The Truth About Pellet Stoves
Why informed folks choose wood flash combustion over wood pellet heating…
As an engineer with 30 years in the business, I stay away from opinions. I demonstrate facts that folks are unaware of; facts you’d be hard pressed to locate with web research. My gift is a rare ability to prove by demonstrations the pro’s and con’s of wood pellet vs wood log heating. For those who allow me to demonstrate, they have never chosen a pellet stove. They didn’t get a wood stove either in the sense of what they understood them to be. They got a flash combustion stove; an entirely new, economical, trouble free product. It’s noteworthy to observe flash combustion stoves are 3 times better than air tight wood stoves, but equally noteworthy to learn that there exists a uniquely constructed model of extreme value.
In conclusion:
Hidden downsides to pellet stoves most folks learn about after purchasing one:
- Pellet stoves may be cheaper to vent, but they cost $1200 more than a comparable flash combustion stove. A high heat output pellet stove costs about $3200. The best quality comparable output wood stove is $1900.
- The long burn time of a pellet stove is when you adjust it down to heat the area of a bathroom. Turn the pellet stove up to heat a 2000 square foot home, and find it has no longer of a burn time than today’s Flash Combustion stoves. In other words, they have similar burn times given the same area heated & poundage of fuel used.
- Pellets come in heavy 40 pound bags. At least with wood, you can choose to carry less than 40 lbs (pick up less logs). Pellets cannot be stored outside.
- Pellet stoves require expensive maintenance, especially after a few years. If pellets absorb water or humidity, time consuming maintenance is required.
- Pellet stoves don’t work during power outages unless you buy an expensive battery backup system.
- The pellet fire view is pitiful. Smoke combustion fire views are beautiful, and can easily be maintained 24/7 without over heating.
- The pellet fan and auger make noise and need service.
- Ash removal is three times more frequent with pellet than a flash combustion stove.
- With a good wood carrier, it can be clean to transport wood, and good exercise.
- Using half the wood of previous generation air-tight stoves, wood is cheaper as a fuel than pellet.
- It is unlikely there will be enough new construction sawdust to meet the previous demand for pellets, let alone the threefold increase in demand this year. Typically by mid-January there are little to no pellets to be found.
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