Just like the title says it's up in the air yet which to go with. Looking at a Harman P43 or a TL 2.0 which is more efficient and easier to maintain. My parents have a pellet stove in the basement which has been flawless for 6 years which has me heading in that direction, but want to keep an open mind. I have a 92+ nat gas forced hot air so I am not looking for a savings just the looks/feel. I will be installing myself as I do HVAC for a living. House is a 6 year old 1850sqf 2 store in PA.
Pellet OR Wood?? need some pro/cons
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Oh and installing pellet stoves is easy
<------installed by a secretary and a truck driver.
<------installed by a secretary and a truck driver.
For looks wood stove if there are no other factors.
Other factors to consider:
- saving $ off heating bill
- can u find free wood?
- Wood is more messy
- Pellet u have to do more maintenance and clean out more often
- Do u have the room to install stove flue?
Prob a few more things, but those are some to consider.
Other factors to consider:
- saving $ off heating bill
- can u find free wood?
- Wood is more messy
- Pellet u have to do more maintenance and clean out more often
- Do u have the room to install stove flue?
Prob a few more things, but those are some to consider.
Lumberjack
Member
If you can get the cord wood free they payback on the stove is a lot less.
IMO if you want the stove for atmosphere only, wood is the way to go. Nice and quiet, no blowers, fans ect. Just nice radiant heat.
If you don't have a chimney already I will say a pellet stove is easier to install. Also pellet stoves are closer to "instant" heat. Wood takes some time to get up and running.
hyfire
Minister of Fire
The pellet stove will cost more than NG to run, but nothing beats the radiance of a wood flame. If you want constant heat that you don;t want to baby sit then the pellet stove is the way to go. Pellets burn much cleaner than wood I;m told.
briansol
Minister of Fire
if you're home a lot and don't mind feeding it, wood
if you work for a living/gone for hours at a time and want the house to stay warm, pellet.
if you work for a living/gone for hours at a time and want the house to stay warm, pellet.
If I had nat gas at a reasonable rate I would just get a wood burner in case I lost power. Much easier to deal with.
kenstogie
Feeling the Heat
RKBAGUY
Feeling the Heat
If you're willing to hump through the woods, up here in NEPA you can buy a permit to cull wood from the State Game Lands for $30/2 cords, or something thereabouts. So, if you have the tools, time and physical ability to do that, heating a home for under a hundred bucks a year can't be matched if cost is the only concern.
I thought about wood for about five minutes, and went pellet.
The convenience of a thermostat-based system that's relatively easy to maintain, has lower emissions, still offers the aesthetic of a flame, is FAR cheaper than other alternatives (like electric or propane) and I have to only feed once every two or three days sold me. I'm not looking back.
If you're up in the Milford area (Pike County) hit me via PM and stop by for a beer.
I thought about wood for about five minutes, and went pellet.
The convenience of a thermostat-based system that's relatively easy to maintain, has lower emissions, still offers the aesthetic of a flame, is FAR cheaper than other alternatives (like electric or propane) and I have to only feed once every two or three days sold me. I'm not looking back.
If you're up in the Milford area (Pike County) hit me via PM and stop by for a beer.
sante fe
Burning Hunk
If you don't want to bust your a@@ Pellet Stove. If you don't mind busting your a@@ and have a lot of free time and a good back, wood stove.
iceguy4
Minister of Fire
Burned wood most of my life...LOVE it. I moved into a house with oil heat. needed a chimney for wood, didn't need one for pellet. Now since burning pellets for a year, I can say LOVE IT MORE. As I'm typing this(close to bed time) I'm thinking "not going to check on boiler tonite" with wood, I'd wake up to a cold house...with my pellet...I know its gonna be "toasty warm"
hockeyfan
Member
Although you also need a good back to haul 40 lb. bags of pellets (unfortunately sometimes I get reminded of this).
iceguy4
Minister of Fire
It is easier to store the fuel conveniently I think in most cases. To most that say they wouldn't want to have to go outside to fuel a generator to keep it running still have to go outside to get wood for the stove and while that generator is running to power up the stove usually a fridge/freezer gets connected to along with other comforts.
Its mainly a preference deal.
In some areas there are alternative fuels like cherry pits that are free or very cheap that can be run through a multifuel stove so in some cases your fuel is still free other than labor and fuel to haul it.
IF I had a drive in basement to stack wood in like my parents and the wood and the tractors and equipment to haul and cut/split it like they do. I would probably go stick wood... of course then I could have the pellets wheeled into the basement with a pallet jack and omit the other work....
If you are cutting/splitting your own wood you then have saw upkeep and maintenance and intense physical labor cutting splitting hauling stacking. If you buy your wood... you still might have hauling stacking etc. Either way there is usually 'extra maintenance' other than just loading a wood stove and walking off.
If you go pellet... this is the best place for helpful tips and info on anything.
Its mainly a preference deal.
In some areas there are alternative fuels like cherry pits that are free or very cheap that can be run through a multifuel stove so in some cases your fuel is still free other than labor and fuel to haul it.
IF I had a drive in basement to stack wood in like my parents and the wood and the tractors and equipment to haul and cut/split it like they do. I would probably go stick wood... of course then I could have the pellets wheeled into the basement with a pallet jack and omit the other work....
If you are cutting/splitting your own wood you then have saw upkeep and maintenance and intense physical labor cutting splitting hauling stacking. If you buy your wood... you still might have hauling stacking etc. Either way there is usually 'extra maintenance' other than just loading a wood stove and walking off.
If you go pellet... this is the best place for helpful tips and info on anything.
I decided to go with pellets because I was getting older and thought in ten years, I would NOT want to be
hauling/cutting/splitting/stacking cord wood.
If I had a consistent source of free cord wood, I may have gone the other direction.
40 pound bags are not that bad, and I split them into two 20 pound buckets to haul inside.
Bill
hauling/cutting/splitting/stacking cord wood.
If I had a consistent source of free cord wood, I may have gone the other direction.
40 pound bags are not that bad, and I split them into two 20 pound buckets to haul inside.
Bill
If it is just for atmosphere and occasional use? Wood stove. It's not tough to scrounge a cord of wood and occasionally use. When I lived in WV we heated with a woodstove- a Dutchwest XL and it was a lot of work. 4 cords a year easy. Now I live in Montana and we hooked up an Enviro pellet stove- also used daily during season for heat- waaaaaay to go if you depend on the appliance for heat.
But if I wanted something just for the occasional cozy fire? Wood stove.
But if I wanted something just for the occasional cozy fire? Wood stove.
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