Stove running 24/7

[cuznvin]

How do you guys get over the fear of leaving the stove running when no human family members are home? I worry about the stove malfunctioning and the cats and dog getting overcome with smoke or a fire...

 

[76brian]

How do you guys get over the fear of leaving the stove running when no human family members are home? I worry about the stove malfunctioning and the cats and dog getting overcome with smoke or a fire...

Easy, take the dog with you

:lol:

Seriously though, if it's safe to run for hours on end when you're home without incident, it's going to be fine when you aren't home.

 

[Bank]

I look it as the same as my oil fired furnace. Small fire in a box only fueled by oil.

 

[DexterDay]

Knowing how many safties are on stoves and tie that into the price of Propane... That equals the stove running.

Numerous safety devices on new units (Even some old ones have them). Hopper lid switch (on some), vacuum, and over-temp limit switch are a few that are one a lot of new stoves. Some have more than others, but I worry more about my clothes dryer than the pellet stoves..

 

[tjnamtiw]

Just run it for a while when you are home. Pretty soon you will answer the question for yourself. You'll see that the stove is reliable and has more than enough safeties to shut down IF there is a problem. The worst case will be that you come home with the house cool because the stove is off. As you will discover from your initial experience that there can be reasons for the stove to shut down, such as not cleaning ALL the little places that could cause problems, extra long pellets that clog up the feed, and a myriad of other simple things that can cause problems.
Everyone is here to help you through those preliminary 'growing pains'.
To directly answer your question, 99% of the people here run the stove 24/7. That is meant to mean that it is ON 24/7 but if it's on a thermostat or other control, it may be in shutdown or slowdown waiting to be told to start up again.
No fear if it was installed properly.

 

[JHASS]

It takes a little getting used to, but after the first week or so it passes.
Then the only thing you notice is the temp of the house when you come
the door.

 

[jtakeman]

We all were unsettled with the away from home thing. It will pass once your used to the whole thing. You can get the programmable stat setup to reduce the run time on it some. Have it settle back a few degrees while you out of the house. Have it start just before you come home. Play with it a bit so its warm by the time you get there. You'll save some few if you lucky.

I use my programmable stat to my advantage. along with the solar I get during the day. We like the house at around 72ºF or so. Let it drop to 66ºF during the day. Do something soimilar at night(I can't sleep when it too warm). Fire it back up before we get up. Saves fuel for me. But I have no problem getting the heat to rise. About 3 degrees an hour. But mine will be different than yours. If you struggle with heat rise? Best to try and keep the temp up. Or only let it drop a few degrees.

I also know a few people that only run the furnace while they are away from home. They only run the stove while they are there. So you not alone. Lots of things you can play with while learning that they are safe enough to not worry about them. But it takes some time to adjust!

 

[johnnycomelately]

My stove comes on in October and runs right through until April. I shut her down probably 5 or 6times a season to do a thorough cleaning, but other than that, she's sweating harder than Patrick Ewing at a spelling bee for all of fall and winter.

 

[PJPellet]

Knowing how many safties are on stoves and tie that into the price of Propane... That equals the stove running.

Numerous safety devices on new units (Even some old ones have them). Hopper lid switch (on some), vacuum, and over-temp limit switch are a few that are one a lot of new stoves. Some have more than others, but I worry more about my clothes dryer than the pellet stoves..

I agree with Dex, I worry a lot more about the dryer. I have known a few homes lost due to clothes dryers.

 

[Bank]

Knowing how many safties are on stoves and tie that into the price of Propane... That equals the stove running.

Numerous safety devices on new units (Even some old ones have them). Hopper lid switch (on some), vacuum, and over-temp limit switch are a few that are one a lot of new stoves. Some have more than others, but I worry more about my clothes dryer than the pellet stoves..

I agree with Dex, I worry a lot more about the dryer. I have known a few homes lost due to clothes dryers.

Funny you should say that. I won;t run the washer, dryer or dish washer while I'm out.

 

[cuznvin]

We all were unsettled with the away from home thing. It will pass once your used to the whole thing. You can get the programmable stat setup to reduce the run time on it some. Have it settle back a few degrees while you out of the house. Have it start just before you come home. Play with it a bit so its warm by the time you get there. You'll save some few if you lucky.

I use my programmable stat to my advantage. along with the solar I get during the day. We like the house at around 72ºF or so. Let it drop to 66ºF during the day. Do something soimilar at night(I can't sleep when it too warm). Fire it back up before we get up. Saves fuel for me. But I have no problem getting the heat to rise. About 3 degrees an hour. But mine will be different than yours. If you struggle with heat rise? Best to try and keep the temp up. Or only let it drop a few degrees.

I also know a few people that only run the furnace while they are away from home. They only run the stove while they are there. So you not alone. Lots of things you can play with while learning that they are safe enough to not worry about them. But it takes some time to adjust!

Thanks.. I have the wireless progammable thermostat. I think cutting back the temp during the day will help cut back on pellet usage. I wish the thermostat allowed you to program in for something different each day...

