Should I switch?

[Mikeflys]

We have been using a traditional wood stove for years as a back up/enjoyment heat source. We live in a desert area and I normally buy my firewood from a tree service. This summer I sustained a back injury. I am not sure if I am going to be able to stack the wood, split kindling, haul the wood from the wood pile to my house. We are considering replacing the wood stove with a pellet unit. We were told that a ton of quality pellets runs in the $300 range and that burning primarily in the evenings we would go through around 2 ton in a winter. We have been paying $450.00 a cord for firewood and burning 3 to 4 cord a winter. Here are my questions, how much electricity will a good quality pellet stove consume, how badly will it impact our electric bill. Is there anything else I should be aware of when switching from wood to pellets? We have a dealer for Harman stoves here in town, also a dealer for Quadra Fire (our wood stove is a quadra fire) and a Avalon.
Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[TimfromMA]

A typical pellet stove running 24/7 will add approximately $30 per month to your electric bill depending on your stove and electric rates. Make sure the stove is installed in the room where your family spends most of their time. Get a stove with an igniter and install an external thermostat.

Oil heat is now slightly cheaper than pelllets. If you have it, I would turn on the oil or gas heat rather than buy a pellet stove right now. I'm going to burn pellets this winter only because I already have the stove and pellets but I wouldn't buy one right now.

 

[mithesaint]

Maybe I missed this, but pellet bags are 40 lbs, and you have a bad back? Seems it would be easier to handle a few splits than 40 lbs of pellets.

Hopefully you can get a better deal than 300/ton in Idaho. Plenty of good softwood pellets on the west coast.

 

[bogieb]

The only thing about using a pellet stove as a backup heat source is that a pellet stove MUST have electricity to run blowers and feeder motor. At the very least you need a UPS that will give the stove time to shut down in the event of a power failure (okay, some people don't have any draft issues so it isn't a problem, but others get smoke backed up into the house). So, if your area is prone to electrical outages, then you would also need a generator (which sort of makes it so you could run your regular heat source). Also, you probably can't run the exhaust out of your existing chimney, so that may be an added cost.

Pellets would be easier on your back, make less mess, and apparently be cheaper for fuel than your woodstove. $30 electricity that Tim mentioned sounds about right. Depends upon your electric rates - might be even cheaper in your area.

I love Harman's, easy to maintain and run. Quads have generally good reputations, but you might take a look around at the posts on recent issues with the Mt. Vernon just to be fully informed. I have no experience or knowledge of Avalon's. You might look into seeing if there are any used stoves out there on CL instead of buying new too. Just a thought - although buying new does have some advantages (especially on your back)

Welcome to the forum and ignore those that plea for you to burn more oil. You already stated your reasons for looking at pellet stoves, and none of those reasons involved saving money on you regular heat bill.

 

[bogieb]

Maybe I missed this, but pellet bags are 40 lbs, and you have a bad back? Seems it would be easier to handle a few splits than 40 lbs of pellets.

I certainly find it much easier to handle the bags than all the stacking and hauling of wood that I used to do - now that was work. Bags are nothing compared to those. And, if he gets the pellets delivered and placed where they are to be stored, each bag is only handled once.

 

[Pete Zahria]

If you are paying around $450 for a cord of wood,
You should scrap that idea today.
The pellets would be so much cheaper and much easier on you.
You'll have your heat supply in a MUCH smaller area... cleaner... and more consistent temps..
I put a bag of pellets, into two 5 gal. pails for easier stove filling..
Maybe you cannot get them out there, but LG Super Premiums come in 30# bags.
A big seller here.....

Good luck!

Dan

 

[DneprDave]

Pellet prices are a lot higher in the east. Here in Western Washington, pellets are about $200/ton. I would think that in Idaho, pellets would be closer to $200 than $300 per ton.

Dave

 

[redbill]

check for Wood stove to pellet stove conversion rebates. Not sure about your state, but mine has them.

 

[Mikeflys]

Hello everyone and thanks for all the information. As far as the price I quoted for pellets, we have only shopped at one store so far. We need to do a lot of research before we make any decisions and I am sure we can find a better price. Same with the stoves itself. We have looked at a local farm store and a stove dealer. We will check many more before we make any decision. And the biggest thing for us right now, I have an MRI appointment tonight, the results of this MRI will tell if I will have surgery or not. If no surgery, we may not change stoves.

 

[Pete Zahria]

honestly... if you are spending $450 for wood,
i just question.... "why"?
the advantages all point to pellets..

Dan

 

[Mikeflys]

Its the initial cost, stove + pipe and install. I understand that over the long haul we would save money, but we still have to come up with the cash for startup.

