Which is more cost effective?

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dylanmcintosh

New Member
Jan 26, 2011
7
Rapid city sd
Hello everyone i am looking for some input on what to get. I just bought a 2300 sq. ft. home and heating with straight gas is sucking the money right out of my piggy bank. I grew up with nothing but wood stoves, but i have heard a lot of craze about pellet stoves. what is going to be more cost effective in the long, and short term,(stove, pipe, etc.) I enjoy splitting wood and want a wood burning stove, but i need to know if financialy it makes more sense to go with pellet..

Thanks for any feedback in advance!
 
lot's of IF's in the answers you will get here. If you want to here the advocates for pellets, ask the same question on that thread. Facts are, free wood means you have a source. Either your own wood lot or a guaranteed access to a lot. You then need the equipment to harvest the wood, split it, haul it and stack it, plus wait a year or two to dry it for burning. Oh, and your time, how cheap do you work? Some prefer to invest in the stove prep supplies than pay the gym fees, but that's a whole-nother-thing.

My suggestion is to start a list for each category. Things you will need to buy, things you have, things that would make each easier. And your time allocation. Then compare the bottom lines. Realize your payback for the investment might be over four years out from the savings, but it really is a lifestyle.

Oh, and there is one other option, you could do both... :cheese:
 
Littlesmokey IDed some key points. I will add you also need a place to season your wood. On the equipment front...there is an initial investment, but you can sell that if this is not for you. If you get things used, you can lessen he initial cost, and decease the depreciation if you sell.

I agree four years is about an average payback but could be less if you have a leaky house. I think most would agree tightening up the house is a good investment - air gaps, attic insulation etc. Windows are great, but the pay back can be a long time unless you are talking single pane. A good storm window will do pretty well, though not as good as newer windows. PLastic can help too.

A source of wood and your time...those are key points to factor in first. I have a friend that got a stove, but he does not have time to scrounge wood. So he has bought most of his wood. First year was a bust for him. Since he now buys his wood...his payback will be much more than four years.

The fiscal formula will help make the decision....but if you are no "in" for scrounging and the work, then it may never reach a pay back for you.

Good luck!
 
Pellets need to be stored in a drier place than seasoning wood does. Also, pellet stoves don't work when the electricity is off, if that's an issue.

Oops...darkbyrd beat me to it.
 
DanCorcoran said:
Pellets need to be stored in a drier place than seasoning wood does. Also, pellet stoves don't work when the electricity is off, if that's an issue.

Oops...darkbyrd beat me to it.


Being the devil's advocate on this one. Pellets can be stored indoors, they are in sealed bags. They stack nicely along the garage wall. A small generator with a service shunt circuit can take care of the lights, refrigerator, and stove (less than 100 watts if you do not use the igniter). Except when I lived in the boonies I have not had a power loss longer than 10 hours) and consider myself fortunate. But even in the worst conditions when I can't get to wood, or powers gone, I have a very efficient kerosene heater that I use in emergencies.
 
I've never burned a pellet stove and am happy with wood burning so you know my bias here. However I will say the last year of trying to build up a 3 year supply has given me a keen appreciation for the amount of work and storage space it can take. I'm interested in minimizing my cost as much as possible so I also spend time chasing small piles (1/3 cord or less sometimes) here and there as they come up. This takes even more time to process as often times if they are cut they are not the right length requiring a re-cut which is more work (and dealing with oddball lengths is more stacking.

IF I were buying wood exclusively I would buy green - adding about 50% to my cost but still quite economical. It SEEMS to me based on watching bio-brick prices (and I believe pellets flow about the same curve on cost/ton) that wood is remaining more steady in cost. Wood that is split will go up in cost during winter as do the pellets (cost/availability issues). However, I think that even buying split wood the cost does go down a lot in the summer and pellets don't really seem to fall that much.

If you want to pre-buy your pellets you need a dry place to store vs wood is stored outside in the elements. Of course wood seems to take at least 2x the space even before you get a few years ahead (certainly don't need to have 3 years of pellets on hand eh?).

I enjoy tending the fire - even as it gets toward spring. Only in my 3rd year here so perhaps the honeymoon is still on. But I don't think I'd enjoy tending a pellet stove as much. From my limited understanding you do have to clean them periodically to maintain peak operations. Cleaning the stove (yes even a cat stove) is rather trivial. Perhaps the debris that I have to sweep up around the stove makes up for this, but it is likely a personal view as to which is worse.

So to answer your stated question - which is more economical. Use the calculators but be sure and put the right (real) cost of each. Unless you have some really cheap pellets available and you have expensive wood sources I'll bet the wood will come out costing less/btu. But there are so many other factors that I suspect can more than make up for the difference in cost and can sway you one way or the other.
 
Pellets cost money, wood can be gotten free. You do the math.

Nothings free. Aside from the chainsaw, chainsaw maintenance, gas/ oil. splitter, etc. time always must be considered.

