Yep, I'm a pellet newbie

Hi, an installation question -- I've read so much in the past few days that now I am TOTALLY confused. Have a 2-story 1800 sf home. 100+ years old, rock-walled, cement floored basement. Insulation on ceiling of basement and floor of attic. Currently has elderly oil fired steam boiler. I NEVER want to put oil in the oil tank.

Problem is, if I don't run furnace, and install suitable pellet stove on first floor with vents to second floor, what happens to the plumbing running through the basement? Especially the pipes that run say from the well in front of house to the kitchen at the opposite end? Will heat tape be enough? do i need the plug in kind? doesn't that waste just more electricity anyhow? Somebody once told me my basement would always be 55 degrees F anyhow, is that true? I have an electric water heater. If I don't use furnace, will I have to wrap it? with what? and more ...
maybe I should number these questions

Do I need to put some kind of fan/heat exchanger (whatever that is) in the vents I'm planning on cutting between first and second floors?

This house does not have an open floor plan, but on first floor, there are doors between ALL rooms that can be open/closed. Would it help if I posted a pic /link to of at least the outside of the house?

Do you want me to shut up now?

Seriously, am 99% sure I want to go the pellet route. Either that, or ventless propane, but then I'd need two of em, and propane is going up way to rapidly for me.


Any info, from real users will be appreciated. Debbie

First of all I would look to see if you can get a pellet stove, they are in short supply right now. Might I ask how old is the boiler?

Local shopper advertising indicates stove stores have various stoves available. Also, the local fairs are coming up soon, and the dealers will be there according to their specs. They usually have special fair pricing....I'm sure hoping so.

Debbie

please share - what fair in what town? will Harman be there?

Hi, fairs are: Brooklyn (CT) fair in August - brain too sleepy to figure out dates, will let you know...and Woodstock (CT) fair just before labor day. Not sure if Harmon will be there -- these are local stove dealers, not the manufacturers. I think the stove/spa dealer from colchester CT will be there. Last year there were 3 stove dealers at Woodstock Fair.

Debbie

Hoverfly, sorry, didn't see last part of your post. Boiler is about 30 years old. Took about an hour to heat up radiators when we had home inspection. Also inspectors suggested oil tank would need to be replaced soon as well.

Installing a new boiler steam system, or install a new Hot water and replace the radators with base board will save a bundle, at least one third savings in oil mabye more. Also some thing to keep in mind there are pellet boilers for hot water heat out on the market as well.

As long as your basement is well sealed (no bulkhead doors left open or broken windows) nothing should freeze.
Yes the ground is about 50 degrees all winter.
Only pipe I ever froze in a basement very similar (from your description) is a sink water supply pipe that went by a single pane window glass with just two inches of clearance. When it was 10 below zero outside for several days.
The pipe should not have been up against the window and the window should have had a storm window of some sort.


I should think a decent heating system of some sort would be a good back-up and make the house worth more.
What does your homeowners require ?

[ quote Yes the ground is about 50 degrees all winter. quote]

Not with 4 feet of frost in the ground.

drafts kill pipes in basements... if you have a drafty basement it can get quite cold.. I've seen my drafty basement get down in to the mid 40's in the dead of winter with it being in the teens outside.
(while heating with wood on my first floor)

4 feet of frost in Connecticut ?
In what century ?

I never realized the ground never froze in CT, I should move there.

Oh, I'm sure it freezes; just not 4' deep of solid frost, like "up they-uh". Big difference between "central ME" and "anywhere in CT". Its a whole different world, south of the mass pike. I tell ya....

:cheese:

If I was a dealer I would not waste my time or money advertising/displaying at the fair this year since they probably already met their quotas for the year

http://www.sqfoot.com/pdf/US_Map_Frost_DepthAVG.pdf
:lol:

Hi folks, think it's gonna be a breckwell Big E. installed, 4 tons of pellets, about $3500. As that's what I paid for oil last year, it sounds REALLY good to me. Will keep you posted.

Deb

congrats justdeb-
im in ct too and very frustrated.i called a few dealers today and if i got 1 answer,and hung up and called back and spoke with a different sales rep,i got a different answer.

Hi everybody!

I got recommended to this site from a friend who has gotten a TON of info from you!

I just bought the Breckwell BIG E from Stoves.etc on the internet after doing a lot of checking around in CT for a local dealer.

When I called them the beginning of the week, he had them in stock. Yes, they are out of stock now, but a truck is coming in approx 4 weeks so I'll be getting one of those. I have yet to hear anything truly negative about this stove, and am now just looking into the pellet portion of all this--it's a lot of work!

Where in CT does everybody get their pellets? Or is this one of those age old questions that's been asked already???

Thanks so much!

Elle

I got mine from G.M Thompson in Mansfield Center; nice people. I paid $259/ton delivered a couple weeks ago, but I know there was going to be a price increase. Sold Dry Creek and LG Granule. I know Maynard's in Coventry sells pellets too, but I have never dealt with them. Finally, there's Eastern CT Pellets at http://www.pelletsdelivered.com/home, but since I don't even have my stove yet, I have no experience with them. They are located in Franklin. Good luck.

Thank you...........It's time to start making the calls to find pellets.

Our local Agway is getting their first shipment in tomorrow..........I have lots of calls to make!