switching from pellets to wood? is that crazy ?

[newguyjoe]

Hi Guys,
I have a pellet stove for about 10 years now. kinda tired of listening to the fans and having to find/buy pellets. It has worked great for me but i think i would like to try a regular wood stove.I live where i can cut wood to burn. anyone ever switch and regret it ? Why? Thanks !
Joe

 

[begreen]

We had a pellet stove from 1999-2005. It was a good source of heat, but too noisy for our living room location. I also didn't like all the plastic we were left with from buying pellets and it was cold during extended power outages. Switched to wood and I doubt we will be going back.

 

[kyguylal]

We switched from pellets to wood last year. We lose power often and the wood stove really eases the anxiety just by knowing that we have a heat source. Does a better job heating our house too. Lot more work however.

 

[molly1414]

In one home we bought it came with a pellet stove in the living room. Hated the ping, ping, ping all night and the crappy little flame burning in the pot. Would never buy another one. My only suggestion would be to build up your wood supply and then switch over.

 

[weatherguy]

I switched from pellets to wood, like it much better, join the crazy farm, we always have room for another member.

 

[jetsam]

Can you go out back of your house this weekend and cut a year's worth of free pellets?

Case closed!

 

[kennyp2339]

Wood stoves are great but there is a little more commitment on the planning side of things, sourcing enough cut wood and insuring that its dry (2-3 years from green) having the available space to store it, then the actual changing all your equipment around like chimney, stove, cleaning brushes..ect..
To me, wood burning is more then just burning wood to get free heat, I enjoy the challenge and the lifestyle of saws, splitters, tractor's, making nice stacks, talking about my setup with friends and conservation of resources, the fresh air and exercise is the bonus to me.

 

[Highbeam]

You might also want to ask this question in the pellet room! I've been thinking about a pellet burner in the shop instead of wood. Noise is not an issue but automation is. Pellet stoves can be turned on by a thermostat when it's cold, on a schedule, or even from anywhere in the world with a wifi enabled thermostat. They are clean burning and have some additional safety shutoff features.

Yes expensive to buy and fuel. Yes, very high maintenance with a pile of motors that need to be replaced, and yes they need electricity but so does my refrigerator.

One of each sounds nice.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Wood stoves are great but there is a little more commitment on the planning side of things, sourcing enough cut wood and insuring that its dry (2-3 years from green) having the available space to store it, then the actual changing all your equipment around like chimney, stove, cleaning brushes..ect..
To me, wood burning is more then just burning wood to get free heat, I enjoy the challenge and the lifestyle of saws, splitters, tractor's, making nice stacks, talking about my setup with friends and conservation of resources, the fresh air and exercise is the bonus to me.

This statement pretty well sums it up. Wood stoves take commitment and foresight to work for or buy heat 1-3 years from now. When i meet someone else that burns wood to heat their home it tells me they are not crazy....rather they are looking in the future for their heat needs. All wood burners share this quality.

 

[Dataman]

I switched from Wood (BK King) to Pellet Stove (Harmon XXV) last year. Been great not having to deal with all the mess from Wood. Bugs, Moss and Sawdust you bring in. I had DT Splitter to ease the work last 2 years. I highly recommend splitter. Downside is wood was FREE. We have had 3 Major Windstorms and When I switched over we had 6-10cords already split and stacked up. I used typically about 4-5 cords per Season. But it would make living room TOO HOT. Load it up at 8pm and it would go until 4-5am easily (Pine Only in WA State). Pellet stove shuts down when too hot. Now for Power outage I have Aims 1250 Inverter/Charger and 100ah Battery for 6-8 hours run time. Most been without power is 6 hours this year. I have couple more batteries to use and 7kw Generator to charge them back up if needed for long term (B&S 7k Propane Generator Model: 40301). Have yet to use it in 8+ years. But is there for Well Pump. Both Wood and Pellets have their upside and downside. But Q is are you ready for the work? I was getting tired of it and tripped over bucked up logs and did tear of shoulder muscle and joint. Got 80% back now. We have lots less ASH in the house now too.

Of course with Pellets I spent $1100 per year. Worth every penny! With Wood I would fill up this area. Box was for Kindling and Smalls. Plus all along the back of Building covered with Tarp. Use about 1/2 per season. Lots of fun in the snow with wheelbarrel.

 

[3fordasho]

My wood burning started with a Quadrafire castile pellet stove. It served it's purpose for about 6-7 years but then went to a Woodstock Fireview, to two Fireviews. to Fireview plus Progress Hybrid. Moved to a bigger place and went Progress Hybrid + Tundra wood furnace in the house, another Tundra in the shop and a Englander 30nc in another outbuilding. Most recent change is an Attack 45kw gasification boiler charging 1000 gallons storage that pretty much replaces one of the Tundra's and the 30nc covering the main house and one outbuilding. The shop will get another gasification boiler for the next heating season. I've never felt any need to go back to pellets.

 

[Wood1Dennis]

......
To me, wood burning is more then just burning wood to get free heat, I enjoy the challenge and the lifestyle of saws, splitters, tractor's, making nice stacks, talking about my setup with friends and conservation of resources, the fresh air and exercise is the bonus to me.

Kenny really sums up my opinion about wood burning. Is it a lot of work? Yes. If I were to figure in my labor, it is not even all that cheap. But for a lot of us, we like the work. It involves getting outside in the fresh air, it is good exercise too, and it requires that I buy toys....