Not long ago I was working 80 hour weeks and even though I could have taken a little time off to cut wood it would have made no sense financially, much cheaper to just buy the wood. Even now with more time on my hands I still have lots to do, and cutting wood is one of them. I don't consider it free time because there are endless other chores that also need attending to, as well as spending quality time with my family. Like many here I do happen to enjoy cutting and splitting wood.

I like the idea of a wood stove over a pellet because of my paranoia of power outages and rising costs. I can get wood on my land so it makes sense for me.

If you are buying fuel it looks to be a close match according to this-

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/techline/fuel-value-calculator.pdf

Pellets might win out for some people for the convenience factor.
 
I spent to much time doing cost based analysis to do this one (all the models of stoves, the regional prices of fuel, fuel specualtion, deprications etc.)

the meat of the question isnt so much a money thing, it is but your asking more long term, not really whats going to cost the least in x years.

I like to think the world is going to end when all the nut balls say it will. that being said ill be prepared.

pellet stoves, have lots of parts, more parts more can break. pellet stoves have lots of electronic items, again things that can go bad, and you wont (neccesarily anyways) be able to fix them without getting parts from someplace. you can look at the fuel, but more offten pellets arent being made locally, they are being shipped from all sorts of places. cost is varible, as is supply. Some places might not carry a high enough volume to offer 'deals' and or may not have them available when you NEED them. processed thing always cost more becasue there more handling and more people who have to be involved and no one wants to do things for free.

Wood stoves, not many parts most are bits of steel and the like, some nicer stoves will fall victem to similar pellet stove parts that you have to purchase and cant 'make'. Blower is the only electric thing, and it still makes heat without it. so long as my body isnt broken i can feed the stove. no mechanical parts to break there. wood can be gotten locally, and can be gotten for free (please im using the term describing the lack of a monetary transaction, i know nothing is free) you dont have to haul it on a truck very far. you can be the only one to process the wood so you get to cut out lots of middle men. so long as you keep planting trees, they will be around for generations, renuable so supply isnt that big of a problem (ah seasoned wood however is) you cut one, you plant one works nicely.


Wood stove is my vote....hey wait a minute didnt you say you grew up with a stove and love to cut split and stack....theres you answer. if you want to haul bags around go get a job as bag boy at the grocery store.
 
You are looking for a back-up, supplement heat source?
I look at pellet stoves as primary. Wood stove as back-up. (that's my opinion)

Pellet stoves are easier & more convenient, & comes with costs for ease & convenience. (self sustaining)

Wood stoves are more work to operate. less costs (if you don't count your labor)

Costs may even out if you add in your labor.

The: loss power, then what? Wood stove still cranking out heat. This factor is a big one in areas that have frequent & long power outages.

I went wood stove for that reason, way back when. It has saved my plumbing, plants & canned goods several times.
My neighbor has an oil heater.
There are many back-up heat sources or small generators that most here have & work.
Someone has to be home to kick them on, add fire wood, etc

Comes down to preference, mostly.

Go the way you like the best. No regrets down the road. (Neither is free heat)
 
I personally think if you are going to buy your fuel.. buy a pellet stove. I don't own one, and never have, but several friends do, and I have to say, they are pretty easy to get along with. The fuel is clean, easy to stack and store almost anywhere since no bugs, bark etc.. (one older couple puts theirs in their son's old room, right next to the stove) Load it on Monday and maybe not need to do it again for a week.. But.. the flames are nothing to call home about, the blower and auger run all the time, and must to keep heating..

I chose a wood stove over pellet mostly because, after hiking all over my property, not a pellet tree on the place. ;-)

While C/S/S my own wood isn't $$free, it isn't expensive, and keeps me out of the gym. And truthfully, splitting is almost zen time for me, so no complaints.. usually.
 
Just today I visited a relative who installed a pellet stove several years ago and he tried hard to convince me it was the sensible way to go. Then a couple years later they were really scratching trying to even find any pellets to burn! Then the price started going up, etc., etc. Today I stopped in....and was happy to leave my coat on while there. I also could not help but notice that the color of the glass in the pellet stove was a much different color than when he bought it. It is now solid black!!! The house is not warm..... Convinces me.
 
Dakotas Dad said:
I personally think if you are going to buy your fuel.. buy a pellet stove..

My personal feeling is if I "had" to pay for fuel I wouldn't buy either. paying for wood (or pellets) takes the fun out of it. Plus once you start paying for fuel there are other options that are as cheap, or cheaper, like NG or heat pumps. I already have a heat pump installed in my house, so if I had to pay for fuel I would just run that, it would be cheaper for me than buying pellets. Of course not everybody's circumstances are the same, and certainly not everybody is cut out for the work involved with harvesting their own firewood, and heating with wood. I enjoy it though, and that's why I don't count the small cost associated with it. Although if I had to pay for the wood the work involved would no longer be worth it to me, and as I said earlier, it would take the fun out of it for me.

My opinion,,,, pellet stove??? Nah
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Carbon_Liberator said:
Dakotas Dad said:
I personally think if you are going to buy your fuel.. buy a pellet stove..

