New guy looking for some help, Pellet furnace?s

[NorthernVA_Ag]

I am in northern VA and currently on all electric heat.

I want to go to something else for my supplemental heat. Use the heat pump down to about 40* then use either propane furnace or pellet furnace.

Obvious concern with propane is the volatile cost of propane. However, it is the simplest set up. Tied in to one thermostat, set and forget.

Pellet furnace - questions
- daily? weekly? maintenance.
- how are they tied in to the thermostat? would I manually have to shut off the heat pump one day in Nov and then turn on the pellet furnace? Or can it be set up like a propane dual fuel (set and forget)?
-How long can you be gone and let it run? vacations, etc.

I am faced with a $7K propane install vs $10K pellet furnace install. 120K BTU system.

 

[bogieb]

Pellet furnaces are a whole different animal to pellet stoves. However, there are a couple of guys on this forum that run furnaces and could probably answer your questions. You might try adding Pellet Furnace to your title to attract their attention.

 

[NorthernVA_Ag]

I would, but dont know how.

My other option would be to replace the propane log insert with a pellet stove insert - around $4K. Obviously, no automation and no large hopper for long time away. Would still be at mercy of electric heat when Im away. Set at 63* during the day is still costing me $450/mo in electricity...

 

[F4jock]

I would, but dont know how.

My other option would be to replace the propane log insert with a pellet stove insert - around $4K. Obviously, no automation and no large hopper for long time away. Would still be at mercy of electric heat when Im away. Set at 63* during the day is still costing me $450/mo in electricity...

Yes automation if you get a Harman. If you are away lots hopper size is a problem. My insert easily does twelve hours and more.up here in frigid NEPA.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Northern Va is still close enough to make coal an economical choice as well as a logical choice. A new coal stoker can give you 105,000 btu/hr for days before refilling or emptying the coals at 1/2 the cost of pellets. BUT it's up to you.

 

[NHcpa]

I think ALL fuel sources are volatile ...including pellet with the shortages and price spikes of late. Guess it all depends on the flavor of the month...

 

[Skier76]

I would, but dont know how.

My other option would be to replace the propane log insert with a pellet stove insert - around $4K. Obviously, no automation and no large hopper for long time away. Would still be at mercy of electric heat when Im away. Set at 63* during the day is still costing me $450/mo in electricity...

Are you looking for something to help when you're away from home for a few days or something to heat while you are at work?

We have an insert and it chugs along while we are away at work for the day. I just hooked it up to a wifi t-stat. Works great.

 

[papa bears stove]

I have a PSG Alterna pellet furnace here in NY and love it. It is controlled by a Tstat and can be put on a programmable Tstat if so desired. Furnace runs itself and is simple to learn. The install is very similar to a pellet stove with the exception of the duct work. This can also be hooked up to electric backup on the furnace. I did not hook up the electric on mine. Only thing I've had to do was replace one combustion motor and haven't had any other issues with it. Been hearing with it for five years now.

 

[elevenMracing]

I have a Harman PF120:
-Only been using it for 2.5 weeks, love it so far, no problems, heats way better than my 100,000btu Trane lp furnace
-Cleaning takes about an hour, I've done it once a week, which is overkill because it's still relatively clean when I do it.
-Located in Manitowoc, WI (30mins south of GB), average temp has been 30 deg F, hopper hold 4 bags, I've been averaging 2.8 per 24 hours so I fill it every morning. Heating 3,000sq ft (600 basement, field stone walls) to a comfortable and consistent 72-73 degrees
-Hooked up to it's own old school dial thermostat w/ low fuel warning light, I have seen instruction from Harman about how to wire it up to a programmable thermostat but it's highly unlikely I'll do that due to my unpredictable work/home schedule and our current childcare setup.

 

[elevenMracing]

I have 2 separate thermostats, one for the pellet stove and another for my LP stove. The LP is strictly a back-up so the power to it is shut off. Based on my pellet usage so far, and I do realize that it's only been a little over two weeks, so it's pretty early to judge. I don't feel I'll be saving much over LP this season. Propane is cheap here at $1.99gal, pellets are $226ton. However my house feel much warmer even though the thermostats display about the same heat settings, the pellet heat is much, much more consistent. I am also heating my basement with the pellets where I was not with LP so perhaps they are a bit more cost effective this year. I am willing to bet over the next ten years that pellets do save me a bunch over LP though. I wish I would have have this setup last year for the LP crisis we experienced here, got hit pretty hard there.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Just curious as to whether you have an OAK on the pellet furnace, but did not have a similar, dedicated outside air source for the LP furnace? Wondering if that could account for difference in how house feels even when Tstats are set to same temp.

 

[elevenMracing]

Could very well be. That is one thing I did not account for. No OAK on the LP, but I do indeed have one on the Harman.

 

[elevenMracing]

Wilbur Feral:

After thinking a little more into your question I now feel like you hit the nail on the head there. A few weeks back when I was spending a lot of time in my basement building the ductwork for the pellet furnace I was still obviously utilizing my lp furnace to heat my home. Whenever the lp would run I remember feeling ice cold drfts leaking in around a poorly sealed plate glass window inthe basemet as well as around the boarder up window where my pellet and lp furnaces vent. Now that I am using the pellet ffurnace with an outside air kit I no longer feel those drafts. This would make sense as the pellet furnace with OAK would not create a vacuum in the basement like the lp using basement air for combustion would. I would also say that the first floor of the house feesl less drafty, maybe that's just in my head though. I guess we'll find out for sure when the real nasty-cold temps get here. I wish I could afford a thermal imaging camera so I could really see the difference.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

I was/am fairly certain that was it, because most people don't have the equivalent of an OAK for LP or NG furnaces, even though it's not a bad idea. In general, separating combustion air from the rest of the home's air supply is a good idea for any combusting appliance because pumping exhaust gases out of the home creates a need for an equal volume of air to be pulled in. So the difference in how the home feels, even at an equal temperature, is very likely due to the reduction in drafts and also the higher levels of humidity you can more easily maintain without the accelerated air exchange.

