venting a pellet stove vs. coal

[evilstevie]

We're starting to get tired of the dirt and smell of our coal stove, and are thinking about replacing our coal unit with a wood pellet stove.

The biggest issue with our coal stove, other than the dirt and amount of ash that's generated, is the fact that on windy days we get an awful sulfur smell in the house. Our coal stove is a 6" direct vent right out the 1st story roof, and our new wood pellet stove would most likely use the same vent. What are the general issues with insufficient venting of a wood pellet stove? Obviously we're aware of CO, and have multiple CO detectors in the house. Do wood pellets tend to stink if not adequately vented? Do most of you guys direct vent your wood pellets stoves or powervent? Thanks...

 

[BrotherBart]

Pellet stoves by definition are "power vented" since the exhaust is blown out the chimney by the same blower that pulls combustion air through the burn pot to burn the pellets.

 

[JDenyer236]

Do wood pellets tend to stink if not adequately vented? Do most of you guys direct vent your wood pellets stoves or powervent? Thanks...

All stoves must be properly vented, and thus there should never be an odor in the house. Pellet stoves by nature are "power vented", the power vent just happens to be built into the stove. They can be vented in a variety of ways, download some install manuals for various pellet stoves to get an idea of how they can and cannot be vented. Hope this helps.

 

[tjnamtiw]

What brand/model coal stove are you running? When you say 'direct vent', do you mean you have a power vent on the stove or it is just vented out the roof? Like others said, you should never have a back draft. It sounds like your stove was never properly installed to get the required 0.05 inches of water draft. Do you have a barometric damper in line? Do you have a Dwyer manometer hooked up to measure draft? Before plunking down big bucks to switch to expensive pellets from cheap, reliable coal, you need to examine what you are using now. I'm not trying to dissuade you from pellets but your biggest complaint seems to be odor, which you should NEVER get.
You will also find that, assuming you have a recent vintage coal stove, that pellet stoves will only give you 1/3 to 1/2 of the btu's that you're used to getting. AND you'll be spending more money to get them.
If your stove is older and you have a ready supply of coal, since you know how to handle coal, you should look at the newer coal stokers that are almost hands off.
Yes, ash can be a nuisance but learning the proper way to handle them should leave you with little or no dirt and the ashes can be thrown in the trash.

Oh, I am also assuming you are burning anthracite and not bituminous coal. Right?