That said, there is a real satisfaction for me looking at a years worth of firewood that I cut, dragged out of the woods, split stacked and gave time to dry, all stacked and ready for the heating season. I could not find the same satisfaction looking at a pile of pellets that I paid for with my regular job!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

I agree with what everyone is saying. My cut partner is also my best friend that I’ve been hanging out with for the last 20 plus years. So there’s that to. Gives me an excuse to hang out with bro. Wife thinks it takes three hours to fill two pick up trucks. As long as I keep the empty 15 pack out of site she will never be the wiser.

 

[BIGChrisNH]

I like the heat from wood better, I don't think you're crazy at all. As someone said above, you can't find free pellets, but you can find free wood.

 

[BIGChrisNH]

Just be ready to spend more time on creating your own heat, cutting, splitting and stacking.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Im also partial to doin things the way my grandaddy and my father did.....another reason im an advocate for the freedom of wood burning.

 

[peakbagger]

I linked an article from VT recently on wood and pellets, they quoted a old time vermonter and the comment was he has hundreds of acres of firewood but didnt have any pellet trees.

My friend who burn pellets seem to spend a lot of time finding their favorite pellet and chasing the prices to get the best deal. He lives in somewhat residential area so getting firewood is not as easy as picking a tree and dropping it. For him pellets makes sense. For me it make sense to burn wood as I and trying to improve a wood lot so I need to drop trees anyhow.

 

[PASmoker]

My primary house has an older Harmon pellet stove insert, I like it but the fan noise, cleaning, repair costs, picking up 3-4 tons, ect are the biggest downside. Automation and 12+ hr burn times are the positive.

Our weekend house in the woods I just installed a Jotul wood stove, its a bigger initial investment for the stove\saw\splitter\4 wheeler(bring the wood back to the house) plus the time to do everything, but not paying 750-1k$ per yr for pellets The biggest downside is the burn times for me, I'm only getting 4-5 hrs before reload. Biggest upside - Free fuel ! , lots of heat..

Woodstove is new so I'm having fun getting into everything in the process, cutting\splitting\stacking\burning , that all may get old as I get old

 

[bholler]

We recently switched from pellet to propane in one of our shops. I just hate the maintenance involved with pellets.

 

[johneh]

I have both pellet and a wood furnace. This is the last year for wood.
I am now in my 70tees and because of the work, I did all my life. My
Body is worn out Doctor told me if I want to die!! keep up with your firewood
I liked the firewood gave me a reason to be in the bush and kept my home warm
As for power outages after the ice storm of 97 I've had a whole house Genset
totally auto and around here its on often

 

[jetsam]

12 hour burn times are not a point that should go to pellet stoves. My (medium sized) wood insert can burn 24 hours, and you can double that with a King on low. I just got back after 11 hours on a mild day and I could only fit one more largeish split in there.

Let it be noted that these long burn times are for mild weather (like we are having right now), where overnight lows are in the 40s. Colder weather uses the wood faster. Heat output on the lowest settings is very low, to the point that that I can burn through a 60 degree day without overheating the stove room if it's not too sunny out.

 

[bholler]

12 hour burn times are not a point that should go to pellet stoves. My (medium sized) wood insert can burn 24 hours, and you can double that with a King on low. I just got back after 11 hours on a mild day and I could only fit one more largeish split in there.

Let it be noted that these long burn times are for mild weather (like we are having right now), where overnight lows are in the 40s. Colder weather uses the wood faster. Heat output on the lowest settings is very low, to the point that that I can burn through a 60 degree day without overheating the stove room if it's not too sunny out.

Can you really burn in 60 degree weather? Much over I either over heat or the draft stalls and I get co alarms

 

[jetsam]

Can you really burn in 60 degree weather? Much over I either over heat or the draft stalls and I get co alarms

Yep, though we're talking 60-62 degrees and a cloudy day, not 65 and sunny.

I wasn't able to go that low at first, but I added a few feet of flue and now I can turn it all the way down. Might be different if I lived in a valley instead of the top of a hill, I guess.

Even with the shorter pipe, I didn't suffer draft reversal, but the fire eventually went out on the lowest setting. I think the cat probably dropped out much earlier (10-12 hours), which is a waste of wood. As long as you're keeping the cat active though, that thing will chug along for a rediculous amount of time on a load. Let it get too cool, and your burn times go way down because you are just smoldering wood at that point.

Come to think of it, if I had the freestander instead of the insert, I probably would be overheating the stove room on a 60 degree day using the same load and procedures, just because the freestander has a lot more surface area . So your experience and mine are a bit different there.

 

[maple1]

You might also want to ask this question in the pellet room! I've been thinking about a pellet burner in the shop instead of wood. Noise is not an issue but automation is. Pellet stoves can be turned on by a thermostat when it's cold, on a schedule, or even from anywhere in the world with a wifi enabled thermostat. They are clean burning and have some additional safety shutoff features.

Yes expensive to buy and fuel. Yes, very high maintenance with a pile of motors that need to be replaced, and yes they need electricity but so does my refrigerator.

One of each sounds nice.

There are a ton of mini splits being put into use around here, for applications like that.

 

[Highbeam]

There are a ton of mini splits being put into use around here, for applications like that.

More here now too. Cheap power + mild climate. Too bad the installers still gouge you. Also, too bad they don’t heat water yet!

Our pellets are cheap softwoods too so a lot of folks have used pellet stoves for decades.