Multi fuel burn usage

[Ed.suitt]

With the current cold snap...
My usual pellets that would keep us in the mid 70s are keeping us in the low 60s. House is 120 y/o, stove is a 25 PDVC that is every bit of 20 y/o.
Can I mix corn with the pellets for extra heat without messing things up?
The wife is cold, and how the old saying goes! If she is happy, you are happy. If she is not, you better fix it until she is. 😆

 

[Ed.suitt]

No one?

 

[bogieb]

Unless your manual specifically says you can mix in corn, I would not. I don't see that option on the manual I found online, but if you have the original, that may give you better info since stoves have changed over the years.

 

[Former Farmer]

Corn is also hard on the venting. Acidic fumes eat away at the venting.

 

[Lordtimothy200]

What stove do you have? You can mix a little corn with most stoves. If you want max heat you need to go full corn and that will require a multi fuel stove or a dedicated corn burner. We have a drafty farm house and pellets just will not keep the house warm.

 

[bogieb]

What stove do you have? You can mix a little corn with most stoves. If you want max heat you need to go full corn and that will require a multi fuel stove or a dedicated corn burner. We have a drafty farm house and pellets just will not keep the house warm.

The OP stated the stove is a 25 PDVC

 

[peakbagger]

Ultimately you are messing with symptom. Spend the time to chase down the inevitable air leaks in the house that are making your stove not have enough capacity to heat the place. Check to see if your state or utility company has a reduced cost or free energy audit that uses a blower door and possibly thermal cameras to find the heat leaks. Its far better investment than buying more fuel.

 

[Lordtimothy200]

The OP stated the stove is a 25 PDVC

Doh missed that in the original post. What can I say, I am the product of the public school system.

I don't believe it is recommended to burn corn in your stove.

peakbagger has it right. Fix the leaks and insulate. When we first moved into our house, built about the same time as yours, we had a air leak test done and it was so bad the inspector said it was like having both the front and back doors open at all times. After insulating, new windows and a cases of caulking we are down to a fraction of that (long as we block off the doggie doors and back porch). It went from freezing with the electric furnace running 24/7 to comfortable with just the corn stove running.

In the end though, you do have a smaller sized stove so when it gets down to the extreme cold snaps, there just may not be anything you can do to keep the house warm enough. When you start to hit the 15-20 below zero and 30-50mph winds there is just no way to keep most old houses warm.

 

[rickwai]

What stove do you have? You can mix a little corn with most stoves. If you want max heat you need to go full corn and that will require a multi fuel stove or a dedicated corn burner. We have a drafty farm house and pellets just will not keep the house warm.

What stove are you running? I run straight corn in a St Croix Lancaster. Yes the corn exhaust can be tough on venting. Mine just goes straight out to a term cap. The very end of my pipe rots off after about 5 yrs. I have found a SS Tee that I use for a term cap that slides inside my 3" vent that has prolonged the pipe eliminating the joint on the Galvanized end of the pipe

 

[Lordtimothy200]

I have a St Croix Auburn stove with it vented straight out the wall about 3'. No term cap or anything. I personally have not noticed any corrosion or wear on the pipe. Check it every year and I think the issue is when you have a bend or two. Honestly though we rarely run it on the lowest setting. Hotter always seem to keep it cleaner for sure.