 

[gfreek]

You are correct in shopping, brands , prices, BTU, install costs, maintenance, etc.. Heat from a pellets stove is different than a wood burner...cover all the bases before purchasing. Also dealer support is important.... Good luck to you and your back..

 

[Pete Zahria]

Its the initial cost, stove + pipe and install. I understand that over the long haul we would save money, but we still have to come up with the cash for startup.

I hear ya, believe me.
But I don't look at just payback.
Older now, I look at
Convenience, less bother, more consistent heat, less bother, easier on the body,
less bother, cleaner, safer, less bother....
Hard to put a price tag on so many variables..

Dan

 

[rona]

The price for pellets has been 200.00 a ton for Indeck for several years in Minn. This spring they decided to go from 4.00 a bag to 5.85. This in spite of lower fuel for transportation costs. Corn seems to be at 3.25 for a bushel which is 56 lbs. This is a good time to own a multi fuel stove which will burn pellets and several grains such as corn, wheat, or even cherry pits. A good idea would be to buy a used multi fuel stove and go through it replacing wear items. Often you can buy used stove replace wear items and end up with a like new stove for half price.

 

[bogieb]

I hear ya, believe me.
But I don't look at just payback.
Older now, I look at
Convenience, less bother, more consistent heat, less bother, easier on the body,
less bother, cleaner, safer, less bother....
Hard to put a price tag on so many variables..

Dan

That's all well and good if you have the money up front or credit; and some, such as I, don't do most things on credit (which is one reason I have excellent credit).

 

[Pete Zahria]

That's all well and good if you have the money up front or credit; and some, such as I, don't do most things on credit (which is one reason I have excellent credit).

And of course, that is your choice...
But like I said, you can't put a dollar value on everything.
At some point you say, "the heck with this"... and treat yourself
to something that may not make sense.
In the OP's case, I'd bet dollar to donuts if he gets a pellet stove
he will say "why did I wait"..?
But that's me..

I often think of getting a P68... just do get one.
Makes no sense at all, in my position.
But when they close that cover, and drop me in the ground,
That money won't be with me either way.....

 

[bogieb]

And of course, that is your choice...
But like I said, you can't put a dollar value on everything.
At some point you say, "the heck with this"... and treat yourself
to something that may not make sense.

Did that - called a Harley Davidson Merlot Sunglow Street Glide Motorcycle. .

 

[Mikeflys]

Did that - called a Harley Davidson Merlot Sunglow Street Glide Motorcycle. .

Ok now I hate you
I need a stove not a Harley.........or do I?

 

[Mikeflys]

One more question for you all. How hot does the top surface of a pellet stove get? Is it like my wood stove where the heat radiates primarily from the door and the top surface? Or since it is using a fan to move the heat is the top cooler? It would seem with the main access for the pellet hopper on top that the top must be somewhat cool.

 

[CleanFire]

No, much different - depending on stove, 150 - 200 degrees, if blowing correctly almost all heat will be blown out of the stove. It's a softer, gradual heat, takes 1/2 to 1 hour to really get up to temp. here, but keeps the living space 5 degrees warmer vs. oil only. We were happy campers this past winter here..

* depending on model / brand / dealer support, consider a 6" inch -> 4" inch reducer on existing stove piping, w/ a 3" -> 4" adapter on back of pellet stove.. If using existing fireplace chimney venting, you may/will need a proper chimney cap.

(If your wood stove worked w/ existing venting, use what you got, don't reinvent the wheel / spend $$$.)

 

[DneprDave]

I suppose stoves vary, I can put my hand on the top of my stove, but not on the door.

The door is the only hot spot, I can even leave my hand on the exhaust vent piping.

 

[Mikeflys]

Yes we are planning on using the existing chimney for the new stove. They will just have to reduce down the 6" chimney pipe to the whatever size the stove uses. I'm glad to hear that the top is not raging hot. We have a pet bird that I am always paranoid will land on top of the stove when it is hot.

 

[CleanFire]

That's true, the top of the Ecoteck here runs hotter vs. other stove configurations, due to the top of the heat exchanger being directly exposed underneath the humidifier tray. (We've removed the tray, and added a layer of granite to provide better protection & heat exchange here. Edit: that is specific to our stove / model, something you won't have to do on yours.)

 

[CleanFire]

We have a pet bird that I am always paranoid will land on top of the stove when it is hot.

Nice looking bird! re: pets, we have a cat, he'll be relaxing in front of the stove, we have to move him to feed pellets.. No worries on stove pipe venting, just use double-walled pipe to the existing chimney vent, it's cool enough to touch, like DpnerDave posted above.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Did that - called a Harley Davidson...........

there ya go..... that's what I'm talkin' about....

Dan