Pellet stove · Naples and Campania
Pellet stove not lighting: what to do
When a pellet stove does not start, the reason is almost always one of a few: dirty burn pot, damp pellet, worn glow plug, poor draught or a sensor. Some checks you can do yourself in a few minutes, with the stove cold. If they are not enough, we come to your home to measure the components and replace the faulty part.
Quote before we start about 1 hour 30 minutesFull cleaning of the stove and a check of the flue
If after a failed ignition the room fills with smoke, switch the stove off with the button but do not unplug it: the fan must keep carrying the fumes out. Do not open the door, air the room and leave. Headache or nausea can mean carbon monoxide: leave the house and call 112. The stove is opened only when off, cold and unplugged.
Recognise the problem
- You press start, pellet drops into the burn pot but does not catch fire
- After a few minutes the failed ignition alarm appears
- The burn pot stays cold, as if the glow plug is not heating
- It starts with a small flame and goes out after a few minutes
- The display is dark and does not respond to any button
The most common causes
- 1
Burn pot dirty or out of place
If the holes of the burn pot are blocked by ash, or the pot is not seated properly in its housing, air does not reach the pellet. It is the most common cause and the simplest to fix.
- 2
Faulty glow plug
The glow plug, or ignition element, heats the air until the pellet catches. With the years it wears out and, once it burns out, the stove loads pellet but the flame never comes.
- 3
Damp pellet
Pellet absorbs moisture from the air. Left on the balcony, in a cellar or in a damp garage, it swells and flakes, burns badly, makes a lot of ash and struggles to start on ignition.
- 4
Insufficient draught
With the flue or the T-connector full of ash, the pressure switch, the sensor that checks flue gas extraction, does not give the go-ahead: the stove does not load pellet or stops at once.
- 5
Flue gas probe, auger or board
If the flue gas probe is faulty, the board thinks there is no flame. The auger, the screw that carries pellet to the burn pot, can jam because of a piece of wood or compacted sawdust.
What you can safely check yourself
- Unplug, wait for the stove to be cold, then empty the burn pot, clean the holes and put it back firmly in place.
- After a failed ignition do not try again with the burn pot full: remove the leftover pellet before every new attempt.
- Look at the pellet in the hopper: if it is dusty or breaks between your fingers, switch to a new bag kept dry.
- Check that the door is closed properly and that the ash drawer is pushed all the way in.
Never open the boiler or the gas water heater, and always switch off the power before touching an electrical appliance. If in doubt, call us.
When you need a technician at home
- The burn pot is clean but stays cold during ignition
- The failed ignition repeats every day
- The auger does not turn or makes a dry noise
- The display stays dark even with a working socket
- Smoke comes out of the stove into the room during ignition
How much it costs
Glow plug replacement
examples of quotes published on ProntoPro in 2026; the spare part varies from model to model
70-160 €
Other stove repairs
ProntoPro range for pellet stove repairs, depending on the faulty part
60-250 €
Market figures are indicative for the Naples area. You know our exact price before we start; prices apply near our base in Parete, and further away you see them in full when you choose your town.
How a pellet stove lights, in brief
When you press start, the stove starts the flue gas fan and the glow plug begins to heat. The auger brings a dose of pellet into the burn pot, the hot air ignites it, the flue gas probe sees the temperature rise and the stove moves to normal operation.
If a step fails, after a few minutes the board stops with an alarm. If the pellet does not drop, the problem is in the feed. If it drops but stays cold, the glow plug is suspected. If the flame starts and then dies, draught and flue gas probe are checked.
The glow plug: how to tell if it is the culprit
With a healthy glow plug, a few minutes after ignition the burn pot warms up and the pellet starts to smoke slightly before catching. If the burn pot stays cold while the fan and auger work, the glow plug is the first suspect. Altroconsumo also suggests checking that it is aligned with its hole and not set too far back from the pellet.
Replacing it is not a do-it-yourself job: the stove has to be opened, electrical connections removed and the glow plug refitted in the right position relative to the burn pot. If it stays crooked or set back, even a new glow plug lights poorly.
When the stove is your only heating
A stove that stops in January in a house with no other heating is a serious problem, especially with small children or elderly people. For emergencies we are on call 24 hours a day, including Sundays and public holidays, with a surcharge for nights and holidays and an emergency call-out fee communicated before we set out.
While you wait, no shortcuts: never alcohol, petrol or other flammable liquids, and no pellet thrown by hand into the hot burn pot unless the manual provides for it. Gases left in the combustion chamber can all ignite at once.
Want to know what it is first? Show us
On a video call you show us the display, the burn pot after an ignition attempt and the pellet in the hopper. From how the auger, glow plug and fan behave we work out where the ignition stops, and if a part needs replacing we arrive knowing what to check.
Video consultation, up to 15 minutes: €9.90 (€14.90 on Sundays), deducted from the bill if we then come to your home.
Book the consultationDIY guides
Frequently asked questions
Why does the pellet stove not light?
The most frequent causes are a dirty burn pot, damp pellet and a worn glow plug. Less often it is the flue draught, the flue gas probe or the board. The code on the display and what the stove does during ignition help narrow it down.
How much does it cost to replace the glow plug on a pellet stove?
In quotes published on ProntoPro in 2026 the replacement generally runs from 70 to 160 €, depending on the model. Before replacing it, it is worth ruling out the burn pot and the pellet, which cost nothing.
Can I light the pellet stove by hand?
Only if your model's manual describes an emergency procedure, and following it to the letter: some manufacturers allow it, others forbid it. Flammable liquids never, on any stove.
After a blackout the stove does not restart: is it broken?
Not necessarily. Many stoves, if the power is off for more than a few seconds, run a cooling cycle and then restart or show an alarm. Clear the leftover pellet from the burn pot and try again. If the display stays dark, we check the fuses and the board.
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Pellet stove all over Campania
We work in Naples, Posillipo, Caserta and all over the region. Near our base in Parete there is no travel cost; further away you see the full price before you confirm.
Ready when you need us.
Book your visit by choosing a day and time. For emergencies we answer 24 hours a day, across Campania.