Total Pellet Usage is Ridiculous!

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guitarjamman

guitarjamman

New Member
Sep 26, 2013
52
Central MA
Or maybe not? This is my first winter with a pellet stove as it came with our first house purchase. When it is all done and said, I am looking at having gone through 5+ tons of pellets (sole source of heat - didn't use a drop of oil!). Summary of pellet usage:

1 Ton Turmans
2 Tons Barefoots
1 Ton North Country Power
1 Ton Cubex

This will hopefully get me into the warmer end of April but I may need to supplement with a few bags here and there as the supply dwindles down. That said, I am beginning to budget and plan for next winter so I can stock up during the cheaper summer months. Can anyone give some idea on how many more pellets they went through with the brutal winter we have had, compared to earlier heating seasons? I am not looking to buy 5 tons for next winter and only go through 3 - my basement is big, but I do not want to eat up a lot of real estate storing pellets all summer long.

Thanks for any insight provided!
 
May seem excessive, but sounds average based on most people I have talked with. based on $250 (max) a ton, you hated your house for $1250 or less. $1250 would have gotten you roughly 300 gal of oil and I would be willing to bet you would use allot more than 300gal !! Heating a home is expensive, regardless.
 
I'm looking to burn an extra half ton. But I also have electric radiant heat to supplement. My electric bill went up about 25 a months because if it. I usually burn 3 tons with the house set to 70 and the bedrooms 62 to 64. Any warmer and I can't sleep.
 
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I went through an extra ton this year. Normal for me is about 3.5 tons Ill use about 4.5 this year if it ever warms up...
 
Three things you have not told us yet, how big, how old, or how well insulated is your home.
 
Just hit the 2 ton mark and we have 1 ton left which should get us through March. We still have the boiler heating the unfinished basement.
 
guitarjamman said:
Or maybe not? This is my first winter with a pellet stove as it came with our first house purchase. When it is all done and said, I am looking at having gone through 5+ tons of pellets (sole source of heat - didn't use a drop of oil!). Summary of pellet usage:

1 Ton Turmans
2 Tons Barefoots
1 Ton North Country Power
1 Ton Cubex

This will hopefully get me into the warmer end of April but I may need to supplement with a few bags here and there as the supply dwindles down. That said, I am beginning to budget and plan for next winter so I can stock up during the cheaper summer months. Can anyone give some idea on how many more pellets they went through with the brutal winter we have had, compared to earlier heating seasons? I am not looking to buy 5 tons for next winter and only go through 3 - my basement is big, but I do not want to eat up a lot of real estate storing pellets all summer long.

Thanks for any insight provided!
Click to expand...
Last year I burned 2.5 tons. I'm at 3.5 now and I'm sure I will burn the other half to make 4 tons. The only real oil I've used heats domestic hot water.
 
Harman Lover 007 said:
1 ton additional here which equals 25% more than normal.
Click to expand...

this seems to be the generall consensus from the hardcore, and fulltime pellet burners I deal with. It's been winter for sure.
 
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hoverfly said:
Three things you have not told us yet, how big, how old, or how well insulated is your home.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was a little vague but figured most people would see a similar percentage increase regardless of their situation (not pellet total increase, but percentage). I am heating a 1,800 SF 2-story cape that was built in the late 70s. The pellet stove is an insert on the first floor in the living room and while the house is decently insulated, there is definitely room for improvement.
 
guitarjamman said:
Yeah I was a little vague but figured most people would see a similar percentage increase regardless of their situation (not pellet total increase, but percentage). I am heating a 1,800 SF 2-story cape that was built in the late 70s. The pellet stove is an insert on the first floor in the living room and while the house is decently insulated, there is definitely room for improvement.
Click to expand...
Bag wise how much do you feed your stove in a day?
 
I've burned an additional ton already this year. I'm not a full-day (or full night) burner, mainly afternoons and evenings when I'm back from work and the kids and wife are home for the day. Up until this year, 2 tons was the max I burned in a season. This year I've already passed the 3 ton mark. Hopefully we're milder in March, but the rest of February seems like a lost cause for mild weather.
 
I started the year with 350 bags (7 tons) I have 160 bags left and have used less than 100 gallons of #2HHO since September 1st!! I still have 150 gallons left.

Love those pellets!
 
I'll burn about 3.5 tons with the pellet stove heating about 75 - 80% of the house. I'll take it considering the brutally cold winter we had in Northern Ontario.
 
guitarjamman said:
I put a bag in when I wake up, and one when I head back to bed in the evening. Keeps the first floor around 70° and upstairs around 64°
Click to expand...
That's not too bad. I'm sure it is a little colder where you live. Pa is getting rain right now. Tuesday old man polar vortex is predicted to return with all his goodness...
 
Seems to me that you want to buy 5 tons for next year. At worst you'll have a ton left over but probably less than that. Better than trying to find that last ton in March and having to trudge through the snow to get it into your basement. Besides, no sooner will you stop burning the stove and you'll be looking for the next years stash which will take up space.

I live in southwest NH and this is my first season but I can tell you that my wife is looking forward to running the stove in some fashon right through June when we still will wake up to 40° mornings.
 
Your degree days for this heating season are approx 15% higher than the last 30 year average, This was thru the end of January because February isn't over yet.
I looked at Boston, I don't know your closest weather station however this is a fair idea of what to expect. If the weather continues then you will use approx 20 % more fuel than normal !!
This really doesn't take into consideration the affect wind, solar gain etc. would have on your home.
 
Arti said:
Your degree days for this heating season are approx 15% higher than the last 30 year average, This was thru the end of January because February isn't over yet.
I looked at Boston, I don't know your closest weather station however this is a fair idea of what to expect. If the weather continues then you will use approx 20 % more fuel than normal !!
This really doesn't take into consideration the affect wind, solar gain etc. would have on your home.
Click to expand...
Arti, hope your not paying extra to burn wood pellets:)
 
guitarjamman said:
Total Pellet Usage is Ridiculous! Or maybe not?
Click to expand...

Way better then saying "Total oil Usage is Ridiculous!".... Since most who heat with pellets heat their houses warmer, a generally accepted formula here is "one ton of pellets = 120 gallons of oil" so the only thing "ridiculous" is how much BEER you can buy with the savings!!!
 
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Worse yet some pour souls paying $7 plus for per gallon of propain.
 
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