Small wood stove using bio bricks vs pellet stove

[coachk]

So, this thread
Harman Absolute 43 or Blaze King Ashford 20.2
got me wondering. How would a small wood stove using bio bricks compare to a pellet stove in terms of cost, maintenance, overall use compare?

 

[ABusWrench]

So, this thread
Harman Absolute 43 or Blaze King Ashford 20.2
got me wondering. How would a small wood stove using bio bricks compare to a pellet stove in terms of cost, maintenance, overall use compare?

I too have wondered this. I use them in my fireplace and fire ring on the patio. Burn hot and clean, no dirt or bugs and stack real nice.

 

[SpaceBus]

Our first winter I heated with bio bricks. I think they would work better in a cat stove than a secondary stove. Burning bio bricks in a BK sounds more appealing than pellets

 

[clancey]

How long do those bricks burn anyway? Do they give off good heat? Could you burn them in a wood stove? clancey Thanks..

 

[EbS-P]

I think the biggest difference would be the low constant heat output of a pellet stove vs the high to low heat output burn cycle of the stove. You might probably need to locally price out bricks vs pellets. You are close enough to this outfit so it’s worth looking into. https://www.libertybricks.com/
My guess says retail like at tractor supply bricks are more expensive. I vote bricks.

 

[SpaceBus]

I think the biggest difference would be the low constant heat output of a pellet stove vs the high to low heat output burn cycle of the stove. You might probably need to locally price out bricks vs pellets. You are close enough to this outfit so it’s worth looking into. https://www.libertybricks.com/
My guess says retail like at tractor supply bricks are more expensive. I vote bricks.

They aren't too bad in price when you buy them by the pallet. Usually $300 or less, pretty close to pellet prices.

How long do those bricks burn anyway? Do they give off good heat? Could you burn them in a wood stove? clancey Thanks..

They burn kind of like cordwood and are a good fuel source if you don't have firewood that is under 20% moisture content. Our first winter we supplemented a pallet of bio bricks to try and bring the overall moisture content of a load of firewood under 20%. This worked well for us, but I prefer cordwood.

 

[clancey]

Thanks---Could I start my first fire with something like that? clancey

 

[SpaceBus]

Thanks---Could I start my first fire with something like that? clancey

For break in fires I would use cut offs from 2x4's, pallets, and other dry (untreated) dimensional lumber since it will burn fast and not as hot as the bio brick type products. Usually the first few fires are meant to gradually build in size to slowly break in the stove.

 

[clancey]

Good to know...thanks..

 

[bogieb]

Depends on the way you use the stove. For those of us that use pellet stove(s) to heat whole house, full time, the biggest thing would be having to constantly load biobricks into the stove. I have extensions on both my pellet stoves so even in the coldest of times only feed them once per day (and they are by no means out of pellets so it's probably much longer). Then during spring and fall, I dump a bag in every 4 days (or more). Pellet stoves also light themselves.

However, if you only want a fire at night, or during a power outage, I would think the biobricks would work well

 

[SpaceBus]

Depends on what you call constantly. A couple of loads of bio bricks per day would heat most homes.

 

[coachk]

I'm looking to supplement a heat pump in the evenings and at night. Would probably only run all day on the weekends or holiday during cold front. I'm leaning towards wood stove with bio bricks as primary. When I am able to or want to do the firewood think I will. I have been thinking pellet stove for a year now but I think I am leaning towards wood stove again now. Anyone buy by the pallet and use bricks exclusively?

 

[SpaceBus]

I'm looking to supplement a heat pump in the evenings and at night. Would probably only run all day on the weekends or holiday during cold front. I'm leaning towards wood stove with bio bricks as primary. When I am able to or want to do the firewood think I will. I have been thinking pellet stove for a year now but I think I am leaning towards wood stove again now. Anyone buy by the pallet and use bricks exclusively?

I have burned just bio bricks, but I preferred them mixed with cordwood. Perhaps a different stove would work better with the brick shaped products since my stove is a long skinny stove. On a more square or wide rectangle stove, such as are more popular here in the US, the bio bricks probably work better. I imagine the compressed logs would work better than bricks in my long stove, but they were not available locally. From a convenience perspective you can't really beat the sawdust products. As long as you have a dry place to put that pallet they will be ready to go whenever you need them. If those bricks get wet you will know very quickly. I lost a handful from my full pallet due to a leak in the shed they were kept in, but not a big deal, less than 1% of the pallet I think.

 

[coachk]

SpaceBus- I've been look at the Moreso 1440 or 3142. Have you been pleased with yours?

 

[SpaceBus]

SpaceBus- I've been look at the Moreso 1440 or 3142. Have you been pleased with yours?

I love my 2b Classic, but it is much different from the two you listed. Both stoves you listed are on the small size, something to keep in mind. Morso makes high quality castings and very efficient stoves, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if I were in the market.

 

[bogieb]

Depends on what you call constantly. A couple of loads of bio bricks per day would heat most homes.

When you are gone from home 13-18 hours a day, and there is no one to load the stove, that is a deal breaker. The main reason I got the P43 was that from Mid January to the end of February, the St. Croix Hastings would run out of pellets before I got home even though I topped off the 40# hopper just before I walked out the door in the morning, Then the propane boiler would be sucking down the $5.50/gal fuel. When it is -18 at night and high temps are in single digits, not to mention I'm in a high wind situation, it takes a bunch to heat the house (doesn't help it is 2x4 so only so much insulation can be installed).

If I could have put an extension on the hopper, that would have been a different story. But, since I couldn't, I jumped at the chance to get a used P43 to replace the Hastings with. With the hopper extension it can hold about 100 # of pellets, so it is not in danger of running out.

 

[bogieb]

I'm looking to supplement a heat pump in the evenings and at night. Would probably only run all day on the weekends or holiday during cold front. I'm leaning towards wood stove with bio bricks as primary. When I am able to or want to do the firewood think I will. I have been thinking pellet stove for a year now but I think I am leaning towards wood stove again now. Anyone buy by the pallet and use bricks exclusively?

I think in that situation, the wood stove would be perfect. At my old house, we had a wood stove and that is exactly how it was used. Never used any biobricks though as either they didn't exist then or they weren't in our area (not to mention our wood was free - just a lot of labor)

 

[SpaceBus]

When you are gone from home 13-18 hours a day, and there is no one to load the stove, that is a deal breaker. The main reason I got the P43 was that from Mid January to the end of February, the St. Croix Hastings would run out of pellets before I got home even though I topped off the 40# hopper just before I walked out the door in the morning, Then the propane boiler would be sucking down the $5.50/gal fuel. When it is -18 at night and high temps are in single digits, not to mention I'm in a high wind situation, it takes a bunch to heat the house (doesn't help it is 2x4 so only so much insulation can be installed).

If I could have put an extension on the hopper, that would have been a different story. But, since I couldn't, I jumped at the chance to get a used P43 to replace the Hastings with. With the hopper extension it can hold about 100 # of pellets, so it is not in danger of running out.

Most people do not stay away from their home for 13-18 hrs per day (especially in the winter), but I understand why a wood stove wouldn't work for you.

 

[clancey]

Even I can understand that and a pellet stove would be so much more easier too because after a 13 hour leave of absence the last thing one wants to do is come home to a cold house and have to load a stove where pellets seem automatic and with a bigger hopper sounds like a win. In my particular case I am glad that I have a wood stove..clancey

 

[begreen]

The thread is getting derailed. This posting is for pellet stove owners to respond with the pros running a pellet stove. The wood stove side has already been discussed in the main forum.