Greetings from Fairbanks

Welcome to the party Skag.

I tried 10 bags of superior pellets, and they were okay. Home Depot has Blazer pellets still for 5.38$ a bag, and they burn much cleaner.

Nate- I would assume pellet sales are way low compared to Fairbanks. We don't have natural gas and our only option is oil. They can charge more for pellets because less people need them =/ Up here Lowes/Homedepot/Superior still compete with each other for sales.

I may purchase pellets from HD next time to compare. I don't see anything wrong with the superior ones yet, but I've only been doing this a week! I haven't anything to compare dirty burning or clean burning or high ash/low ash. I'll just have to see when I done with this ton, I reckon.

I was doing some figuring...

If you compare BTUs

40lbs of pellets is about 300,000btus

6.5 gals of fuel oil is about 895,000btus

Still cheaper to heat with the pellets, but I'm just wondering how you can heat on a 1/3 less btus with the pellet stove vs the oil burner?

When I was on just natural gas heat I burn about 3 therms a day in the coldest month, around 300,000 btus a day. Granted cold here is beach weather for you guys.

It could be that our boiler was new in 1987 and isn't as efficient as it once was? It could be that maybe we have mineral build up in our copper pipes that retard heat distribution from the baseboards?

I think it's a combo of both of those things and the fact that we now we have a direct heat source in our living area. Also, our boiler still runs (just enough) because we have a small MIL apartment in the downstairs of our home. I haven't dipped the tank to see how our usage has changed, because I don't think a week is sufficient to get a good average.

You're right on to question the math but there are other factors (apartment) and variables....i guess I went off to "theory land".

You do gain some efficiency by having heat where you want it, instead of transporting it there.
Old boiler VS New stove
His math could be a little off, as 6.5 gallons sounds like the dead of winter. Once its -40 I would guess near 2 bags a day.

Yeah, that's an average usage per day since Oct 3 when we filled our tank..

That's why when i originally threw out some numbers I included that whole "if I bumped that up to two bags a day it would take about 140 days"

I have no long-term average daily usage of pellets to this point.

Good looking stove! Glad to have ya. I am excited to see how that stove does. It was one of the options I was looking at as well. Hows 'bout sending me a sample of some of that home brew?!

I've mailed brew to a few competitions but never to an individual...I don't think I have enough for the whole class though....

Guess I'll have to take a trip to Alaska again! Dam that is horrible

What is that shot of in your avatar thing? Some sort of monitor and is it mobile?

It is an internet connected thermostat. I love it. Can change any setting from computer, phone or tablet. I am going to contact Hunter and start asking for a commission. LOL

http://www.hunterfan.com/Products/Thermostats/Universal-Internet-Thermostat---44917/

Lowes in ANC off old Seward wants 8.50. HD is 5.00 with discount easy choice.

Haven't been in The Home Deport in many years. I normally go to SBS, but if they aren't open then to L0wes.