how many leave there stoves on when not home

[Fish On]

OK when i first got my stove i was always worried that something would happen when you are not there theme from jaws playing in the back of my head!

but as time went by i was growing more comfortable. there are a lot of newbies and I'm sure they think the same thing so don't think you were the only ones.

 

[esuitt]

If we are not going far or going to be gone for a long time I have been leaving it on. Yesterday we went to do some Christmas shopping and between the time we left and the time our son came home from school was 3 hours and all was good.
Now if I was working and was going to be gone 8 - 12 hours. I do not think I would, I would just set the furnace temp to around 68* and light the stove once I got home to save the pellets.

 

[hossthehermit]

Mine stays on unless I shut down to clean, usually about 2 hours/week. I DO worry about trees falliong on my house, though.

 

[nate379]

Yup, would get cold in the house if I didn't.

 

[gfreek]

Going to replace my coal stove with pellet stove & planned on leaving mine on for 8 hrs while at work. Problem??

 

[defield]

I no longer worry about leaving the pellet stove on when not at home.

I also sleep peacefully at night with it running.

Like HOSS says, got other things to worry about like trees falling on the house, the latest frantic First Warning Weather report from over amped weather "forcasters", airplanes crashing in the yard. ( Note to those not used to dry Mainers . . that was sarcasm.)

Regards,

Ranger

 

[gbreda]

Runs 24/7 except for cleaning.

In same boat as Hoss and Ranger on "other things to worry about". Like tree falling on power lines and ripping them off the house...THEN the pellet stove goes out, but I guess I wouldnt have to worry about the stove running then......

Former Mass (still in recovery) and 20-year NH sarcastic. Understand and appreciate dry Maine sarcism.

 

[rickwa]

I have 2 stoves running 24/7

 

[ironpony]

runs 24/7 except for cleaning
there are alot of other things that will happen
before the stove causes a problem
kids, dog, rain, snow, wind
pellet stove is the most reliable

 

[JV_Thimble]

OK when i first got my stove i was always worried that something would happen when you are not there theme from jaws playing in the back of my head!

but as time went by i was growing more comfortable. there are a lot of newbies and I'm sure they think the same thing so don't think you were the only ones.

Nice survey, Fish On. Can I con you into posting it in the Hearth Room as well? I would guess that those that burn wood think about this differently than pellet and corn burners.

 

[corkman]

24/7 here too.hit the off button once a week to clear the pot and shut her down every saturday to clean.
purrrrz like a kitten.

 

[skidozer]

My first season with my quad castile insert. I was on the fence with it also but after using it while sleeping and with all the safeguards on them I see it as not much different than a space heater.

I was pleasently supprised I set mine at 58 deg when I left last wed after work for the Holiday and returned on Monday after work that I still had pellets in the hopper and the stove was running.

 

[kinglew]

all the time all, three stoves been doing since the first day of the first stove no problems.

 

[lordgrinz]

Using it as the only source of heat, so it has to stay on, I refuse to use any Oil until the pellets are all burned.

 

[kinglew]

think of it this way do you shut your furnace off when you go way .that would be ridiculous. pellet stove are design with safety feutrue as your home furnace. only time i shut down is for cleaning .

 

[kofkorn]

Ours stays on all winter, with shut downs for cleaning only. It always bothers me when the stove shuts down because I haven't fed it. With the current cost comparison between oil and pellets, it should never be out. If anyone knows of a way to do a full cleaning while the stove is running, I'm all ears

 

[pastera]

Stove is on a manual thermostat

Oil zone is programmed at 50° at all times except to warm up the place (63°) when we get home.

When you get home, crank the stove thermostat to 70° and drop it to 51° when going to bed.

My stove really only heats a 26'x26' family room over a garage so i can get away with the really low temperatures because it is not in full time use like a bed, bath, ...

Aaron

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Ours stays on all winter, with shut downs for cleaning only. It always bothers me when the stove shuts down because I haven't fed it. With the current cost comparison between oil and pellets, it should never be out. If anyone knows of a way to do a full cleaning while the stove is running, I'm all ears

I understand that krooser is working on that project in his garage during his spare time, someone mentioned a lot of loud noise and bright lights.

I worry more about falling trees hitting the car when it is parked behind the house in what was the shade in summer than I do about the stove.

 

[THE ROOSTER]

If it is cold out it's on even if we're gone...

 

[Snowy Rivers]

The likelyhood of the pellet stove causing a problem is no different than the "Furnace"

Anything that burns anything within the confines of the home can cause an issue.

The drier if left on could suffere a lint fire and "Poof"

A gas hot water heater could cause an issue.

A gas furnace could have a problem.

An Oil fired furnace could rupture a fuel line and have a fire.

If the pellet stove is installed properly and in good shape there is no nead to worry.

I will not leave the Clothes drier running when I leave the house, PERIOD

The Pellet stoves get cleaned once a week and they run 24-7 otherwise.

At times we may have 2 running 24 hours a day and the third on standby.

If you have pets such as larger dogs, make sure that, if the stove has a handle on the door, that the animal can't accidentally bump that handle.

A friend has a Great Dane that will chase his tail in the house at times and, has bumped the handle on the stove and caused the door to pop open, shutting the stove down.
Came home to cold house.


I would not worry about it.

We run ours whether we are home or not.

The only issue with us is if we have to leave for an overnighter and then we use the automatic stove.

The two Whitfields must be filled twice daily


Take a deep breath and relax. These stoves are not like leaving an unattended camp fire in your living room or the fireplace going without a screen.

The pellet stove has overtemp sensors (2) at least, plus other safeties that will prevent any real issues.

I would worry more about lightning striking the chimney and setting the house on fire than the stove.


Best

Snowy

 

[ablejoy]

We leave ours on when we leave to shop

 

[mpcm]

I leave ours on all the time now (my second season), on the occasion that I am about to clean it anyway, I'll shut it down before heading out, then clean it up and start it up upon return. I'm jealous about these week long run times... going to start another thread about that next!

It took my a while to get comfortable with the idea of it running all the time, but like others have posted, there are usually others things more pressing. I had 2 trees hit my house last march and do decent damage. I've cut anything within proximity to the house down now, so I don't cringe when the wind hits 30+mph.

 

[Cozy Old Coot]

Once lit in the later fall ours will stay on 24/7 till spring.
We use it as our main source of heat.
We have 2 propane wall heaters for backup if needed.
Usually clean the stove twice a week, do a complete cleaning of everything after a ton of pellets has gone through it.

 

[Fish On]

Great to see everybody leaving them on. It should help anyone with a new stove feel a little more secure..

 

[smalltown]

Ours is on 24/7 also. The first year (last season) it took a while to get used to going to sleep while it was running with house quiet, and the new sounds it made especially since the stove is directly below the bedroom and we can hear the fire quietly rumbling. We operate it with a programmable thermostat so it's cooler during the overnight.
We have complete confidence especially when you can put your hands on the stove and or the exhaust piping and not get burnt.