Just curious: How often do you clean the fans? I had not cleaned mine in a couple of years. Last year once, at the end of the season. I cleaned them about a month ago. They have been running pretty steady for a couple of months now. I just cleaned them again today. I can feel the difference in air out put when they are clean. I use a small paint brush to loosen the dust on the impellers and then blow the whole thing out w/the compressor.
I pull mine off and blow it out with compressed air 2-3 times a year. It's amazing how much dust comes out.
Clean & lube at the end of the season and mid way through the season. Due to a couple of cats that own the area around the stove all winter I have to vacuum the dander off the inlet screens a little more frequently. Radical difference in noise and airflow when the fan is cleaned and oiled. KaptJaq
Stove was brand new last year, so my 1st time cleaning was before this burning season back in Oct. Took it apart and blew it out with compressed air. Tried to lube some areas but had trouble identifying exactly where and what to lube but did best I could. I can see it being beneficial cleaning it out again mid burnin season, it really does get dusty in there especially with the Drolet's fan placement directly in front of the door. I will probably try and hit it again sometime in January or Xmas break.
As a HVAC tech, yep you must keep your blower wheels clean. Keeping your air filter clean/replaced is important. As more and more dust accumulates on the surface of the little cups of the squirrel cage, the less and less air the blower will move. And that can cause tripping of your high limit switches on an electric or gas furnace, and freezing up your indoor coil in summer turning it into a block of ice.
