Mid-Atlantic (NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA) Got about 7 days left

[JBfarm]

Running very low on pellets. Have called all the HD, Lowes, TSC and Ace Hardware stores in the area - Washington & Frederick County MD, Gettysburg, Hanover, Waynesboro, Carlisle. Have been trolling around Craigslist and have one possible lead there.

I've read on this forum about pellets being shipped to Europe and Asia. What I've also heard this week is that with the cold temps, Hamers and other pellet companies have had to shut down production, because it's so cold that they can't strip bark off the trees. Some of the stores I've called that were expecting pellet shipments this week told me that they may not receive any additional pellets at all this season.

To compound my problem, we ran out of propane yesterday, due to a faulty gauge on the propane tank we were leasing from the propane mafia. Long story, and not relevant to my current pellet crisis, but we got so angry dealing with the propane company that we had them haul their tank away yesterday, so until we get our propane issue straightened out, our pellet stove is our only heat source. Have been using the stove for the last 8 winters and have never seen a pellet shortage like this. Clearly should have bought pellets in bulk last fall.

I realize a lot of people are in the same boat as me, but any leads in the area would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Peterfield]

There is a shortage of cheap, big box store pellets but up here in the northeast, you can find all the pellets you want at $8 a bag or $350 a ton at pellet dealers plus the gougers on CL. Some HD's, Lowes and Tractor Supply stores are still receiving product but you have to keep checking as once a shipment arrives, it's gone quickly except the stores that limit you to 10-20 bags a visit. PITA, but it keeps the hoarders at bay.

 

[JD76ERS]

I am in the same boat and refuse to ever let this happen to me again. Mostly, because I replaced my wood burning stove with a pellet stove in November and wasn't sure how much I would use or how damn nasty this winter would be. I just can't believe the shortage and huge mark up here in the NE on pellets.

 

[JBfarm]

In case anyone else in this part of MD is as desperate as I was, I found Hamers pellets at Poor Boys Garden Center in Dundalk (they advertise on CL) for $320/ton. It was 85 miles for me each way, but these are desperate times. I thought it was some sort of scam, because I haven't seen Hamer's since November, but they had them. They got a shipment of 18 tons of Hamers last night, and had 12 tons left when I called this morning. They wouldn't reserve them for me but said they did have other brands of pellets if they ran out of Hamers. I bought 2 tons and saw at least another 8 tons of wrapped up Hamers. They sell 2 other brands of pine pellets (Timberland might have been one), and seemed to have plenty of those laying around.

The only other place I found with pellets was American Hearth in Gettysburg. They had 2 tons left as of this morning, selling them at $6/bag, with a max of 10 bags. She said the brand name was Trey (Trae?), which used to be Old Dominion. I asked if they were hardwood pellets and she said they were, but I didn't do any research on them. My backup plan if the Dundalk thing didn't work out was for my spouse and I to drive separately to Gettysburg for 10 bags of pellets each, but I worried about burning an unknown pellet, and am glad we didn't have to resort to that.

We stopped at TSC on the drive home and someone stopped us in the parking lot to ask where we got the pellets from. He's called every store in the area like we did and can't find them anywhere. We're going to have to seriously rethink our pellet stove if this is a taste of what we can expect every winter.

 

[MadMax31]

I cant speak for MD, but all Box Stores are going to be out. They've already shoved grills and tractors out front around here. I only have 28" snow left to melt.... Most Hardware stores have pallets out front with no limit. The Stove Dealers or Landscape places have plenty left. I must be fortunate as I can hit dozens of places within a 60 mile radius that all have plenty. After being on this Forum for only a month I can tell those who prefer Box Store brands really should load up in off-season, and grab more than they predict they'll need. I know Im getting 1 ton of Hamers and 1 ton of Greenways in summer. A few "cheap" bags locally on the way home for experimenting during winter.

