Should You Use A Pellet Stove To Heat Your Whole Home?
Posted on: 7 July 2016
If you're looking for a way to heat your home without relying on non-renewable resources like oil and natural gas, pellet stoves are an option you should consider. These stoves burn pellets made from scrap and recycled wood, producing heat that can then be used to warm up your home via forced air or a boiler system. Pellet stoves are a great choice for many homeowners, but they do present a few hassles. So, consider these benefits and drawbacks before you install one in your home.
Pro: Pellet stoves come with automatic feeders.
Wood burnings stoves are another common heating choice for those who prefer renewable fuel sources. However, they need to be re-loaded with wood every few hours, which can be a hassle if you work outside the home or want to go away for a few days. Pellet stoves, at least modern ones, have automatic feeders which add more wood pellets to the stove as needed. You can leave the stove for a day or two at a time, and it will keep burning. If you go out of town, you'll only need to have a friend stop by every couple of days to re-load the automatic feeder.
Pro: Pellets and pellet stoves stay rather clean.
The pellets are combusted under pressure and at a high temperature, so there is not a lot of ash generated. You will need to clean out the ash tray every couple of weeks, but this is a lot less maintenance than is required with a standard wood-burning stove. Also, storage is a lot neater and cleaner with pellet stoves. The pellets come in clean bags, which you can stack in a corner more easily and neatly than chopped wood.
Con: Pellet stoves rely on electric ignitions.
An electric ignition starts the pellets on fire. If the electricity goes out, you won't be able to heat your home with a pellet stove. There's also a chance that the sensitive electronic mechanisms in the ignition will malfunction and require repairs.
Con: Finding pellets late in the season can be challenging.
It's wise to buy all of the pellets you need for the heating season at the beginning of the season. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to find pellets for sale later in the winter when they're in high demand. You may have to travel quite a distance to find pellets, which can be time-consuming and costly. Make sure you look into wood pellet availability in your area before you decide to buy a pellet stove.
Talk to local HVAC specialists, such as Arnold Service Co, for more information.
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