless cap with proper mesh, and the noises stopped that night. Fair price.
Need wood stove in San Diego County?
Call for a free quote. Most work scheduled within the week.