so what’s up this year. Local hardware sold somersets for the past several years. Were out of stock before thanksgiving. Said there was a big fire at the supplier. Still haven’t got any. A couple of local farm stores are out also. Normally sell EasyHeat, and AWP.....plus whatever unbranded TSC sells. All are out....no ETA. Says shortage because of a fire. What’s going on?
Pellet shortage?
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tlc1976
Minister of Fire
For me, prices were up 25% and that was when I stocked up last summer. Tried to get Pro Pellets at Black Friday like I would other years and the normal stores were out even before the holiday. So I'm not sure but it's been different for me than other years.
Lately, I'm sure the national cold spell isn't helping.
Lately, I'm sure the national cold spell isn't helping.
johneh
Minister of Fire
Lots of pellets around here no shortage . price
just about the same as last year in fact some places are cheaper
just about the same as last year in fact some places are cheaper
bogieb
Minister of Fire
Lots of pellets in my area - the local TSC, Aubuchon's and Agway have all kinds of tonnage. Don't know about the BBS's - I'm out away from the cities.
JRemington
Minister of Fire
There are a lot of companies that are short on pellets in the northeast. Lauzon had a fire knock one plant down for a couple months. And a rainy early fall cut down on sawlogs. There were some dirty pellets a month or so ago.
Pete Zahria
Minister of Fire
johneh
Minister of Fire
bogieb
Minister of Fire
Must have been a run on pellets since last weekend. Today the TSC was down to about 12 tons, which is at least half of what was there last weekend (that I could see - might have more elsewhere). Funny, the more expensive, not as good pellets at Aubuchon's are still mostly there. Looks like 20-30 tons. Did not go by Agway.
BTW - those numbers are still pretty good for my small town.
I was told the plant for O'Malleys went up in fire just before thanksgiving . I think they also made power pellets. Plant is in VA I think. Hope you find something soon.
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
I guess I just do not get it.Back in MD.heating with wood,i put wood in for the winter,and part of the next year.Then I switched to coal(antracite),had the company dump several tons,in the summer.Out here,I cut processed wood for the winter,and about enough for 1/3 of the next winter.Since I went to pellets,I try to get enough pellets in for the winter,with xtra,usually in october.I guess I just do not understand the "buy on the fly" that some do.I do not want to move wood ,or pellet bags,walking across snow and ice.3 days ago?(around there) my pellet supplier gal,had about 1200 tons there,not that I need them,which is pretty good,for a low population area.
Pellets in my area almost completely disappear after March. I’ll probably burn around 6tons this year. If I bought in Oct.....1)..it’s financially tough to buy that much at a time.....and I don’t have a place to store that much anyway....so maybe “buy on the fly” doesn’t work for you.....not everyone is in your situation.
bogieb
Minister of Fire
Many people don't have anywhere to store a quantity of pellets, nor any way to get tons of pellets to their house. Just like I can't buy a side of beef, so I buy my meat as I need it (or have a couple of weeks worth in my refrigerator's freezer).
Would it be ideal to get all you need for a winter at one time? Sure, but that is not feasible for some people.
Would it be ideal to get all you need for a winter at one time? Sure, but that is not feasible for some people.
alternativeheat
Minister of Fire
It seems like pellet manufacturing is a high risk operation in terms of fire. Now it's supposedly VA. Internet news shows one in ME and also Vermont in the last year. Is it really that volatile or is it an easy out I wonder ?
Supply had been sporadic here . HD has had no FSU this year, early on they brought in Carriage House which I had not heard of. Ever since those ran out and we got past a couple of droughts they have had Green Supreme. But actually GS this year has been doing pretty well here, don't know if they changed up their process or what. However, as I posted last year about this time, later in Feb all the BBS around here stop taking pellet delivery anyway. By mid march there won't be any pellets. I switch to oil by April 1 because the one place that keeps stock gets almost $7 a bag. Oil prices are down, I'll burn that. And really during the spring months I use less oil than pellets to keep the house warm because of the cast iron radiators we have and sun .
Supply had been sporadic here . HD has had no FSU this year, early on they brought in Carriage House which I had not heard of. Ever since those ran out and we got past a couple of droughts they have had Green Supreme. But actually GS this year has been doing pretty well here, don't know if they changed up their process or what. However, as I posted last year about this time, later in Feb all the BBS around here stop taking pellet delivery anyway. By mid march there won't be any pellets. I switch to oil by April 1 because the one place that keeps stock gets almost $7 a bag. Oil prices are down, I'll burn that. And really during the spring months I use less oil than pellets to keep the house warm because of the cast iron radiators we have and sun .
Yep. That's me the past few seasons. I no longer have the room to store even a pallet (I used to store 3). So, I need to make a run every week or week and a half as my van can only carry 10-15 bags without messing up the suspension on these pothole riddles roads.
