Staying Warm with Pellet Stoves

Posted by Kelly Smith Mar 7, 2008

Not too long ago, I wrote an article about pellet stoves for a client of mine. I had never heard of them; probably because the winters here aren't too harsh. Advances in air conditioner technology and higher SEER ratings is more likely to get my attention.

Fuel for Pellet Stoves

What kind of fuel do pellet stoves use? You guessed it – pellets! This is one of the major advantages of this technology. The pellets are made up of all kinds of scrap wood, sawdust from mills, and any other type of wood that was just trashed prior to now.

The wood is ground up and then compressed into pellet shape. Since they're all the same size, they burn evenly and efficiently. And since the wood was all refuse anyway, the price of the finished product is quite reasonable.

How the Stove Works

You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 for one of these contraptions. The reason they're so high is because there's a bit of mechanics involved. The stove has a hopper, usually on top, that holds the pellets. An auger, timed by a control to a certain rate, feeds the fuel to the burner.

A fan draws room air into the unit. Then it's blown across a heat exchanger and back out into the room. Some models are self-lighting so there's no mucking about with matches. Very clever set-up.

Is a Pellet Stove in your future? Maybe, if you live in icy environs. I don't see it happening in my home but if I was building one from scratch, I'd certainly look into it.