What is pellet stove

Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Prev NEXT. A traditional fireplace looks great, but it's a poor heat generator. Most of the flame's warmth, plus warmed air from the rest of your house, goes right up the chimney.

To transform your hearth into an efficient heater, you can fit the firebox with a pellet-stove insert, such as the Harman P35i model shown at left. A dealer can help you find a unit and a metal surround to best fit your hearth's dimensions. But because a metal liner must be fitted inside the chimney for ventilation, installation is best left to a chimney specialist. This work may also need to be approved by a municipal inspector before the stove can be operated.

You can get both freestanding stoves and inserts for an existing fireplace to complement both traditional and contemporary interior spaces. Here are some of our favorites. This vintage-look stove has a large firebox relative to its medium-size frame. The ash pan is fitted with drawer glides to ease cleanup.

The 40,Btu stove has a pound hopper capacity and an ash pan large enough to burn a ton of pellets before it needs to be emptied. The cast-iron insert, which extends only 9 inches into the hearth, has a pound hopper capacity and a classical arched surround.

This souped-up stove has a large glass door, a pound hopper capacity, and automatic cleaning cycles that minimize upkeep. This diminutive inch heater resembles an old potbellied wood stove. Its size and 27,Btu output make it ideal for small spaces. The unit has an LCD panel to monitor the stove's operation, and a whisper-quiet combustion fan and auger motor. The Pellet Fuels Institute has two grades for pellets: premium, which is usually made of only wood, and standard, which contains some bark.

Another indicator of quality is the amount of fines, or dust, at the bottom of the bag; there should be less than 0. It is not uncommon to pay as much for the chimney as for your appliance. Free-standing woodstoves exhaust into a connecting pipe, which then connects into the chimney. If the connecting pipe is longer than 8 feet as in a vaulted ceiling , you should consider investing in double-layer pipe with 1-inch airspace between pipe layers.

Efficient modern stoves produce large amounts of heat. Much of this heat can radiate from a longer length of single-layer pipe, slowing down the draft, which can impact the overall efficiency of your wood-burning system.

To keep your wood- or pellet-burning system operating efficiently and safely, you'll need to maintain it on a regular basis. Every year, preferably before each heating season, have a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America inspect your wood-burning system. In addition to cleaning the chimney, a certified chimney sweep should have the knowledge to help make sure your appliance, hearth, connecting pipe, air inlets, chimney, and all other components are functioning efficiently and safely.

Catalytic combustors need to be inspected after every two cords of wood burned, and replaced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Most catalytic stoves or inserts have a place for a thermometer to help you check the combustor. Catalysts in new models, especially those made since , should only need changing once every 5—8 years if burning seasoned wood.

Older catalytic stoves made prior to need to be checked more often and catalysts need to be replaced more often. Cleaning out the inside of a wood stove with a wire brush periodically will also help the wood-burning appliance heat more efficiently. For pellet-fuel appliances, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's instructions for operation and maintenance. Inspect fans and motors regularly, and maintain them properly.

Manufacturers advise removing unused pellets from the stove hopper and feed system at the end of the heating season. This reduces the chance of rusting, which can cause expensive damage to the appliance. It also minimizes difficulties in lighting the appliance at the start of the next heating season. Clean the flue vent on a regular basis to prevent soot buildup. All species of wood have similar heat Btu content on a per pound basis when completely dry.

Therefore, denser woods will generally cost more and burn longer. Woods like oak, hickory, and pine will burn overnight.

Because a lot of energy can be wasted burning wet wood, you should use wood that has been properly seasoned. Properly seasoned wood is harvested in the spring and allowed to dry throughout the summer. Look for wood that is of even color, without any green. Store your wood away from the house in case termites discover the woodpile.

The top of the pile should be covered, but leave the sides open so air can circulate. If possible, store the wood a foot off the ground on concrete blocks, for example to keep it dry. Most homeowners who use a pellet appliance as a main source of heat use two to three tons of pellet fuel per year.

Pellet fuel appliances are almost always less expensive to operate than electric resistance heating, oil, and propane-fueled appliances. A few pellet manufacturers contain either petroleum or non-petroleum lignin used as a lubricant in the pellet production process, though most contain no additives. The Pellet Fuels Institute launched the PFI Standards Program, a third-party accreditation program providing specifications for residential and commercial-grade fuel.

This standard assures the consumer of the highest quality pellet when certified pellets are purchased. You can also check pellet fuel quality by inspecting the bag for excessive dirt and dust, which can form clinkers in the stove. There should be less than one half of a cup of dust at the bottom of a pound kg bag. Pellet stoves designed for low-ash content typically top-fed stoves tend to operate poorly when used with pellets of a higher ash content.

Many pellet appliance manufacturers are redesigning their products to burn pellets with varying ash contents. Most pellet fuel appliance dealers either maintain a supply of pellets or recommend a supplier. You may also check the local telephone listings under "Fuel" or "Pellet Fuel," or inquire at a local tree nursery or at home and garden supply stores. Subscribe to receive updates from Energy Saver, including new blogs, updated content, and seasonal energy saving tips for consumers and homeowners.

Heating With Wood. Compliance Monitoring: Wood Heaters. Wood Pellet Standards. Types of Wood- and Pellet-Burning Appliances. Every pellet stove utilizes the same basic components, including a hopper, pellet feeding system, burn and ash pots and a blower and exhaust system. Some pellet stoves have built-in control systems, while others require manual operation.

Each part of a pellet stove works together to burn and distribute heat from wood pellets. This is how it works:. With correct maintenance , a pellet stove is a worthwhile investment for your home.

Compared to oil and propane, pellet stoves are more eco-friendly, affordable and convenient. The average homeowner uses only two to three tons of fuel each year, and pellets require no chopping or complicated storage. If you have multiple stoves or require large quantities of pellets and live near a pellet distributor, you can have bulk orders delivered to your home or business. Once installed correctly and fueled with high-quality heating pellets, a pellet stove will keep your room or house warm all winter long.