diff --git a/homeassistant/components/recorder.py b/homeassistant/components/recorder.py
index 05a95ee27b4..d5dd3ea1205 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/recorder.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/recorder.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import logging
 import queue
 import sqlite3
 import threading
-from datetime import date, datetime
+from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta
 
 import homeassistant.util.dt as dt_util
 from homeassistant.const import (
@@ -102,14 +102,13 @@ def setup(hass, config):
     """Setup the recorder."""
     # pylint: disable=global-statement
     global _INSTANCE
-
-    _INSTANCE = Recorder(hass)
+    _INSTANCE = Recorder(hass, config.get('history', {}))
 
     return True
 
 
 class RecorderRun(object):
-    """Representation of arecorder run."""
+    """Representation of a recorder run."""
 
     def __init__(self, row=None):
         """Initialize the recorder run."""
@@ -169,11 +168,12 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
     """A threaded recorder class."""
 
     # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
-    def __init__(self, hass):
+    def __init__(self, hass, config):
         """Initialize the recorder."""
         threading.Thread.__init__(self)
 
         self.hass = hass
+        self.config = config
         self.conn = None
         self.queue = queue.Queue()
         self.quit_object = object()
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
         """Start processing events to save."""
         self._setup_connection()
         self._setup_run()
+        self._purge_old_data()
 
         while True:
             event = self.queue.get()
@@ -475,6 +476,33 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
             "UPDATE recorder_runs SET end=? WHERE start=?",
             (dt_util.utcnow(), self.recording_start))
 
+    def _purge_old_data(self):
+        """Purge events and states older than purge_days ago."""
+        purge_days = self.config.get('purge_days', -1)
+        if purge_days < 1:
+            _LOGGER.debug("purge_days set to %s, will not purge any old data.",
+                          purge_days)
+            return
+
+        purge_before = dt_util.utcnow() - timedelta(days=purge_days)
+
+        _LOGGER.info("Purging events created before %s", purge_before)
+        deleted_rows = self.query(
+            sql_query="DELETE FROM events WHERE created < ?;",
+            data=(int(purge_before.timestamp()),),
+            return_value=RETURN_ROWCOUNT)
+        _LOGGER.debug("Deleted %s events", deleted_rows)
+
+        _LOGGER.info("Purging states created before %s", purge_before)
+        deleted_rows = self.query(
+            sql_query="DELETE FROM states WHERE created < ?;",
+            data=(int(purge_before.timestamp()),),
+            return_value=RETURN_ROWCOUNT)
+        _LOGGER.debug("Deleted %s states", deleted_rows)
+
+        # Execute sqlite vacuum command to free up space on disk
+        self.query("VACUUM;")
+
 
 def _adapt_datetime(datetimestamp):
     """Turn a datetime into an integer for in the DB."""