Anyone recommend any one brand of pellet stove? I’m looking for the insert kind. Looked into a Harman insert with a box housing that lets it be installed flush to the wall.
Needs to have the entire pipe thats there from my existing self contained fireplace replaced and a new cap on the roof etc etc. Looks like cost will be $5,000.
Also thinking about high output wood fireplace which also installs flush. Any preferences? Pellet vs. wood?
Larry
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I've never had a pellet stove, so take this with a grain of salt, however I had a guy selling them point out the drawbacks:
1. Many have an electric hopper on them to feed pellets. If the power goes out, you're still without heat. Unlike wood stoves.
2. The pellet stoves he was selling would ONLY burn pellets... nothing else. Not as readily available as firewood. Especially considering if you work at it, you can get your firewood for free.
I think the corn burners might have similar problems, although if you're in the midwest, corn probably wouldn't be all that hard to get ahold of.
But anyway, that had killed them from my perspective, cuz the wood stove was going to be the backup heat source when the power was off (as well as other times), and I didn't want to get stuck having to buy 'fuel' from HD or Lowes..or similar places. You know, the people that sell 4 pieces of firewood for $4.
You can buy either a wood stove insert for your fireplace, or you can just buy a blocker plate and stick a regular wood stove in front of the fireplace (or somewhat inset).
Yeah, I'm leaning towards wood too. However, I cant buy a blocker because the "fireplace" I have is an insert already. Self contained steel fireplace, so they hvae to gut and build in a new one. Thanks for the help.
Sounds interesting, do you have a pic of it?
jt8
Do you mean my existing fireplace? Here's a couple. If you mean the new one I checked out, I dont have pics.
yeah, the existing fireplace. Hmm.. What does it look like when you pull the insert out? Do you have brick chimney behind it? Or is there just a stove pipe going up? I've seen fireplace inserts that when removed exposed a regular fireplace behind them.
Looks like you've got wood trim right next to it, so the setbacks are probably an issue. Hmm interesting.
Before the dial-up people whine about the file size, I've shrunk them down.jt8
No fireplace behind it. Just a drywall cavity and a pipe going up. The pellet stove and a wood stove I looked at install flush to the wall just like this one does but they high output for heat.
I'm going back to thinking wood is a better idea because I have many acres of woods = free fuel. However, my DW would not be too fond of having to tend to the wood during the day. Pellets would be better for fire it up and go all day. Still not sure.
ps- thanks for downsizing the files for me.
Scratching my head on that one. Never done a flush install like that, but I guess there's no reason you couldn't if you found the right stove.
Some of the newer, sealed stoves can be loaded with wood, the damper set, and then will burn for hours and hours. Don't know how long the pellet ones burn.
Not to make too sexist of a comment, but most of the women I've known fell in love with wood stoves once they got used to them. Just like cats, they like a really warm spot and what is better than a woodstove? The ways to keep it more acceptable to them is to have a supply of firewood within easy reach and to keep the ashes cleaned out. If all she has to do is open a door and throw a piece or two of wood in, it probably wouldn't be as annoying.
But I guess if your #1 priority is to have a long, long burning stove... go for the one that burns the longest.jt8
Thanks John. I'm going to go with wood. Mulled it over for a bit. I basically have an unlimited supply of free wood in my wooded acres in back of the house plus I enjoy getting the ol' Stihl out and making mince meat of a tree or two now and then. Plus splitting wood is great excercise.
Think I would be kicking myself if I sat there in the den next to a pellet stove looking out over all the wood I could have had for free.
ps- I think you are correct. If DW needed the addtional heat, don't think she would have prob with adding a log or two now and then. Beats paying $2.00+ per gal of oil.
I'm a little late to the party, since you've already decided it sounds like. However, I'm sitting here being warmed by the pellet stove right now. I have gas and wood heat as well in this house and almost never fire them up.
The drawbacks mentioned are correct - power goes out, no heat. More of a hassle than gas heat. Pellets may not be available everywhere. We actually use the pellet stove as the primary heat and gas as a backup. The guy at the stove store told us that power backups to pellet stoves just aren't that great. He recommends that if you want a pellet stove as your only heat source that, rather than a backup heating system, you get a small backup generator, big enough to run the stove, some lights and your fridge. He sells wood, gas and pellet stoves and says he would never heat with anything other than a pellet stove himself.
One drawback that was not mentioned - the auger and the blower does make some noise, so I wouldn't want a pellet stove in the bedroom.
Advantages to pellet stoves
- clean compared to wood. The new stoves are better, but it's still one of the more polluting fuels. When the pellet stove is going, there's pretty much no smoke coming out of the chimney.
