you just might make it after all...

[tiger]

The season winding down, and a mere eleven bags left when I started the season with well over two tons; far and away the most I've used the Harman in one season. Mostly because my wife has been working from home since 03/16/20 and she likes seeing the fire; we're presuming but unsure if her employer (NASA) will have her back on campus before autumn. So, been burning 15 hours a day, seven days per week instead of the previous (5x5)+(2x15) when I was home weekdays by myself.

Soon enough it will be time to contact the supplier for a couple more tons, I hope, per a different topic on this forum, that prices do not skyrocket. I have not done an analysis, but presume that it costs somewhat more to heat with pellets than is the high-efficiency gas boiler.

I figure a few more cool days and I'll use up some of what I have left with morning burns of 3 hours of so. If I run out, likely to just shut down.

Over the summer, I'll try to become more comfortable with dragging the insert out of the fireplace and do TWO deep cleaning per year (mid-summer and January). Based on some encouragement here, thinking about a replacement auger and auger motor if not too expensive. Without The Pellet Mill, ownership would have been much more difficult.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Think if I had an insert, I'd fabricate some sort of a ball bearing slide arrangement that I could pull it out and push it back in easily. Ours is completely done for the year, cleaned and mothballed.

 

[johneh]

We are near the finish line out of the 4.5 tons bought I have used only 3 tons
that's the least I have ever used. My supplier just sent out the early bird flyer
price has gone up so am only going to buy 3 ton. Being retired I have to limit
what I buy seeing as prices are going UP and my pension stays the same
Good thing my main heat is free firewood from my hardwood bush
Hope everyone has a good healthy summer

 

[Tonyray]

The season winding down, and a mere eleven bags left when I started the season with well over two tons; far and away the most I've used the Harman in one season. Mostly because my wife has been working from home since 03/16/20 and she likes seeing the fire; we're presuming but unsure if her employer (NASA) will have her back on campus before autumn. So, been burning 15 hours a day, seven days per week instead of the previous (5x5)+(2x15) when I was home weekdays by myself.

Soon enough it will be time to contact the supplier for a couple more tons, I hope, per a different topic on this forum, that prices do not skyrocket. I have not done an analysis, but presume that it costs somewhat more to heat with pellets than is the high-efficiency gas boiler.

I figure a few more cool days and I'll use up some of what I have left with morning burns of 3 hours of so. If I run out, likely to just shut down.

Over the summer, I'll try to become more comfortable with dragging the insert out of the fireplace and do TWO deep cleaning per year (mid-summer and January). Based on some encouragement here, thinking about a replacement auger and auger motor if not too expensive. Without The Pellet Mill, ownership would have been much more difficult.

Should be cheaper now than getting them next season. Ordered 4 tons 2 weeks ago from my dealer who posted prices Will rise by fall or soon after his spring sale.. whatever the price now can guarantee higher 6 or 7 months from now..

 

[SidecarFlip]

Like I said, went to HF and bought a roll of stretch wrap and mummyfied the left over corn and the pellets and stacked it up in the back of the barn. Put plastic shrouds on it as well. I'll have 2 ton of pellets and 3 ton of corn for next fall to start with. Probably buy an additional ton of pellets and I'm sure I'll get all the no germ corn I want. Corn is never an issue.

 

[bogieb]

I've worked from home for more than a year. It was a failry mild winter so I've only used about 4.5 tons so far and my electric bill has been down $10-20 per month this heating season compared to past years (igniters and fans being used less). Still have 2.5 tons in the basement.

I heat with pellet stoves and use my propane boiler for back up only. Propane prices have already risen - got a delivery last week and it was $4.14/gallon (been pretty stable at ~$3.50/gal the last couple of years). Wish I could buy pellets now as I figure they will go up next season. But, circumstances prevent me from doing so.

Still, heating with pellets will be way cheaper than propane for me, so I'm not stressing about it (and hopefully I'll get some good CL finds like I have the last couple of summers).

 

[SidecarFlip]

Quite a few used and abused pellet burners for sale on Facebook Marketplace and a couple on CL too. Most of them look to be run hard and neglected.

I'm sticking to what I know if I do buy any. I may and I may not. Depends on how industrious I feel.

Said before that consumers don't realize (and aren't told when they purchase a new stove) what they really entail as far as ongoing maintenance is concerned. None of them are plug and play, well they are for a short duration and then the issues start.

 

[tiger]

Hmm, maybe instead of waiting until June to inquire on pellets, I should do so now?

Said before that consumers don't realize (and aren't told when they purchase a new stove) what they really entail as far as ongoing maintenance is concerned.

That's certainly my experience! I visited half a dozen dealers before deciding, not a one mentioned the maintenance schedule. And upon installation, the crew said "here's where you turn it on" and left.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Appears to be pretty much SOP with dealers. Plug and play mentality with the sale paramount.

I sometimes wonder how many homeowners change their furnace filters regularly in the conventional heat plant.

Probably a lot less that I imagine.

 

[Dataman]

Appears to be pretty much SOP with dealers. Plug and play mentality with the sale paramount.

I sometimes wonder how many homeowners change their furnace filters regularly in the conventional heat plant.

Probably a lot less that I imagine.

I have yet to change my Furnace Filter. I wash them every 90 days. Honeywell F300E.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not wealthy like you are. I change mine monthly, but then you always seem to be on the fringes anyway...

 

[Dataman]

You must be wealthy to buy them Monthly. Lifetime filter pays for it's self over time. Last I was at ACE the Filter section was empty.

