Best way to use my pellet stove?

Scrib · Feb 25, 2009

So the Harman P68 is coming Saturday. I'm trying to determine how to get the most out of the stove given the following:

- Currently have a 80% efficient nat. gas furnace that heats 2500 sq ft.
- The first have second floor are zoned off with dampers; thermostat on each floor.
- During the weekdays, when we're not home, the thermostats are turned down to 62
- When we get home, the first floor remains heated, the second floor starts getting heat around bedtime.

The idea is to try and use the pellet stove as much as possible when we're home. But I'm wondering how to best control it when we're not home. is it simply turning down the P68's controls and turn it back on when we get home? Do we just shut it off during the day?

Help a n00bie.

Thanks !!!

THE ROOSTER · Feb 25, 2009

I have a Harman insert, and I shut mine down if the forecast calls for temps. to be 30* or higher... If colder than that I usually leave mine on... I'm new here, and always ran mine on "stove temp" and set it on 2 or 3, but after doing some research here I have started leaving it on "room temp" and setting it at 68*...
I think the temp setting all depends on where the RSP room sensing probe is located, mine is on the floor off to the left of the stove about 3 feet away... Some here say set it at 72*, but if I do that my living room and kitchen are 77*- 80*...

Wet1 · Feb 25, 2009

The best way for what, saving money? If so, your best bet is to get your $3k+ back for the stove and burn your cheaper <$0.90/therm NG (and probably getting cheaper now).

I'm a little confused Eric. Based on your previous thread (https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/35213/), you were looking into buying a pellet stove to save money since you were spending too much on NG. As mentioned in that thread, you will save little, if any burning pellets based on the cost of NG in your area. In fact, not only will the pellet fuel cost just as much (possibly more) than your NG, but you're also paying $3k for the stove (plus flue, hearth pad, install, etc), and you'll have to maintain (feed and clean) this thing, store and lug pellets, plus have to listen to the noise it makes as well. So knowing this, why would you have made such an investment if your intention was to save money? If it was about comfort (needing more heat), that $4k you spent on this stove would have went a very long way paying for additional NG to keep you warmer, w/o the hassle and noise of the pellet stove. Even a NG or electric space heater (much cheaper than this pellet stove) for that same room could have made more sense.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_cost_comparison_calculator/

Anyway, best of luck with your new stove. If you don't want to run it while you're not home, just turn it off. OTOH, you can turn it down and let it idle w/o concern if you'd like to take that approach.

orangecrushcj7 · Feb 25, 2009

exactly. Nat gas is one of the cheapest heat sources, if not THE cheapest. Pellet stoves are pretty expensive to run right now, let alone the initial investment. But that doesn't help you since you already bought the stove. Running the stove constantly on low with a programmable thermostat on your furnace will offer you the most economical use of the 2 heat sources. Set the stove for as low as it will go and run it constantly. Stay with your existing furnace program. The pellet stove will keep the house warmer while idling away, resulting in less nat gas used, and the least amount of pellets used too. Having the nat gas do the bulk of the heating is the most cost effective use.

Scrib · Feb 25, 2009

Yea, sorry... Should have given a bit more context.

I realize that NG prices are way down and perhaps coming down even more. SO from a cost savings perspective, it may not be the best approach. However, I bought the stove for the reality the NG prices will go up and will be prepared for that this with the Harman. In the mean time, having a heat source that will make things a heck of a lot more comfortable in the house is a huge thing, especially for the wife.

So I guess my question is... Is it OK to actually shut the stove off when we're not at home (essentially what happens to the furnace) and then turn the stove back on when we get home and perhaps just burn it when we're awake during the week? At night, the first floor is always off, so I guess we could turn the stove down a bit....

I just didn't know if it's OK to turn the thing off and on routinely.

Wet1 said:
The best way for what, saving money? If so, your best bet is to get your $3k+ back for the stove and burn your cheaper <$0.90/therm NG (and probably getting cheaper now).

I'm a little confused Eric. Based on your previous thread (https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/35213/), you were looking into buying a pellet stove to save money since you were spending too much on NG. As mentioned in that thread, you will save little, if any burning pellets based on the cost of NG in your area. In fact, not only will the pellet fuel cost just as much (possibly more) than your NG, but you're also paying $3k for the stove (plus flue, hearth pad, install, etc), and you'll have to maintain (feed and clean) this thing, store and lug pellets, plus have to listen to the noise it makes as well. So knowing this, why would you have made such an investment if your intention was to save money? If it was about comfort (needing more heat), that $4k you spent on this stove would have went a very long way paying for additional NG to keep you warmer, w/o the hassle and noise of the pellet stove. Even a NG or electric space heater (much cheaper than this pellet stove) for that same room could have made more sense.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_cost_comparison_calculator/

Anyway, best of luck with your new stove. If you don't want to run it while you're not home, just turn it off. OTOH, you can turn it down and let it idle w/o concern if you'd like to take that approach.

Wet1 · Feb 25, 2009

It's fine to turn it on and off as needed.

tinkabranc · Feb 25, 2009

Scrib said:
...
So I guess my question is... Is it OK to actually shut the stove off when we're not at home (essentially what happens to the furnace) and then turn the stove back on when we get home and perhaps just burn it when we're awake during the week? At night, the first floor is always off, so I guess we could turn the stove down a bit....

I just didn't know if it's OK to turn the thing off and on routinely.

ok either way...your choice if you want to run the stove or shut it down completely when out.
Same goes for running it in stove temp or room temp.

Normally I run my stove full time and leave the furnace thermostat set at 62degrees for backup.
The temp in the house is always much warmer, so the furnace never comes on but is ready if needed.
Lately, I have been running the stove part-time and letting the furnace take over at nite if necessary
because pellet prices are very high around here.

It is good to have options when prices bounce around so much.

BTW: congrats on your new stove

control1 · Feb 25, 2009

Now that the weather is not so bad I just run it when we are in the house and at 11 o clock on going to bed I turn the stove off and set the oil heat at 60.If I left the stove on I would burn a bag of pellets overnight so I would rather just set the oil at 60

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