High pellet use this season

[Rickster]

Last year I burned through 2 3/4 tons of pellets in my Quad AE, the year before as well. I just did a quick tally and I realized I will reach that same amount by the second week in February!
Anyone else finding they are burning more this year? It is definitely a cold winter so far, but I am also burning cheaper pellets this year (Stove Chow mostly) and I am wondering if this is also a factor.

 

[Fsappo]

check the degree days in your area. Here in central NY, our degree days are up, so more fuel being used.

 

[LIpelletpig]

Yes, going through pellets quickly as well. Not disappointed since pellet prices are down in the area and oil is skyrocketing!

 

[BJN644]

Yes, going through pellets quickly as well. Not disappointed since pellet prices are down in the area and oil is skyrocketing!

Ditto !

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

It's Gorebull warming, makes it colder, so you burn more fuel to stop from freezing your rump off ;-) .

 

[jtakeman]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

Yeah, that's because you are no longer heating your basement to 90 to get 75 in the rest of your house. You can't fool us we saw the evidence.

 

[velotocht]

Here in southern Dutchess County, NY, I normally burn ~2 tons of pellets per heating season ... at an average of about a bag a day. So far this year I'm at at 111 bags - just over 2.2 tons. I'm easily burning a 1 1/2 bags on some of these cold days.

But's thats OK - 'cause cold harsh winters are good for the deer population (we've got too many here) and good for the deer ticks - which are part of the Lyme disease cycle - as the cold helps to kill 'em!

That said, the $$ I've saved on heating oil by burning pellets is all going into my snow blower as gasoline. Today, as we drudge through another New England ice-storm, were on our 8th big winter storm since Christmas. We're expecting record snow fall (percipitation-inches) for the area this year. And, if the power goes out today as predicted, I will also be dumping my snow blower gas into my generator - to keep the pellet stove running and maybe a light or two burning!

Take care
RonB

 

[jtakeman]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

Yeah, that's because you are no longer heating your basement to 90 to get 75 in the rest of your house. You can't fool us we saw the evidence.

I gots to be careful, I might lose my pig status! ;-P

 

[doone060]

From many incidental conversations with our customers it is pretty much a fact; everyone is burning more fuel in our area.

We have also had hundreds of enquires and sales of compressed firewood (BioBricks, Envi Blocks, and Wood Brick Fuel) from people that burn firewood and have either run out or are very low.

 

[krooser]

Yep...I'm using more fuel too.

 

[Zackdog]

For the last three years I have averaged using 50 bags each year. I have already used 41 bags this winter. October through Dec. were pretty much average temperatures but January was about 4° colder than normal. my biggest problem this year is that we have not had our normal sunny days. It was -34° at 7:20 this morning and I was barely able to keep the house above 66°. Right now it is -14° and I shut the stove down an hour ago because it is sunny. The current inside temperature is 74°. I hope we start having more sunny days, or I am going to have to buy more pellets.

 

[ChrisWNY]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

Yeah, that's because you are no longer heating your basement to 90 to get 75 in the rest of your house. You can't fool us we saw the evidence.

Got a laugh out of that, I was guilty of doing the same for a few weeks, I was blowing through at least a bag per day heating my basement to 90°F to get heat through the rest of my house. Once those ducts were installed, my pellet consumption was cut down significantly, and I can run my furnace on Level 2 in order to keep my entire house at 70°F.

 

[DexterDay]

Ran on Medium last year, but didn't have a ceiling fan in our dining room (that became our pellet stove room-middle of house) or a ceiling fan in our kitchen. After the installation of those this Summer, we have been burning on Low all year. With the exception of about a dozen nights that were in the 0 degree range. That is the only time it was bumped to Med. Otherwise, as long as its higher than 10 degrees outside. Its 75 inside.
Our usage has stayed about the same. On target to be about 4.5 tons again. But even if it was more tonnage, it would still be about the same total cost as last year. Somersets $175. Lig Presto's $177. Much cheaper a ton than last winter. Cheapest last year for me was $210 high was $265. Which is still cheaper than Propane. No complaining here.