And, for some, it's an upfront expense they just can't absorb. Living pay cheque to pay cheque is a thing for a great many people...from all walks of life.
Pete Zahria
Minister of Fire
Supply is tight here in Central PA. I try to buy enough in the spring for the winter, usually put away 4-5 tons or so. I am lucky I can store them in the unfinished part of our basement. But 4-5 is about the limit I can store. So if it is a cold winter I usually need to pick up another ton or so.
Both suppliers I by from (Hamers) did not have tons in stock, only selling by the bag, 10-15 per week per customer. Blamed the really wet summer/fall here in PA/WV, they just couldn't get the logs out of the woods. I found a ton of Lignetics at the local Ace hardware, but they really only had 2 tons left around not sold. I was glad to find some though. Seemed Home Depot and Lowes still had some inventory. I didn't want to wait until March and try to find any so I grabbed the ton at Ace.
Both suppliers I by from (Hamers) did not have tons in stock, only selling by the bag, 10-15 per week per customer. Blamed the really wet summer/fall here in PA/WV, they just couldn't get the logs out of the woods. I found a ton of Lignetics at the local Ace hardware, but they really only had 2 tons left around not sold. I was glad to find some though. Seemed Home Depot and Lowes still had some inventory. I didn't want to wait until March and try to find any so I grabbed the ton at Ace.
We are fortunate- there is an ample supply of doug fir for area manufacturers' supply. I use North Idaho Energy Logs Super Premium, and there are 3 places to get them from in Helena. One is a preferred purchaser- Super One grocery.
Brownstone mony pit
Member
I've been able to get a few tons from Kingdom biofuels down in peachbottom pa (near Lancaster). I had 4 tons in bags stored in the house but that was not near enough so I ordered another 4 tons of kindoms hardwood pellets in bulk. Great pellet but they ran out so I ordered another 3 tons of kingdoms softwood pellets. They will be delivered tomorrow. A lot of the other places in the central pa area are only selling a ton at a time max right now and not delivering much.
3RDegreeBurnz
Member
I live in NW Baltimore County, MD and I normally buy 2 Tons of Turmans in September which last me through March. ( Stove NOT primary heat source )
Oddly, this year my go to supplier ( Local Garden & Nursey ) was out of their Turmans stock in early September due to the fact that a local competitor of theirs went under and their customers flocked to my regular supplier. The owner told me she called Turmans to request an additional shipment which they were unable to supply her back in September and she had a list going of clients waiting for the next regular Turmans shipment! ( She had plenty of Hamers Hot Ones & O’Malleys )
Due to the unbelievably cold weather here I found myself running low last week ( 1st Week Feb ) and decided to call her first hoping she “MIGHT” have some Hamers or O’Malleys in stock, and I was shocked when she told me she had 10 Tons of Turmans still in stock! In years past, she has typically sold out of all 3 brands not later than January. She seemed as surprised as I was.
I checked the Big Box stores as well and the majority in my area had at least “ Limited Stock” on hand. Last, but not least, my Turmans this year were slightly LESS per ton than I paid last year.
Oddly, this year my go to supplier ( Local Garden & Nursey ) was out of their Turmans stock in early September due to the fact that a local competitor of theirs went under and their customers flocked to my regular supplier. The owner told me she called Turmans to request an additional shipment which they were unable to supply her back in September and she had a list going of clients waiting for the next regular Turmans shipment! ( She had plenty of Hamers Hot Ones & O’Malleys )
Due to the unbelievably cold weather here I found myself running low last week ( 1st Week Feb ) and decided to call her first hoping she “MIGHT” have some Hamers or O’Malleys in stock, and I was shocked when she told me she had 10 Tons of Turmans still in stock! In years past, she has typically sold out of all 3 brands not later than January. She seemed as surprised as I was.
I checked the Big Box stores as well and the majority in my area had at least “ Limited Stock” on hand. Last, but not least, my Turmans this year were slightly LESS per ton than I paid last year.
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Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Cool.Yep,I am not that far from you(for MT),and Bozeman and Livingston run out of pellets,except for cheep lowes/home depot crap.Benn burning North Idaho for 3 years,very acceptable,have found 3 dirty/poor quality bags so far,this winter.Not a bad ratio.Living in the mountains,with my cabin on the side of a hill,I try to get pellets in early,so I can unload them into the walk out basement,before snow sets in.I could do what you do,a few at a time,but,as weather in the mountains is unpredictable,I prefer to have them in the basement,although I have kept a ton in the kitchen/living room,early winter.I did grab several bags of Purcells,again,bought 1 ton of them last year.This years batch was fine,but dirtier and more ash,same as last years.Fine for my Harman,not good in my Austroflamm.
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