Will be curious as to how you like your pellet furnace. I have been contemplating one for two years now, but we are likely to sell this house within the next five, so it doesn't make sense for me. I am very jealous, and look forward to hearing your reports. Good luck with it!

 

[bogieb]

I was/am fairly certain that was it, because most people don't have the equivalent of an OAK for LP or NG furnaces, even though it's not a bad idea. In general, separating combustion air from the rest of the home's air supply is a good idea for any combusting appliance because pumping exhaust gases out of the home creates a need for an equal volume of air to be pulled in. So the difference in how the home feels, even at an equal temperature, is very likely due to the reduction in drafts and also the higher levels of humidity you can more easily maintain without the accelerated air exchange.

Will be curious as to how you like your pellet furnace. I have been contemplating one for two years now, but we are likely to sell this house within the next five, so it doesn't make sense for me. I am very jealous, and look forward to hearing your reports. Good luck with it!

Some of that warmer feeling could also come from the basement being heated too. That will keep the floors warmer, which means you can go barefoot and not freeze your feet. So, even with the air temp the same, your body isn't getting coldish drafts from the floor. Just a thought, nothing scientific there - but I do know that last winter, before putting in the pellet stove in the basement, I wore shoes until bedtime because my feet were cold.

 

[moey]

You will never need a 120K btu furnace. Anyone selling you one does not know anything about heating systems. Look elsewhere for something smaller. Sorry harsh reality.

 

[elevenMracing]

moey:
That's the beauty of a pellet furnace, heat output completely adjustable so I am more or less able to run it at whatever btu I want (within reason).

 

[hossthehermit]

I've been heating my whole house with a st. Croix Revolution for 6 years, it's tied into the same ductwork as my oil furnace, I run 2 different thermostats, only times I run the oil is once in the fall to make sure it works, power outages when I'm running the generator, or if I screw up and run out of pellets ............. I shut down and dump the ash pan once a week and give it a quick clean during the heating season when it's running 24/7, more thorough after a ton or so ............... as far as how long you can run, all depends how cold out it is and how warm ya want to keep it inside, my hopper holds about 3 bags of pellets .............

 

[SKOAL MAN]

I have 2 separate thermostats, one for the pellet stove and another for my LP stove. The LP is strictly a back-up so the power to it is shut off. Based on my pellet usage so far, and I do realize that it's only been a little over two weeks, so it's pretty early to judge. I don't feel I'll be saving much over LP this season. Propane is cheap here at $1.99gal, pellets are $226ton. However my house feel much warmer even though the thermostats display about the same heat settings, the pellet heat is much, much more consistent. I am also heating my basement with the pellets where I was not with LP so perhaps they are a bit more cost effective this year. I am willing to bet over the next ten years that pellets do save me a bunch over LP though. I wish I would have have this setup last year for the LP crisis we experienced here, got hit pretty hard there.

Of course it feels warmer, at 2.8 bags per day x $5 that's $420 month! What are you going to do when its cold out?

 

[moey]

moey:
That's the beauty of a pellet furnace, heat output completely adjustable so I am more or less able to run it at whatever btu I want (within reason).

To get 120k out of the furnace it has to move lots and lots of air across the heat exchanger your ductwork probably would not handle it so your losing efficiency right there.

Just because its adjustable does not mean its optimal.

Things to think about thats all. Go big, go broke...

 

[AccentraRRT]

Are you looking for something to help when you're away from home for a few days or something to heat while you are at work?

We have an insert and it chugs along while we are away at work for the day. I just hooked it up to a wifi t-stat. Works great.

I'd be interested in how your hooked it up to a wifi t-stat. Maybe a talk for a different thread or could you email me on what you used and how you did it?

 

[elevenMracing]

$4.54 a bag x 2.8 per day x 30 day month= $382 per month. Multiply that across 6 months and we're just short of $2,300.00 That's about what I would spend on LP so if it ends up in that neighborhood I'm good with it considering I'm also heating my basement now and the house feels way warmer and more consistent. No more staring at the lp thermostat wondering how long it will be before it kicks on. I'm not sure how many actual BTU's I'm getting out, but I know so far with my cost vs. heat/comfort analysis I'm pleased. I do know my ducting is of a capable size as I designed and installed much of it myself. In fact going by the running amperage of the distribution fan motor I'm a little on the big side. They want 6.9 amps, I;m running at 6.2 amps, so to be "by the book" I'd have to install a damper to restrict the flow slightly. I do know my return system is undersized a bit (not my design... yet) and will be working to correct that. The return system is more of a concern with AC than it is heat so I will wait until the time gap between heating and cooling seasons to correct those issues so I open the system and work on it for the required time without having to worry about the need to run a furnace during that process.

 

[elevenMracing]

I do realize that I'm currently trying to plot and entire heating season's usage based off of an 18 day run period so far. My numbers may come out way different than what I'm expecting to see at this point, but hey this stuff is fun for me. I also enjoy getting drunk and racing cars, so I can't explain to you how the data tracking fits in there, it's my OCD I suppose. One other side note is that the handful of days where the temps have averaged in the low 20's here my pellet usage only seems to rise by approximately .2 or .3 bags a day. Again a short window of research, but I'm optimistic about how my furnace and house combination will handle the near or sub-zero temperatures that will inevitably arrive.