Pellet Prices

[bob huehne]

I am in Wisconsin and have electric heat which is now my backup and my pellet stove is my main souce. I wonder if this propane shortage may drive the price of pellets up? I have been contemplating getting another pallet today in case that happens. Does anyone else think they price of pellets may start to rise as well if this cold keeps up?

 

[alternativeheat]

I am in Wisconsin and have electric heat which is now my backup and my pellet stove is my main souce. I wonder if this propane shortage may drive the price of pellets up? I have been contemplating getting another pallet today in case that happens. Does anyone else think they price of pellets may start to rise as well if this cold keeps up?

That could happen as a result of panic from everyone doing what you want to do, causing a sudden shortage of pellets. From there it mushrooms.

 

[bob huehne]

That could happen as a result of panic from everyone doing what you want to do, causing a sudden shortage of pellets. From there it mushrooms.

Interesting thought. I am going to need them anyway I just don't need them right now. I could go another month or close to it before I will need them. Guess I will have to decide if I want to bother getting them now or not and see what happens.

 

[urkiddin]

It's your call but here around me places are running out already.

 

[moey]

I would be surprised to see the prices increasing at big box stores they may run out but they usually don't raise the price because people want them more.

 

[Bioburner]

Last year HD quit handling pellets first of March and that was without the going on three months of extreme cold. Fleet farm usually carries year around so will probably ok in WI and MN. Ive tried using the Marth bedding pellets at fleet farm for 4.89 and the Elena loves them. Almost no fines and smell great. Forgot what the price is per pallet.

 

[bdaoust]

It's your call but here around me places are running out already.

I'm in your area - there are places with pellets. Who is running out?

 

[Bioburner]

I'm in your area - there are places with pellets. Who is running out?

Another thread has the price hitting 7 and 8 per bag, check out the thread "Softwood pellets"

 

[bob huehne]

Another thread has the price hitting 7 and 8 per bag

That is what I feared. lol I can turn the electric back on before I would pay that but i think that makes up my mind to get one more pallet now as prices haven't changed here yet. I will need it anyway so just as well do it now.

 

[Bioburner]

That is what I feared. lol I can turn the electric back on before I would pay that but i think that makes up my mind to get one more pallet now as prices haven't changed here yet. I will need it anyway so just as well do it now.

I went and got 90 bushels of corn Friday to blend and feed the Bixby. Just don't see the end of this cold

 

[chken]

I am in Wisconsin and have electric heat which is now my backup and my pellet stove is my main souce. I wonder if this propane shortage may drive the price of pellets up? I have been contemplating getting another pallet today in case that happens. Does anyone else think they price of pellets may start to rise as well if this cold keeps up?

Sure, as propane costs and nat gas costs go up, the cost of electricity goes up, which means the cost of making pellets go up, so eventually pellet prices rise.

Personally, I think it's a short-term fluctuation, that won't affect pellet prices, except those opportunists who want to gouge the public.

 

[bob huehne]

I went and got 90 bushels of corn Friday to blend and feed the Bixby. Just don't see the end of this cold

I don't see no end to this cold either. I got the last pallet at menards $3.99 a bag but they had the 11% going on so I bought a gift card for 11% off and then used it to get the pellets for an additional 11% off. I haven't got my rebates yet but I assume it should work. Right now farm fleet has them for $3.99 a bag (same indek pellets) and a 10% sale going on today and don't have to fart around sending for rebates for that so I think I am off to fleet for another pallet. I wouldn't do it if I was just buying them in fear to store em for next year as I would feel bad if I was shorting someone who may need them and can't get them if a shortage of pellets came about but since I will burn them easily before winter ends (if it ever ends) I am going to just buy it now I think.

 

[urkiddin]

I'm in your area - there are places with pellets. Who is running out?

Stopped at TSC yesterday. Had some Green Supremes that I bought, heard the lady say they had 1 pallet of pellets left. Went by the local hardware store down the road, no pallets left in the yard. Called a place in Vt that I usually get VWP from, none there till maybe March sometime.

 

[Scott M]

Just bought my third ton in Northwest NJ. Got it at the Tractor Supply. They said they had a 25 bag limit at $4.39 per bag. I bought 2 half tons. I checked the Lowes and Home Cheapo on the web and it said out of stock for purchase of a ton in my area. Next season I will buy 3 tons upfront in the summer so I don't have to deal with price gouging and manufactured crisis's.

 

[moey]

Just bought my third ton in Northwest NJ. Got it at the Tractor Supply. They said they had a 25 bag limit at $4.39 per bag. I bought 2 half tons. I checked the Lowes and Home Cheapo on the web and it said out of stock for purchase of a ton in my area. Next season I will buy 3 tons upfront in the summer so I don't have to deal with price gouging and manufactured crisis's.

Is that price gouging though that sounds like their normal price they just limited the number you could buy.

 

[Scott M]

Is that price gouging though that sounds like their normal price they just limited the number you could buy.

You're right that doesn't constitute gouging. There are stores in my area that are gouging though.

 

[bdaoust]

Stopped at TSC yesterday. Had some Green Supremes that I bought, heard the lady say they had 1 pallet of pellets left. Went by the local hardware store down the road, no pallets left in the yard. Called a place in Vt that I usually get VWP from, none there till maybe March sometime.

Ya pretty bummed TSC is out of their brand pellet. I thought it was a decent pellet. Green Supreme not so much (or at least last year)

 

[Scott M]

The TSC brand burnt pretty good for me. I did notice a lot of dust in the bag though. The ton I got today was a white bag that says premium pellet fuel on it. Haven't burnt any yet. I called before I went there and the guy told me about the 25 bag limit. When I got there I saw about 30 tons of pellets in the lot so I said whats up with that ? I could understand if he only had 4 tons on the lot. The guy said he would sell out in less than a week so I said that they should buy more then. It reminded me of the old Doritos commercial where Jay Leno stood there with a bag of chips and said "crunch all you want we'll make more" I think the TSC should say to me "burn all you want we'll make more"

 

[bdaoust]

Scary that suppliers are running out. We have at least 4 more months of cold weather.

 

[Pelletluvr]

Well at least we will have the groundhog to fall back on this Sunday. I think it's supposed to be cloudy in PA so spring will be right around the corner.
FWIW, I buy all my fuel needs off season so when the weather turns extreme, I say let em eat cake.

 

[Bioburner]

Checked out the local HD and were down to 3 tons. Didn't bother to ask about if going to get more as they already have the lawn equipment and grills fully stocked. Going to be interesting to see people get those tanks filled if bulk fill is $5 per gallon.

 

[Scott M]

yeah, don't get me started on propane. glad I pre bought that in July.

 

[Bioburner]

yeah, don't get me started on propane. glad I pre bought that in July.

Most contracts according to the news are voided in this scenario. Read the fine print

 

[ScotL]

Many other product's prices would be through the roof when demand is high and supply is low. Can you imagine the price of oil if there was a limit on the amount you could buy because not enough could be produced? We don't have to imagine what the price would be with a short supply of propane or natural gas. We're seeing it. Same with electricity. We've seen it with oil before too. Fortunately, local pellet producers all across the country don't play those games.
Another thing we have going in our favor is pellets aren't seen nationally as a necessity. You don't hear it on the news and it doesn't cause a big panic when pellet supply is low like we see with propane or natural gas. That's helped keep pellet price trends flat compared to about every other fuel.

 

[DOLLARBILL]

so far in my neck of the woods i havent seen a shortage of pellets but called the local feed store just to see what the price of a ton of corn was for heating with a bixby we have guess what he said it was so high they dont bother to carry corn other than for feed and its on the ear !