Annualized Cost of Pellet Stove Maintenance

[caucapon]

I've spent the last several months researching the various residential alternative heating options available to me. I've asked questions here and on the nepacrossroads site. I've received some worthwhile information. Again, thanks to all who responded.

For various reasons, pellet stoves may well be the most practical solution for me, even with all the attendant operational and fuel cost/quality/availability issues. Unfortunately, these require several motors, one or more augers, igniters, circuitry everywhere, and control boards of varying complexity.

When I spoke with England Stove's technical support about England's various pellet offerings, the first comment the rep made was, "It's going to require parts." At best, he seemed lukewarm about these stoves as a group.

I'd really appreciate getting some valid historical info from experienced pellet stove users. Over the three or more years you've owned your stove, how much have you had to spend to keep it operating properly? Do you find that your average annual maintenance cost is about $100, $200, $300, etc.? Does your cost include professional labor, or do you provide that yourself? On what brand of stove are you reporting?

I did some basic math a few days ago. My house is totally electric at this time. I'm spending over $.18/KWH with PSE&G here in N.J. While that's a heavy price to pay for fuel, I don't anticipate saving more than $700 to $800 dollars a year with a pellet stove providing over 90% of all heat required. If long-term annualized pellet stove maintenance is much over $200, then my payback period will be significantly extended. At this point, I'm trying to look before I leap.

As always, thanks in advance for any information.

 

[Pellet-King]

WOW! .18kwh is high, how much is the delivery cost?, mine is around the same cost as the electricity do you have deregulation where you can choose a electrical supplier?, as of july 1st our electric company is lowering there prices 4 cents to .0822kwh , i locked in for 4 month's at .0699kwh till sept.
As for stove part's my whitfield did not any part's for at least 15 yr's, replaced the auger motor due to noise and replaced the combustion motor few year's ago.

 

[jackman]

I've had my stove for 7 seasons. In that time I've had to replace the room air blower, the igniter, and the potentiometers on the control board for a total cost of about $250. I do all the maintenance which includes 2 deep cleanings each season that takes me about 4 hours each time. I don't work fast. I think my local dealer would charge about $175/cleaning. I burn about 3 tons/season.

 

[johneh]

I have an Envro fe 3 installed in 2002 have replaced the combustion fan
because it was very nosey no other problems . Do all the service work myself.
Best investment I ever made keeps my family room and the rest of my down stairs
toasty all winter long

 

[moey]

How much do you spend now to heat your house right now? Your savings numbers seem a little low if your paying 18c kw/hr.

 

[caucapon]

WOW! .18kwh is high, how much is the delivery cost?, mine is around the same cost as the electricity do you have deregulation where you can choose a electrical supplier?, as of july 1st our electric company is lowering there prices 4 cents to .0822kwh , i locked in for 4 month's at .0699kwh till sept.
As for stove part's my whitfield did not any part's for at least 15 yr's, replaced the auger motor due to noise and replaced the combustion motor few year's ago.

Mind blowing, isn't it? Jersey is special whether it be the utility bill, auto insurance bill, or real estate taxes. There's nothing like it. I got my wife to move to Wytheville, Va. for five years. Utilities less than half of what we experienced in Jersey; homeowner's insurance at about half; auto at about a third, taxes at a tenth (for comparable properties). The wife missed kids and relatives. We're back in the Garden State.

Regarding my electric bill:

Jan = delivery @ $150.78, supply @ $266.65, 2378 kWh
Feb = delivery @ $174.63, supply @$299.71, 2758 kWh
Mar = delivery @ $206.72, supply @$369.70, 3272 kWh
Apr = delivery @ $140.41, supply @ $249.14, 2210 kWh
May = delivery @ $69.49, supply @ $127.73, 1074 kWh

Every month averages to over $.17 with May actually over $.18.

These bills are for all our electrical needs, not just heating. The house is about 1200 sq. ft. We have a 150 sq. ft. sunroom we'd like to heat. However, with our rates so high, we've always closed it off. We keep our temps around 65 degrees F., cooler at night. The smaller house size and the cooler temps account for the reduced savings mentioned in my first post. If all were to go as planned, we'd open the sunroom and increase room temps. At that point, I would anticipate significantly greater savings.

We've played around with third party suppliers. For us, initial significant savings slowly dissipated over time. We may take another look in the near future.

Gratifying that no one replying has experienced what I would call excessive maintenance costs.

 

[Bioburner]

I don't think in burning pellets or corn in all the years I have had a repair over $125 of parts till last season a shorted out room temp probe gave me grief and bought a new control board for $250 and found the short after of course. Having bought used stoves I have figured in some leeway in repairs but have been lucky.

 

[smwilliamson]

Installed a Nytherm air source heat pump to replace my electric hot water, bill went down 17% for the year. I know it's derailing the op but since you were talkin eclectic rates....the again NG raised my rates 31% so go figure.

 

[mithesaint]

Four years of burning and I've probably spent $500 on parts tops. Did all the cleaning and repairing myself. Englander stoves are relatively simple to work on, so if you can do minimal to moderate DIY stuff, you can handle an Englander no problem. An Englander was my primary heat for the previous three years, and saved me a boat load of cash over using propane. Added a corn furnace this past fall, and that was niiiiiiice. Harmans are nicer stoves, but more complicated too. The rest are somewhere in between.

 

[maple1]

While that's a heavy price to pay for fuel, I don't anticipate saving more than $700 to $800 dollars a year with a pellet stove providing over 90% of all heat required.

That translates (I think) to a current annual heating cost of around $800-900 (roughly).

That's not very much, relatively speaking, at $0.18/kwh (that is also what I pay here all-in, Canadian funds) - I think I would be hard pressed to invest in a pellet setup with that low of a heating load.

Are you sure on the heating part of your consumption? That would leave the rest at over $200/mo, which is double ours (family of 5, 2700 sq.ft. 2 storey). Do you have an air conditioner? Dehumidifier? Might be worth looking at a heat pump water heater and a mini-split.

 

[gymrat0663]

I'm three and a half years into heating with pellets and my costs have been pellets and glass cleaner. I complete a weekly cleaning and deep clean my stove at least three times each year (this past winter I burned four tons). Each deep cleaning includes a removal and cleaning of both motors as well as oiling each one. While things will wear out, proper maintenance will go a long way in extending the life of a stove's components.

 

[TimfromMA]

Just finished my 6th season with the stove. Weekly cleanings and one large end of season cleaning are the only maintenance I've had to perform so far. Still running on all original parts including the igniter.

 

[kofkorn]

Just finished 7 seasons. No new components added to the stove in that time. At the end of this season, the room blower was starting to bind. It would take a little longer to start the motor, but once running, works fine. I'll replace it this summer. As above, still on the original igniter too.

Routine cleaning every 1 to 2 weeks, with one or two deep cleanings per season. Make sure to keep the igniter hole clean, it's the key to igniter longevity.

good luck!

 

[Pellet-King]

I'd look into solar