 

[smilejamaica]

Last year I burned through 2 3/4 tons of pellets in my Quad AE, the year before as well. I just did a quick tally and I realized I will reach that same amount by the second week in February!
Anyone else finding they are burning more this year? It is definitely a cold winter so far, but I am also burning cheaper pellets this year (Stove Chow mostly) and I am wondering if this is also a factor.

im burning more too . but im keeping the house warmer this season . just looking at the five feet of snow in my yard must be making me colder .

 

[countk]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

Jay,

You must be freezing your arse off!

I haven't been keeping count, but man have my piles gone down quickly this year. Definitely burning more!

 

[save$]

I am nearing the end of my 4th ton. I usually burn 5 for the entire season. Have to admit we started earlier than most. Wife's blood count is low and she minds the cold, or even thinking she might be cold. We are getting use to wearing layers now and having a lot of hot tea. Room temp is now down to 70. Furnace (oil) is set at 67 now. I don't want to be buying oil.

 

[Utilitrack]

Usually burn 3 tons a season, already through 2.5 tons in early February. Going to need another ton?

 

[jtakeman]

Actually I seem to be burning less this season. Hmmm, I must be doing something wrong?

Jay,

You must be freezing your arse off!

I haven't been keeping count, but man have my piles gone down quickly this year. Definitely burning more!

Actually been pretty warm even with the cold snap we had. Keeping it around 72/74ºF

 

[www_godzilla]

Ive burned 2.5 tons thus far. I only burned 2 tons last year. I am really letting the house stay at 77 degrees all the time. I like it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

 

[DexterDay]

Ive burned 2.5 tons thus far. I only burned 2 tons last year. I am really letting the house stay at 77 degrees all the time. I like it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Wow 2.5 to and 77 degree's.... Congrats.. Thats gotta be an award for least amount burned and highest temp kept. You like it warmer than my pregnant wife. I'm sitting in front of the computer now with shorts and no shirt and no socks. At 76 she is KILLING me!! We have burnt just under 4 ton. 3 1/2 - 3 3/4. Have not done official count.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

yep pellet use extremely high here too.

been through 3 tons already. thermostat in the bedroom stays at 71 which controls the stove in the livingroom. having the bedroom 71 makes the hallway 75 and the livingroom 77 which is a bit hot for me so sometimes i turn the bedroom to 68.

i just finished sealing off 2 rooms we dont use much for the rest of the winter. we can do without them for 2 months i suppose. this is an effort to reduce my pellet useage. so far i sealed off the guest bedroom and the dining room. the dining room is 50x20ft and incredible drafty - it has 4 windows and 2 outside doors and i believe its the most poorly insulated part of the house.

already i notice a difference, the thermostat cycles the stove down to low way more frequently, the floor is less cold too. i have no water pipes in the sealed rooms to freeze either luckily.

 

[LIpelletpig]

With prices so low for pellets especially Stove Chow (HD)...and they are burning pretty well this year why not turn up the dial! No need for the furnace to offset on the extra cold nights...

 

[Don2222]

Ran on Medium last year, but didn't have a ceiling fan in our dining room (that became our pellet stove room-middle of house) or a ceiling fan in our kitchen. After the installation of those this Summer, we have been burning on Low all year. With the exception of about a dozen nights that were in the 0 degree range. That is the only time it was bumped to Med. Otherwise, as long as its higher than 10 degrees outside. Its 75 inside.
Our usage has stayed about the same. On target to be about 4.5 tons again. But even if it was more tonnage, it would still be about the same total cost as last year. Somersets $175. Lig Presto's $177. Much cheaper a ton than last winter. Cheapest last year for me was $210 high was $265. Which is still cheaper than Propane. No complaining here.

How fast do you run your ceiling fans??

 

[Augmister]

Just cracked open ton #3 to start the month off....usually burn 3.5 tons a season but less this year in the primary living space (also heating a room above the garage with a second stove for the first time, this year) as the crawl space under the house was sealed with foam and R38 added in the attic. Given the fact that I am burning Barefoots (big upgrade over the Green Team) at $245/ton (purchased last March) and this is a sunken cost, I really don't mind or care. Keeping the house at 74 when we are home and burning just a bag a day...PRICELESS. Its the first week in February and I have two tons of Barefoots to go through.