 

[shore72]

I'm on the Eastern Shore; pellets are getting scarce. Marshyhope Hardware has been out for a month and just told me no more until fall. Seaford (DE) Tractor Supply has been out for weeks; they finally started taking names for when they do arrive, ditto the True Value in Denton. The Ace is Seaford was out, no word on when more were coming, just a sign on the door saying they had a 25 bag limit. Nagel's Hardware is expecting a truck on 3/12, The Hardware Store in Mardela had some last weekend but they were all reserved. I bought 10 bags last Saturday at Survival Products in Salisbury for $6/bag (ouch!), they were selling out the back of a van. Farmers & Planters in Salisbury got a truckload in today at closing time, I was able to grab enough to last me a while, I suspect they'll be busy Monday morning selling.

 

[Bonzoso]

Running very low on pellets. Have called all the HD, Lowes, TSC and Ace Hardware stores in the area - Washington & Frederick County MD, Gettysburg, Hanover, Waynesboro, Carlisle. Have been trolling around Craigslist and have one possible lead there.

I've read on this forum about pellets being shipped to Europe and Asia. What I've also heard this week is that with the cold temps, Hamers and other pellet companies have had to shut down production, because it's so cold that they can't strip bark off the trees. Some of the stores I've called that were expecting pellet shipments this week told me that they may not receive any additional pellets at all this season.

To compound my problem, we ran out of propane yesterday, due to a faulty gauge on the propane tank we were leasing from the propane mafia. Long story, and not relevant to my current pellet crisis, but we got so angry dealing with the propane company that we had them haul their tank away yesterday, so until we get our propane issue straightened out, our pellet stove is our only heat source. Have been using the stove for the last 8 winters and have never seen a pellet shortage like this. Clearly should have bought pellets in bulk last fall.

I realize a lot of people are in the same boat as me, but any leads in the area would be greatly appreciated.

I hear you dude. This industry is really starting to PMOff. I bought my stove several years ago and the dealer responded to my questions about pellet availability and my ability to store only 1 ton at a time with no concern. Oh, we always have pellets they said. What a bunch of hoohey. Well every year I have gone through my 1 ton and then no pellets and I have to scramble to find them for the rest of the winter. They'd rather have lawnmowers and grills taking up space in their stores in mid January. It's never about what customers want anymore. It's what the stores want to sell you. My lawn is not even a glimmer in my eye at this time of year. Of course neither are fake Christmas trees in August.

 

[Peterfield]

Pretty common with all seasonal commodities when you think about it. Stores are always trying to maximize profits so they try to predict market trends and stay ahead of the curve. Last winter screwed up the pellet market in terms of anticipated demand and just about everyone got caught short. What are the odds we'd have two winters like that in a row, hence the spot shortages this heating season. I suspect that stores will order more next year, sensing a trend of colder winters and more pellet users. They could get burned if it's a mild winter next year and some folks switch NG or oil.

 

[Bonzoso]

Pretty common with all seasonal commodities when you think about it. Stores are always trying to maximize profits so they try to predict market trends and stay ahead of the curve. Last winter screwed up the pellet market in terms of anticipated demand and just about everyone got caught short. What are the odds we'd have two winters like that in a row, hence the spot shortages this heating season. I suspect that stores will order more next year, sensing a trend of colder winters and more pellet users. They could get burned if it's a mild winter next year and some folks switch NG or oil.

Yup, I agree with you but it still PMO, that these guys will tell you anything to get you to buy the non-consumable and then leave you hanging for the consumable part. And don't get me wrong, I love my stove, but it just seems to me that the retailers don't do their due diligence to make sure they can live up to their claims to their customers.

 

[JBfarm]

My local feed store has been carrying pellets the last few years. They say they have times when their deliveries are delayed by several weeks and they can't meet demand, but when they finally do get pellets in, buyers have found them elsewhere or the weather has warmed up and no one needs them anymore. I never thought I'd see the day when we had to drive to the other side of effing Baltimore for pellets - and feel fortunate to pay $320/ton for them.

