Pellet Stoves
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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Pellet Stoves
Who here uses one? do you like it? does it burn well? are pellets cost effective? Inquiring minds want to know.
I purchase one at the start of winter and used all winter long, i used 4 pallets of pellets and kept the house at 72 during this time. It simply works great, much less than propane furnace. winter heating was 800 total. How about you?.
I purchase one at the start of winter and used all winter long, i used 4 pallets of pellets and kept the house at 72 during this time. It simply works great, much less than propane furnace. winter heating was 800 total. How about you?.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
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Seems to me to be a large investment that would take a while to return. Stove about $2000; $250 ton for pellets; installation; electric costs;etc. Note: these costs are for NE Pennsylvania where my neighbor just installed one prior to this winter. He has used over 3 tons of pellets.................................
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Cornelius, Oregon
I had one in my previous house. It was nice, however I prefer the standard old stick burner that I have in my current house. At least with it if the power goes out I can still heat the house. For $10 I can get a wood cutting permit, go out to the forest and get two cords of wood. Sure beats the $4+ a bag I used to pay for pellets. Two years ago we had a huge fire at the warehouse that stores pretty much all the wood pellets for the area. That year it was almost impossible to find pellets, and ever since then the price has skyrocketed. i'm pretty hard pressed not to find trees to make firewood with.
Elder User
Joined: May 2005
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wood is a big mess. I guess it's ok for young people but the older you get the less you feel like chopping wood and cleaning out ashes. I have propane tank now but I plan on living here for the rest of my life and if the good lord is willing maybe he'll let me live long enough to get a little return on my investment.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Greenfield, MA
I had a Harmon installed in my fathers' house about 4 years ago. He was 76 at the time and was having trouble handling wood. He uses it to basically heat his den...which is an addition and never got good heat from the oil hot air system. I don' really care about the cost/efficiency...his comfort and safety is the priority.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Atlanta GA
> does it burn well?
yes
> are pellets cost effective?
Yes, compared to propane, gas, and electric. Not cost effective compared to a nice wood stove.
imho, The real drawback, besides keeping mice out of the bags, is when the power goes out for a week and the battery dies.
The plus is you can go to bed and wake up to 72 degrees without feeding the fire, usually filling the hopper before bed does it.
I heated by firewood, my fuel costs were $0. I spent about $80 per month on electric (fans and such). I heated much of my hot water by wood too.
yes
> are pellets cost effective?
Yes, compared to propane, gas, and electric. Not cost effective compared to a nice wood stove.
imho, The real drawback, besides keeping mice out of the bags, is when the power goes out for a week and the battery dies.
The plus is you can go to bed and wake up to 72 degrees without feeding the fire, usually filling the hopper before bed does it.
I heated by firewood, my fuel costs were $0. I spent about $80 per month on electric (fans and such). I heated much of my hot water by wood too.
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Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: NW burbs of chicago
I've got a wood insert, one of my gas bills this winter was 28 bucks... A few years agom, each one was 250+
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: northern Michigan
I own a multifuel stove, use the wood pellets to get a fire started then switch to corn. Multifuels will burn anything that will fit through the auger, cherry pits is one option in this area for the multifuel stoves. I buy my fuel in bulk in the fall, last year I paid $140.00 ton for corn and $2.59 for 1 bag of wood pellets. I bought propane for $1.499 last summer to fill my tank. Currently wood pellets are $249.00 ton, caorn is $205.00 ton, no cherry pits availiable and propane is $2.299 gallon. I ran out of corn tuesday night and have enough propane to make to this fall so I can see what the prices do. The ratio between corn and propane at this time makes corn the better buy and a lot better the wood pellets as the corn has more BTU's pound for pound.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Scio, OR
My folks have used a pellet stove for years. I can't give specific numbers, because I can never remember from one day to the next how much he pays for pellets. He burns about 2 1/2 tons a year.
It is somewhat less convenient that a gas or oil stove, in that it has to be filled, pellets have to be purchased, hauled, unloaded and stacked, and it has to be cleaned once or twice a week. It is far more convenient that a wood stove though.
All in all, I'm pretty sure he's heating a larger house with pellets than I am with oil for less money.
Also, he has a small, inexpensive gas generator for those annoying power outages.
If I could actually afford the initial outlay for the stove, and didn't live in a rental, I would certainly go that way.
It is somewhat less convenient that a gas or oil stove, in that it has to be filled, pellets have to be purchased, hauled, unloaded and stacked, and it has to be cleaned once or twice a week. It is far more convenient that a wood stove though.
All in all, I'm pretty sure he's heating a larger house with pellets than I am with oil for less money.
Also, he has a small, inexpensive gas generator for those annoying power outages.
If I could actually afford the initial outlay for the stove, and didn't live in a rental, I would certainly go that way.
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