- cheap. We have a wood stove too and more wood than we know what to do with, but I work for myself and don't have a hydraulic splitter. I go split some wood every once in a while for exercise, but it's much more cost effective for me to put in an extra hour at work than to put in an hour splitting wood.
- pellet stove runs unattended for long periods of time.
- renewable resource.
We're planning a new house and we're almost certain there will be at least one pellet stove in it (and yes, we're out in the country and the power goes out a lot, but we still like the pellet stove).
Thanks. I think I'll still go for wood though. Mostly for the the enjoyment of using wood. Have to put the project off for a while though because I found out It's a complete gut and re-do and would cost at least $5,000.
Thanks for the info though
Most of the houses I work in have gas log inserts, and the folks love them. Power outages don't affect the heat, but is does put a damper on the blowers<G>
I'm working ( ok 4 years, now) on wood back up heat. I've got a masonry chimbly w/ thimble. Slate hearth already in. A buddy just gave me a Vermont Castings Vigilant for an old iMac (hot deal or what?)...I'm working out the heat shield thing...which, when I've got the stove in, my insurance agent wants to check out. I'm sure that will translate into a higher premium, so I've got to come with a better than tin foil idea<G>
You look like a gas log candidate. What kind of exit do you have for those hot gases?
Don't worry, we can fix that later!
No gas availabe unless I get a tank installed. Too much hassle for that though. I have an inside the walls stove pipe that goes up through the back wall, into the attic and through the roof. Needs to be replaced with newer pipe (some kind of expensive double walled stuff for a high output fireplace) and the fireplace needs to be reframed etc etc.
I'm screwed.
A pellet stove could vent right through the wall.
My wood stove has been idle the last several winters due to warm weather and reasonable oil costs. I expect to get some use this winter, if only because of higher oil costs, but don't look forward to the ash, dust, and dry air.
I don't have the time for things which are more important than cutting wood, so I called a local pallet company. For $45 they delivered a dump truck load of cut offs. All hardwood, most of it already dry enough to burn safely, no treated wood.
A lot of pellet stoves will also burn corn (or vice-versa).
A sort of thermocouple power supply is available that will run the pellet feeder even if power goes out. Or you could just use a battery and a small inverter, since the power drain isn't that great.
Pellet/corn/wood stoves become real popular every time fuel prices take a jump, but folks generally get tired of messing with them after a few years.
Hi
I go along with the wood stove, it can burn anything and doesn't require power. There is a Swedish unit (Scandanavian?) called Jotul that are fantastic. You put in a few logs close down the damper and the heat is unbelievable. The one thing I would check is your insurance. I have heard of policies that were voided because of the chimney heat, not being designed for inserts.
Cheers
Mac
Anytime a wood (or pellet) stove is installed you really have to double-check local clearance rules, plus the stove's stated clearances. Most require that they be set on a fireproof surface and maintain specific distances from anything flammable (which includes concrete block around here!).
Of course, you can just ignore the rules and install the stove anyway. That practice is responsible for the vast majority of home fires in this area.
don't know if this will help, but friend of mine pulled the damper plate out of his fireplace, replaced w piece of sheet metal and sealed it off w retort cement plate had hole cut in it, mounted a flange w elbow, then stovepipe went into room... another elbow, free standing stove was set to go, had a damper installed in-line to stovepipe for damping down fire course, you need the removable damper and working height for proper installation great heat from it being set into room used a stove pad on hardwood floor
re: pellets, clean burn and easy to store fuel, but generator and gasoline are needed for bad times ...i still have the wood furnace, used it many years, fire it up occasionally, plan more so this year had free woodlot for fuel, but chainsaws, chains, handling from woods to truck, gas for saws and truck, loading & offloading truck, stacking, bringing into house, cleaned chimney 2-3 times season myself; think i'd go for pellets today, generator isn't bad idea for outages best to start w house insurance and town; both may want inspections, insurance may have a no-way clause or premium could go up
I've got 2 pellet stoves. One on the main floor and one in the basement. The 40 lb. bags are easy to store. I usually buy a ton in the Fall and depending on the temps. this will get me through at least mid February. I have found it alot easier & cleaner to store the pellets than have a wood pile outside and another one inside.I only use hardwood pellets and have never had to think about whether the pellets were dry or seasoned enough.The pellets burn clean and produce only a small amount of ash that I vacuum out every week or so. If youre going to depend on it for heat if the power goes out you will need a generator for back up power to keep the auger feed and fan going.
MES