As soon as this frenzy has stopped and prices have returned to normal, we're buying our pellets for next winter and stashing them in our barn. A lot of people on this forum only burn a few tons of pellets a winter, but for us it's more like 7-8 tons. Our plan is to buy 10 tons this spring so we don't have to worry about pellets at all next season. I can't imagine our panic level if we hadn't found those 2 tons of Hamers last week.

 

[LordmetalZ28]

You should get your propane situation handled immediately. You insurance company would probably cancel your policy if they found this out. Remember these stoves are only space heaters although most of us can get away heating the whole house.

 

[Bonzoso]

My local feed store has been carrying pellets the last few years. They say they have times when their deliveries are delayed by several weeks and they can't meet demand, but when they finally do get pellets in, buyers have found them elsewhere or the weather has warmed up and no one needs them anymore. I never thought I'd see the day when we had to drive to the other side of effing Baltimore for pellets - and feel fortunate to pay $320/ton for them.

As soon as this frenzy has stopped and prices have returned to normal, we're buying our pellets for next winter and stashing them in our barn. A lot of people on this forum only burn a few tons of pellets a winter, but for us it's more like 7-8 tons. Our plan is to buy 10 tons this spring so we don't have to worry about pellets at all next season. I can't imagine our panic level if we hadn't found those 2 tons of Hamers last week.

I'd be nice to have a barn for storage. I'd do the same thing.

 

[DobieMom]

I'm on the Eastern Shore; pellets are getting scarce. Marshyhope Hardware has been out for a month and just told me no more until fall. Seaford (DE) Tractor Supply has been out for weeks; they finally started taking names for when they do arrive, ditto the True Value in Denton. The Ace is Seaford was out, no word on when more were coming, just a sign on the door saying they had a 25 bag limit. Nagel's Hardware is expecting a truck on 3/12, The Hardware Store in Mardela had some last weekend but they were all reserved. I bought 10 bags last Saturday at Survival Products in Salisbury for $6/bag (ouch!), they were selling out the back of a van. Farmers & Planters in Salisbury got a truckload in today at closing time, I was able to grab enough to last me a while, I suspect they'll be busy Monday morning selling.

Ace and Home Depot in Salisbury, MD said they were not getting anymore this season. Lowes didn't have any. Survival Products is out. TSC got some Pro Pellets in late yesterday and as of 6:30 last night only had 7 of 22 tons left and they were FLYING out of there. I got 5 bags to go with the 6 WPI I have here now. Survival Products is "hit & miss". Given they sell pellet stoves I think it's bad business for them not to keep a good stash of pellets. They aren't new to the game and KNOW they should order more than they do and to limit 10 bags @ $6/bag, IMO not good. They have carried the WPI this year - as they usually do - and the ash has been GOD AWFUL. I'll be ready next year with a 2 ton pre-buy this summer of Greenways from a different seller that will store them and I can pick up as needed. Not everyone has room to store even a ton.

 

[shore72]

Seaford TSC called me and said they won't have any more pellets until fall. The True Value (Choptank Supply) said they found some for people who were desperate, $8.50/bag! He's still hoping for a regular shipment, from what I could tell. The good news, for me, is that the Freedom Fuel I picked up at Farmers & Planters is doing better than I expected, the slowest burning pellet I've tried for what it's worth.

 

[JBfarm]

Ace in Thurmont, MD got a shipment of Hamers in 2 days ago. Wish I had known last week that they'd be getting pellets in, would have saved me a trip to Dundalk, but hope this helps someone else.

 

[DobieMom]

Seaford TSC called me and said they won't have any more pellets until fall. The True Value (Choptank Supply) said they found some for people who were desperate, $8.50/bag! He's still hoping for a regular shipment, from what I could tell. The good news, for me, is that the Freedom Fuel I picked up at Farmers & Planters is doing better than I expected, the slowest burning pellet I've tried for what it's worth.

Haven't tried the Freedoms - read too many negatives on them. Glad to hear they're working for you! Survival was still out as of today and hoping that will change soon since we still have some burning time left!