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Wood Pellet Stoves
A Great Alternative to Burning Wood
Overview:
During the past ten years wood pellet
stoves have become very popular in place of wood
burning stoves. Burning pellets rather than cord
wood is much easier in terms of the work required
and is cheaper. Cordwood can cost upward of $250 a
cord depending upon where you live in the country.
Pellets for pellet stoves are much cheaper to
purchase than cordwood and the BTU content is
nearly equivalent to cordwood. Wood pellet stoves
are much more practical than a wood burning stove.
Wood
pellets are a type of wood fuel made from compacted
sawdust and other by- products from sawmilling. The
pellets are very dense and are produced with less
than 10% moisture content, making them an ideal
wood fuel. The size of the pellets varies depending
on the manufacturer. Typically the size varies from
½ to 1 inch and look like rabbit food.
A ton of
bagged wood pellets is equivalent to a cord of
cordwood in terms of BTU content but cost
approximately half the price. The pellets usually
come in 40 pound bags making them easy to handle
and a lot less messy that cordwood. There is a broad range of pellet stoves on the market today as well as heating furnaces, wood pellet inserts, and other wood pellet heating appliances. The increase in heating fuel during the past decade has increased the demand for pellet heating stoves. Pellet stoves are easy to install and are much cleaner burning than wood burning stoves. And the biggest advantage over a wood burning stove is that most pellet stoves are fed automatically. Pellet stoves use two types of automatic feeding systems, a top feeder and bottom feeder. The top feeder stoves have a pellet reservoir that can hold up to 40 pounds of pellets that automatically feed into the burn chamber as required. Before
purchasing a pellet stove compare the different
models by different manufacturers. Check for the
stoves burning efficiency and BTU output. The cost
of a pellet stove depends on their size and how
decorative they are. Typically they cost between
$1,700 and $3,000. They are usually cheaper in
colder climates of the northwest and northeast.
Before buying consider the expense of installation.
A DIY homeowner should have no difficulty
installing a pellet stove. If you are unable to
install your own stove it may cost you anywhere
from $100 to $450 dollars for it to be installed.
The stove pipe for a pellet stove can be
installed into an existing masonry chimney.
Proper vent size (diameter) is very important for
safe and efficient operation. Be sure to seal the
joints and seams of the vent with a sealant
recommended by the vent manufacturer or supplier. Using wood pellet stoves to heat your home is more convenient, cleaner, and safer than most wood burning stoves. They usually require refueling only once a day. The fuel is compressed and bagged so you don’t have to lift heavy, dirty logs. Most pellet stoves stay relatively cool while operating which reduces the risk of accidental burns. The pellets burn so completely that there is very little creosote build-up in the chimney so they don’t require cleaning as frequently as wood burning stoves. Click Here for a Great Wood Pellet Guide! Related articles:
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