My personal feeling is if I "had" to pay for fuel I wouldn't buy either. paying for wood (or pellets) takes the fun out of it. Plus once you start paying for fuel there are other options that are as cheap, or cheaper, like NG or heat pumps. I already have a heat pump installed in my house, so if I had to pay for fuel I would just run that, it would be cheaper for me than buying pellets. Of course not everybody's circumstances are the same, and certainly not everybody is cut out for the work involved with harvesting their own firewood, and heating with wood. I enjoy it though, and that's why I don't count the small cost associated with it. Although if I had to pay for the wood the work involved would no longer be worth it to me, and as I said earlier, it would take the fun out of it for me.

My opinion,,,, pellet stove??? Nah
112.gif

Like you say - not all circumstance are the same - we have very little wood on our property. We do a little scrounging but still at $110 a cord tree length and no access to natural gas it still is very cost effective compared to the alternative, oil.
Don't know much about heat pumps but it sounds expersive to install so you need to be sure you will remain in your home long enough to realize a savings (and less effective in cold climates??) - seems that either stove, pellet or wood, is a good choice depending on lifestyle and storage. Personaly, I just want to be warm for the lowest cost possible.
 
Carbon_Liberator said:
Plus once you start paying for fuel there are other options that are as cheap, or cheaper

Maybe for you. But, even at $130 a cord I am still saving $4,000-$5,000 per year.
 
As long as pellets are a byproduct of of a good economy(Waste) Pellets will always be more expensive.

A good saw will last a lifetime, some people PAY for the exercise one gets playing with wood, and the economy can be good or bad with zero affect on the price of your heat.
If ya do it right and sell a cord or two, you'll pay for your saw and stove.

Another consideration is the growing market for Biomass energy. It wont be long untill the same sawdust that goes into pellets, gets gobbled up by giant corporations looking for renewable energy tax breaks, and making the price of pellets ridiculous.

Simple is always best IMO.;)
 
For what it's worth, it's your call on the pellet vs. wood stove thing. If storage space is a concern, pellet may be the way to go. If you have a concern about heating during a power outage, wood is the way to go. Cost- you'll have to do the math on that. Recently, I've burned wood last and this season. prior to that, pellets for about 4 years. I will not go back to pellets. I even have a new pellet plant about 15 min. away, still not going back. But I now have the room to store a lot of wood, and am ahead for a few years, so that plays into it also. Bottom line is that my wood is free,my new stove will pay for itself this year (vs. propane), and the exercise is good for my fat-ass. Your situation is prob. different, but that's my .02.
 
I don't think there is a debate on this issue. Just visit a house with a pellet stove. Stand in front of it for awhile, decision will be easy.
 
dylanmcintosh said:
Hello everyone i am looking for some input on what to get. I just bought a 2300 sq. ft. home and heating with straight gas is sucking the money right out of my piggy bank. I grew up with nothing but wood stoves, but i have heard a lot of craze about pellet stoves. what is going to be more cost effective in the long, and short term,(stove, pipe, etc.) I enjoy splitting wood and want a wood burning stove, but i need to know if financialy it makes more sense to go with pellet..

Thanks for any feedback in advance!

Hi DM,

What do you mean by "gas"?

If you mean NG, wood and pellets cost more if you buy them at the going rate.

The only think cheaper than NG is "free", as in "free" wood.

If you mean propane, wood and pellets are cheaper.

HTH, and good luck.
 
I'm not realizing this cheap NG phenomenon around here. We bought 2 cords of wood last year to be used this year. We burn nights and weekends so the stove gets used on average 14 hrs/day. We paid $400 for the 2 cords and have already saved that much on our heating bill or damn near close and there's still plenty of burning left to do. If we did a true comparison between cost, the savings would be even higher, meaning the savings stated were based on NG gas use at a MAX temps of 68*. And, that 68* was only when we were home and awake. At work and bedtime, temps were 62. I'd dare say most keep their house MUCH warmer with wood than they would dare to with other heat sources. As far as pellet stoves, my step mom and my mom have them and like them. Not my cup of tea but I can see where it might be advantagous for convienence and "ease" of use...ie: my 64 year old mom lugging in wood into the house. I don't care for the constant drone of the fan. I must say though that the flue set up seems a lot less expensive.
 
(Curious) George said:
If you mean NG, wood and pellets cost more if you buy them at the going rate.

There are a lot more options for buying firewood than pellets. Some will be cheaper than natural gas. You can buy firewood at the grocery store, kiln dried and stacked on pallets, seasoned split and stacked, seasoned split dumped, cord of rounds dumped, log length cord dumped, log length tri-axle truck, or log length tractor trailer.

If you split it, stack it, and season it yourself, bought wood is still going to be cheaper than NG. Even this winter when NG is cheaper than recent years. If you could stockpile NG in the summer when it costs half as much as the winter that would be a different story...
 
Lot's of reasons that my choice is/was:

WOOD

My biggest decision was deciding on CAT or non-CAT. (I went non-CAT, but the jury hasn't even convened yet.)

To me, the KISS principle seems to apply here very well.

Best wishes,
Ed
 
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