 

[jtakeman]

We all were unsettled with the away from home thing. It will pass once your used to the whole thing. You can get the programmable stat setup to reduce the run time on it some. Have it settle back a few degrees while you out of the house. Have it start just before you come home. Play with it a bit so its warm by the time you get there. You'll save some few if you lucky.

I use my programmable stat to my advantage. along with the solar I get during the day. We like the house at around 72ºF or so. Let it drop to 66ºF during the day. Do something soimilar at night(I can't sleep when it too warm). Fire it back up before we get up. Saves fuel for me. But I have no problem getting the heat to rise. About 3 degrees an hour. But mine will be different than yours. If you struggle with heat rise? Best to try and keep the temp up. Or only let it drop a few degrees.

I also know a few people that only run the furnace while they are away from home. They only run the stove while they are there. So you not alone. Lots of things you can play with while learning that they are safe enough to not worry about them. But it takes some time to adjust!

Thanks.. I have the wireless progammable thermostat. I think cutting back the temp during the day will help cut back on pellet usage. I wish the thermostat allowed you to program in for something different each day...

Some stats are 7 day which do just that. A program for each day of the week. But they are a bit more than the 5/2 day stats.

 

[heat seeker]

Funny you should say that. I won;t run the washer, dryer or dish washer while I'm out.

Same here. Cheaply made as they are, I don't trust them all that much.

 

[jdempsey]

Being my fisrt season with a pellet stove i was a bit scared to leave it running when im not home. Did not take long for me to gain some trust in the unit. For i work at home all day long in my basement maybe 30 ft from the stove.

Never a hiccup and it burns all night long while we sleep. Give it a little time and you will trust yours before long.

 

[John97]

I plan on running mine 24/7, that is why I bought it.

My neighbor got a stove last year and it only gets run when someone is home and awake. Hardly seems worth it to me. He got a ton of pellets last year and still has half of it left. Maybe I will have a positive effect on that.

Granted, someone is pretty much always home at my house. My mother-in-law lives with us, and my wife has been out of work for a few years (disabling injury). On top of it, I work from home - so I am in and out every day.

 

[cuznvin]

Well, I am at least running it while we are sleeping. The first night I didnt get much sleep though. kept thinking I would hear the smoke alarm go off...

 

[ChandlerR]

I had a neighbor who's furnace had a delayed ignition and fire. No fire damage to the house but tons of smoke damage. Any time you invite fire into your house, stuff can happen. I'm very comfortable with running my stove 24/7. Gotta trust the technology. I keep it clean and it works great!

Chan

 

[flynfrfun]

I plan on running mine 24/7, that is why I bought it.

My neighbor got a stove last year and it only gets run when someone is home and awake. Hardly seems worth it to me. He got a ton of pellets last year and still has half of it left. Maybe I will have a positive effect on that.

Granted, someone is pretty much always home at my house. My mother-in-law lives with us, and my wife has been out of work for a few years (disabling injury). On top of it, I work from home - so I am in and out every day.

:bug: John, sounds like you could possibly be setting yourself up for "the perfect storm". Once the ladies start enjoying the heat, they'll want that thing cranked up all the time. I'd recommend 5 tons minimum... :lol:

 

[cuznvin]

I know people do get puff backs with their furnaces. Have to just hope for the best I guess. It takes too long to get everything warm again once its off for a few hours..

 

[John97]

:bug: John, sounds like you could possibly be setting yourself up for "the perfect storm". Once the ladies start enjoying the heat, they'll want that thing cranked up all the time. I'd recommend 5 tons minimum... :lol:

In addition to getting ***** by the electric company, I am sick of hearing them complain about not being warm enough. So, part of the reason I made the investment is to preserve my sanity.

I am already second-guessing my pellet stockpile. I got 3 tons coming with the stove and am contemplating upping the delivery to 4 tons. On top of that, I will probably end up grabbing bags here and there in my travels like everyone else.

 

[flynfrfun]

I am already second-guessing my pellet stockpile. I got 3 tons coming with the stove and am contemplating upping the delivery to 4 tons. On top of that, I will probably end up grabbing bags here and there in my travels like everyone else.

John...yep, part of the fun is trying different pellets. If you can transport that last ton yourself, you might want to hold off until you try out some other pellets. Then get a ton of whatever you end up liking.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I had a neighbor who's furnace had a delayed ignition and fire. No fire damage to the house but tons of smoke damage. Any time you invite fire into your house, stuff can happen. I'm very comfortable with running my stove 24/7. Gotta trust the technology. I keep it clean and it works great!

Chan

Was sitting in my folks living room many years ago, dad was grossing about the furnace guy hadn't come to clean the furnace yet (oil fired forced hot water system) when boom there was a new hole in the wall paper.

Delayed ignition blew an thimble hole plug through the wall paper and across the room.

I went for the thimble hole plug and dad went for the furnace guy.

 

[kykel]

If my wife can overcome the fear of it running 24 anyone can.

 

[slls]

I worry more about my dryer, won't go out with it running.

 

[CTguy9230]

being a member of my F.D. for nearly 25 years..
havent been to one call for a problem with a pellet stove, been to many
many calls concerning dryer vents and furnace issues