 

[Dataman]

It's less than 600 dollars for Honeywell. Amazon product ASIN B000WTO0AK Good Pleated Air Filter your going to spend 80 per year at least. Pays for it's self in time. Amazon product ASIN B01HTL3O0U

 

[SidecarFlip]

I buy them by the case once a year at Menards, $1.25 per. 600 bucks, I think I'm a helluva ways under that. 12 x $1.25 = 15 bucks a year (tax included)...lol 600 divided by 15 = 40 years worth. Furnace won't last that long and neither will your 600 air filter. next?

 

[tlc1976]

I wonder how both the $1.25 filters and the $566 filter compare for filtering particles. The cheap standard furnace filters I know of are lucky to trap much of anything. That’s what I had when I had a furnace but at the time I didn’t have allergies. A micro particle filter costs much more from what I have seen.

 

[Dataman]

For that price it can't be doing much for you. You get what you pay for. Compare Apples to Apples. Had to have ACoil take out couple years ago. Clean as New. I doubt your 1 dollar filter does that job

 

[SidecarFlip]

Whatever. Only thing I'm allergic to are idiots and I'll leave it at that.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I wonder how both the $1.25 filters and the $566 filter compare for filtering particles. The cheap standard furnace filters I know of are lucky to trap much of anything. That’s what I had when I had a furnace but at the time I didn’t have allergies. A micro particle filter costs much more from what I have seen.

I'd be more worried about the dust from combustion from your stove than allergies if I were you., but then we all have different levels of acceptability don't we?

 

[tiger]

Well, a month later and we had figured we had shut down for the season with 8 bags to spare. Now a cold snap, and we'll be below average for this time of year for eight more days, so we'll use a fragment of that up. Still glad we had a reserve!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Well, a month later and we had figured we had shut down for the season with 8 bags to spare. Now a cold snap, and we'll be below average for this time of year for eight more days, so we'll use a fragment of that up. Still glad we had a reserve!

In the same boat here but burning propane instead. Got very cool last night, low 40's. Very unseasonable for this time of year. Git the central furnace on setback anyway. 55 at night, 67 during the day. Still have 30% left in the tank I'm using, the others are at 85%

 

[Tonyray]

did the full shutdown cleaning this week for the P61A..
Still some occasional chilly overnite temps here so time to burn some oil. Hot water baseboards.
topped out this year at little over 4 tons of good Softies.. exhaust tunnel in the Harmie had some light powdery stuff to vacuum.
Surprised at how little.

 

[bogieb]

Still have the P43 on - in fact it is cycling down right now.

I've all but emptied the P61a hopper, transferring the pellets to the smaller stove (the hopper+extension were almost full, so about 3 bags worth). Just put a full bag in the other day and it looks like I'll have to open another bag tonight.

 

[ABusWrench]

Possible frost tonight and tomorrow night, calling for 34-35 degrees. Had 3"+ rain over the weekend, there's places I won't be able to mow until the 4th of July! Got water laying where it doesn't normally lay. Haven't done the end of the year cleaning, yet. Have used just over 5 ton. The least I've used in the 7 years I've been burning pellets. May burn a bag or two yet. Been running the heat pump and using Mr. sun shine. Got to get into the garden, if it ever dries up. Got a new rear tine rototiller to make things easier. Getting old!

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'd be lost without my Cub Cadet rear tine and my Troy Bilt Pony for cultivation. I managed to get 2/3rds of a row of potatoes in and that's it. Too wet in the patch and too cool at night anyway. We got to 36 last night. Furnace is on as usual. I think next year I'll put off my spring shutdown until it's 'really' spring....lol

Been shooting vermin in the big barn as of late. The coons moved in and they are hell on baled hay so I've been exterminating them with my .17HMR bolt gun and using a bowl of dry cat food as bait (they love dry cat food). I tool my Harbor Freight driveway alarm and set it on a post in line with the cat food bowl and when it alarms, I know I have a victim so I get out the .17 and shoot from the back deck (75 yards) to the bait bowl, nice line of sight shot. The 17 don't make a mess, just drops them nicely.

Sure could stand to warm up and dry out here as well, everything is soggy, been raining about every other day.. really put me behind on my farming, cannot get in the fields. Too muddy.

 

[ABusWrench]

I'd be lost without my Cub Cadet rear tine and my Troy Bilt Pony for cultivation. I managed to get 2/3rds of a row of potatoes in and that's it. Too wet in the patch and too cool at night anyway. We got to 36 last night. Furnace is on as usual. I think next year I'll put off my spring shutdown until it's 'really' spring....lol

Been shooting vermin in the big barn as of late. The coons moved in and they are hell on baled hay so I've been exterminating them with my .17HMR bolt gun and using a bowl of dry cat food as bait (they love dry cat food). I tool my Harbor Freight driveway alarm and set it on a post in line with the cat food bowl and when it alarms, I know I have a victim so I get out the .17 and shoot from the back deck (75 yards) to the bait bowl, nice line of sight shot. The 17 don't make a mess, just drops them nicely.

Sure could stand to warm up and dry out here as well, everything is soggy, been raining about every other day.. really put me behind on my farming, cannot get in the fields. Too muddy.

They have now issued a frost warning for tonight, saying 33 degrees, it's 54 now.
Should of seen me trying to find a rear tine till. DR power equip has them backordered till September! I hit all the local dealers, found Home Depot had a few. Was told they couldn't get the transmissions out of China.
I use a Gamo Shadow Whisper break barrel pellet rifle on the small critters. Chipmunks make good target practice! Everything else gets the Ruger 10/22. Neighbor gets 25-30 racoons out of his barn every year.
Extended forecast has us slowly warming over the next week to 10 days. But also more rain too!