See, you point out facts and people get so defensive. Sometimes I wonder why bother. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
Prices up for early buy!
- Thread starter MCPO
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
See, you point out facts and people get so defensive. Sometimes I wonder why bother. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
Efficiency of each unit is different. You are talking about input BTU IHATE The pellet stove could be 80% efficient 63M * .8 = 50.4 M BTU output vs. Oil Burner maybe 60% efficient 84M * .6 = 50.4 BTUS output BTUs (could be 85% and 65% or 90% and 70% whatever looks the same to me)
or the pellet stove is more efficient
A central heating system will use more fuel then a space heater. Your heating your entire house with a central heating system not just the corner you live in. Just look at the folks with pellet boilers they burn a lot more.
I burnt 4 tons + so far (still burning) . I know for sure I`d spend a grand more for oil than I spent for pellets. I like the grand in my checkbook and the little bit of exercise I get from the pellets but the oil was much more even temps in all rooms and much more comfortable.
That said , I wasn`t cold using pellets only last winter either and I feel good about cutting the use of high priced oil.
That said , I wasn`t cold using pellets only last winter either and I feel good about cutting the use of high priced oil.
So, the pellet stove would seem to be more efficient. I can heat exactly what I need without wasting energy heating places I dont care about.
Pellets don't magically allow you to heat the same space to the same temp with less btus.
I save a considerable amount of money over propane. However, the far corners of my house are colder, my basement is colder, the rooms vary in temp one end from the other.
A good portion of savings is lack of even heat.
I save a considerable amount of money over propane. However, the far corners of my house are colder, my basement is colder, the rooms vary in temp one end from the other.
A good portion of savings is lack of even heat.
I ended up burning 4 ton between my two stoves this past winter (still burning today too). Price from my local shop for Ambiance was $259/ton if you order before June 1. I tried these for about a week this past winter and liked them. Put out more heat and less ash than anything else I've tried so far, so going with those for next winter.
When they delivered them last week, I asked if a lot of people were taking advantage of the spring buy this year. Figured that they would be, but he said no - been quieter than last Spring.
When they delivered them last week, I asked if a lot of people were taking advantage of the spring buy this year. Figured that they would be, but he said no - been quieter than last Spring.
You could do the same by closing vents or turning off your radiator in places you dont want to heat with oil. This would bring your oil consumption down to about 450 gallons per year based on your pellet consumption.
I have always bought during the spring special. This will be the first year I have not because the prices seem to be a lot higher. So I am gambling a bit hat the box stores will be a better option this fall. I have a ton and a half left over so I am not panicking....yet
Yeah - these were up around $10-12/ton more than last year I think, but I bit anyway. I always feel better when I look at next winter's heat all stored on my property....something in my mind leftover from my wood burning days.
We burn just enough
I use to use about 800 gals of dino juice/year ~ now I use about 6 tons of pellets (except this winter about 7).
It's relative as long as wages and/or disposable income are increasing proportionally. Otherwise, the buyer loses and that sucks.
At the end of the day as long as your saving money and warm is all that really matters.
Yeah that amount saved might not be 100% accurate but it's still a good amount (close to it). efficiency and lower cost per BTU together make it worth it for me.
See, it didn't take but a month or two for people to accept $7 a bag pellets as the norm! No wonder we pay $4 for a gallon of gas that cost $1.76 5 short years ago and say nothing!
Pellet producers aren't stupid. They see this as a sign that their prices were too low. Never again.
That's actually the selling point of the growing popularity of mini-split heat pump systems. You can set each unit individually to whatever temp you want.
I thought the rule of thumb was 1 bag pellets = 2.33 gallons of oil.
So $7 pellets = $3 per gallon of oil.
$4.50 pellets = $1.92 per gallon of oil.
$6 pellets = $2.57 per gallon.
Lastly $3.36 oil = $7.83 per bag of pellets or $392 (if free delivery ).
If you paid $345 per ton of Okanagan you would break even at $2.96 /gal., which is hardly worth all the effort pellet burning requires, a whopping savings of $1 per bag for all the storage, handling, stacking, daily and weekly cleanings, plus cost of stove maintenance items. 6 tons of Okies (@ $345 ) would save you $300 ( @$3.36/gal ) per heating season if you got free delivery and had zero maintenance cost.
If you pay $220 per ton at BBS and use 6 tons you save $1,036, again if you had free delivery and zero maintenance costs.
The other consideration is that a pellet stove presumably will keep you warm 68+ degrees... I never did that with oil. Certainly, labor added to either a pellet or wood pile is worth something.
- Status
Similar threads
