I'm considering installing one in my basement to supplement my electric furnace. To any of you guys who have or have had one, what's your opinion or suggestions.
Pellet stoves
- Thread starter DRIVEN
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I have two “Enviro” pellet stoves and they’ve been stone cold reliable.
All pellets are not the same. Some of the more plentiful, less expensive pellets are duds and don’t produce near the heat output as others. That being said, you can tweak the tune of the stove with the damper and, with a meat thermometer in the heat exchanger, check heat output of as many brands as you care to. I burn almost exclusively “Barefoot” brand. “Lignetics” is another I’ve used before with decent luck. Some of the bags are more sawdust than pellets which can clog up the feed auger on the stove so be aware if burning cheaper brands.
All pellets are not the same. Some of the more plentiful, less expensive pellets are duds and don’t produce near the heat output as others. That being said, you can tweak the tune of the stove with the damper and, with a meat thermometer in the heat exchanger, check heat output of as many brands as you care to. I burn almost exclusively “Barefoot” brand. “Lignetics” is another I’ve used before with decent luck. Some of the bags are more sawdust than pellets which can clog up the feed auger on the stove so be aware if burning cheaper brands.
i don't know anything about pellet stoves but i got in conversation with a fella(one of those you can't get out of) and he swears up and down that bio bricks are the best thing he's ever run through his set up.something to look into anyways.
If you think they are "cleaner" than a wood stove, they really aren't. It takes quite awhile to figure out which pellets your particular stove likes. Yes, one brand might work great in one stove, but not in another. Then you have to shut it down and clean the ash out of not only the pot, but around the heat exchanger too. Plan on buying a vacuum cleaner just for that. And it takes about 45 mins start to finish. And you have to do that about every other day. Having dealt with one for ten years at my last job (that was our main heat in the mower repair shop) I would personally NEVER own one. Then add in that you to replace the auger motor, control board, and blower fan periodically, it's not cost effective. Go wood stove all the way.
That's interesting to hear. I was under the impression that cleanout was about once a week. I was also led to believe that they were cleaner.
I grew up with wood heat but that was because my dad had an unlimited supply of free scrap 2x4s. I'd have to buy wood here which isn't nearly as plentiful as it was at The Compound.
I grew up with wood heat but that was because my dad had an unlimited supply of free scrap 2x4s. I'd have to buy wood here which isn't nearly as plentiful as it was at The Compound.
What make was that stove? Aside from some blower gaskets (major clean outs once or twice a season after burning 4-5 tons) and two exhaust fan / motors that failed some years ago. One in each stove.
I haven’t had that kind of trouble with either the two stoves I have with the circuit boards or augers. My friend had a finicky Harmon that hated cheap pellets that were more loose saw dust that solid pellets and bound up and burned auger motors. My Enviros couldn’t care less and eat any pellets with no issues but I prefer not to use the cheaper pellets and run the best ones I’ve found that put out the most heat. One stove is around thirty years and is an Envirofire original model that’s out in the garage. My newer model in my house is around ten years and is pretty easy to maintain with little effort.
And yes the stove does make some messes, without fail ashes always fall on the tile floor every time you open the door to clean up the burn pot and sweep ash into the catch basin. And the pellet dust is always there whenever you fill the hopper with a fresh bag. At this point my issue is I’m just getting tired of buying, hauling, stacking and moving bags into the house all winter.
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In New Mexico, the local wood is all softwood. Aspen, Ponderosa Pine, Pinion, Juniper, Chinese Elm. What you all in rain-land call firewood, the Enchanted folks in New Mexico call - 'furniture'. That coaxial stovepipe with an air gap around it is all that keeps your house from burning down when the creosote goes full afterburner.
I grew up with wood heat and really like it. I could generate some wood on-site but it's willow, poplar, and cottonwood so it's pretty poor quality. There are lots of orchards in the vicinity so I could probably get my hands on some apple wood.
I don't know which way I might go but I know what's involved with wood stove life. My initial impression was that pellet stoves were cleaner and more efficient so that's why I posed the question. Definitely open to all input.
I don't know which way I might go but I know what's involved with wood stove life. My initial impression was that pellet stoves were cleaner and more efficient so that's why I posed the question. Definitely open to all input.
