| With fuel prices rising almost daily, smart | | | | up recycled sawdust, corn, walnut and peanut |
| homeowners are looking for ways to keep warm | | | | shells, wood shavings or other biomass wastes, |
| on a budget. Installing a pellet stove can help! A | | | | then compress the mass and extrude the pellets. |
| pellet stove is just what it sounds like; instead of | | | | At first, heating your home with pellets instead of |
| logs, oil or natural gas, it burns pellets. A good | | | | wood can seem more expensive than heating |
| pellet stove typically costs from $1,500 to $3,000, | | | | with wood, since pellets can cost $130 to $200 |
| and installation can run up to $400-$500. | | | | per ton, compared with $100 to $175 per cord of |
| A small screw, called an auger, turns the pellets | | | | wood. But that's really like comparing the |
| into the firebox, where the fire is concentrated in | | | | proverbial apples and oranges, say experts. When |
| the center and burns very hot. A blower sends air | | | | you buy a cord of wood, you typically get 128 |
| through and around the pellets once they're lit, | | | | cubic feet (4X4X8) that includes the spaces |
| either by you or by an optional automatic igniter. | | | | between the logs you can't use for heat. Plus, the |
| This air keeps the fire going (remember, oxygen | | | | wood contains moisture that doesn't burn. |
| is an essential ingredient for combustion). The | | | | Home improvement experts say it's better to |
| blower also creates a slight vacuum that draws | | | | evaluate pellet fuel versus wood by its usage. If |
| the combustion gases (that dangerous carbon | | | | you use wood, you go through 3 to 4 cords of |
| monoxide by-product) outside through a vent. | | | | wood per year, compared to burning 1 to 3 tons |
| Because of these moving parts, Pellet stoves can | | | | of pellets per year. You can easily do the math on |
| be a bit tricky to maintain, so it's a good idea to | | | | that one! |
| get a service contract. | | | | Pellets also save you time and energy, because |
| To operate your pellet stove, you pour the pellets | | | | you don't need to stack and carry wood. Those |
| into a bin called a "hopper" that's located at the | | | | 40-pound sacks of pellets store in a space about |
| top or the bottom of the stove. Hoppers have a | | | | a third of what's needed for cord wood. Be sure, |
| capacity from 35 to 130 pounds of pellets.. | | | | though, to check with your stove vendor for the |
| Depending on the size of your hopper and how | | | | closest source of pellets, because freight is a big |
| cold it gets, a single load of pellets can last one to | | | | part of the pellet cost. |
| two days. | | | | Pellet stoves are definitely an alternative way to |
| Where do those pellets come from? Makers grind | | | | heat your home that's worth a good look. |