Storing pellets outside

[muss]

In Athens Maine, they always have at least 200 yards by 100 yards pellets double stacked outside. No matter when you drive by Muss

 

[jtakeman]

A few seasons ago, I had 3 tons out in the driveway. A deal I could not refuse. Stayed out from fall to spring before I could drag them inside. I only lost 2 corners from fork lift damage. They were wrapped in the original wrapper and I added a heavy weight tarp tied down to the skid. I prefer to keep them inside, But if a deal like that one happens again? I'll have a few tons stacked in the driveway for the season.

 

[chris288]

AS I previously said, I have a river running through my basement several times a summer. I kept stacking new pellets on top of old, this year I decided to rotate the stock and use up the 70+ bags that were sitting on the bottom of the stack for 4 years and they burned just as well if not better than the freedom and chow I picked up this year. I also agree that the only puffed pellets I have seen were from improper handling like fork damage or the heavy plastic had been torn. keep'm in the basement, keep'm outside, they'll be just fine.

 

[LIpelletpig]

I agree with most of the posts. Another factor that wasn't mentioned is how these pellets are transported. Besides the freight cars that move them long distances in most cases are covered, from the freight to tractor trailers the trailers are not covered and exposed to all the elements. If I had to I wouldn't hesitate to store pellets outside if need be. I do agree that they should stay wrapped in the original shrink wrap.

 

[camdids]

For two winters I have had my Pellets stored outside. (Not the same pellets for two winters). I restack them up on double pallets and scurely wrap them with the plastic sheeting they came with. I then have two heavy duty tarps completely covering them. Not the cheap ones. Yes you might say a pain opening it up when you want to bring some inside. undoing some frozen knots can be a trial sometimes. I try and keep that to a minimum and bring in a good 3 weeks at a time to the basement. I have not had any issues with the snow or rain getting into them. Last Spring I brought the last Ton I had left into the Basement and stored through the Summer. I have De Humidifiers in the basement and didnt have an issue.
if I had the room in the basement, I would store them all, but I dont so some have to be outside. Tightly wrapped and good heavy duty Tarps, work fine.

 

[richg]

You can find commercial-grade pallet wrap at restaurant supply houses. The sutff is like Saran Wrap from Hell. I bought a roll of it, and would religiously re-wrap my pellet pallets starting at the bottom and working up to the top. Couple with the manufacturer-supplied pallet cover and a tarp, I never had a problem storing pellets outside. Any issues I had were from mis handling before they were delivered. Now, the one year I had 5 tons of Penningtons was a different story.....waterlogged bags, fines, giant pellets etc. Pennington bad, Energex good.

 

[Nicholas440]

I store my pellets in my garage. I put the wood pallets down on the concrete , then cover the wood pallets with cardboard, then with plastic sheet, and then I stack them about 16 rows high. So far in 3 years I havent had any problems, and some of the bags out there in the back of the pile are from last year. I will rotate them eventually but all the bags seemed to be in good shape with no holes that I could see. I also have a 16 inch pedestal fan that comes on a timer 4 times a day to blow the air around the pellet pile to keep moisture in there to a minimum. First year I stacked in the garage, whenever the temp outside changed radically some of my pellet bags had condensation on the outside of them, that has not happened since I have the large fan circulating each day. Dont know if the fan helps that much but it gives me peace of mind.