PELLET AVAILABILITY

Very informative post and advice taken. I have six tons of LG Granules loaded in the garage and plan to buy 5 bags a week where I can get them as I have heard this winter is going to be a killer in the Northeast. Plus I hate ending the season with zilch in reserve.

same here approx six tons in the garage, planning to add as i use early in the winter

Must be bad, this thread is posted twice!

mralias said:

Must be bad, this thread is posted twice!

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Very bad, I suspect a case of flaky internet service.

Never start a heating season with less than a season's worth of pellets. For the tree chunk burners that means at least 3 seasons worth (got to to keep the supply of well seasoned stuff up to spec).

I buy my pellets for next year as soon as they come in which is usually in early April. I normally start the heating season with 4 tons plus whatever is left over from last year. I burn 3 1/2 tons in a typical year. This year, I bought 2 extra tons as added insurance against possible shortages.

My other half gave me a little grief when I purchased a few reserve tons over for the 2013 season early in the year. It turned out to be a long cold season and the stove ate all of the 3 tons in the garage and required dipping into the reserve. I also sold some reserve (at cost) to friends and family who could not find pellets late into last season as there was very little supply to be found.

So as the reserves were warming our house, helping friends and family I took the opportunity to ask her if she would bust my nuggets again for having a little safety margin hanging around. It was one of the nicest "No" I have ever heard. This season I have 3 ton in reserve and she kept her promise. I love a happy ending.

Rarely to things repeat themselves back to back. Although if I was burning pellets still I probably would have my years supply on hand...

Last year, I sold about 1/2 ton of pellets to locals in need at cost.

bcpellet said:

I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I am..

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I have tried to not be pessimistic as well. But advising users to purchase early since spring.
We change the web site frequently, so people will notice a change, but the underlying theme
has been the same.... Don't wait!

This morning out of curiosity, we made calls to several local dealers..
The results were not encouraging.
Three places had pellets, but they were all spoken for, and they did not 'expect' more until mid October.
Two places no longer carried pellets.

As for the trucking issues.
The guys that deliver to us, have said that there are just not many new drivers
entering the biz. Younger guys just don't want that lifestyle. Others have just tossed it in.
Couple that with such a larger demand for all sorts of products, and there
are just delays. Period.
One of the largest grocery chains in the area used to have 40 trucks on the road,
now they have 22.

They are fearful things will get horribly worse, if a new data management system
in the works now, comes to fruition in the future.
It's a black box sort of deal that will keep records of everything the truck does.
They will no longer be relying only on a log... which... well... you know...

As for distributors.
One has been ordering 20 truckloads a week, and getting 3-4.
One is cutting off wholesale in October.
We do not anticipate a problem with our newest.

So as the first post mentioned.
It's shaping up to be a serious deal this winter....
Let's hope we are all wrong. But don't bet too much on it just in case..

Dan

I have at least 2 pellet burning friends who live in pretty small places who simply do not have the space to store enough pellets to last them all winter. It's people like them I feel bad for.

Declining solar activity was responsible for our rather cool summer here in NE. There are many scientist that believe the data says the sun will continue to cool down and its declining activity correlates with the last "Little Ice Age". I don't see any evidence that this winter will be a warm one.

I am finding the same situation here in Upstate NY.
The only thing that is going to avert a pellet shortage this year is a mild winter.
Increased exports of wood pellets and the use of wood pellets for absorption by the fracking industry has had a noticeable influence on the supply.
For those who can afford it and have the storage space treat wood pellets and coal like you do firewood and buy in the spring.