Questions for your stove guys

[bobh]

I went and priced a pellet insert and I was shocked at the prices for the stove . omparing this to a high effeciency gas furnace this doesnt seem such a good ideal buying one . For the price of a stove install I could hav a 92 % furnace & ac installed ! The warrantys are much better on the furnace than the stove and theres litle maintance on a furnace & ac . The stove on the other hand needs the liner brushed once a year and maybe twice if used alot . For the price installed it looked to me like a 10 year payback on my investment . Im also alittle worried about the price of pellets goin real high ( just as the kersone heaters did a few years back ) Are the pellet stoves just like the kerosene heaters I see at garage sale now for almost nothing because of the price of fuel ? I think Im goin to add on a heat pump to my gas furnace instead of buying a pellet stove . I think its a better investment and I can save money summer and winter ! What do you pros think ? Thanks Bobh

[Xavier]

Attached is a table from the Pellet Institute comparing the cost of various fuels. Plug in the costs and you will confirm your statement that natural gas is still the lowest overall cost, unless you can get FREE wood and want to split it etc.
http://www.pelletheat.org/3/residential/compareFuel.cfm

[bobh]

Hey thanks for the chart ! That chart is a big help understanding what im getting into . The price per btus look good at 180 @ ton compared to gas but at 260 its real close . My biggest problem is still the cost of the stove and the payback . Thanks Bob h

[hearthman]

Try pricing shelled corn per ton.

Also, do you place your furnace for visual aesthetics?
Pellet stoves use renewable fuel. They are zone heaters--not whole house heaters. Many can run on backup batteries. With the flexible venting, you have a lot of choices in location. They don't used explosive gas. You know your fuel costs for the winter. You don't have to blow a lot of air all over the house chilling you. The maintenance is really fairly simple. All heating and venting system shoul be inspected annually and cleaned/ serviced as needed. A new stove coming out will burn at least 9 different fuels for now with more on the way.

Can your furnace burn LNG without adjustments?

[gasguy]

I just got back from a Regency training seminar where we got a tour of their manufacturing plant. Thry are currently producing a 'biomass fueled' stove/furnace. It can be set up to burn corn, wheat, pellets, cherry pits and others! Saw one in operation and they're cool! A very $pendy unit, but incredibly versitile. They are developing methods of ducting hot air, heating water for radient heating, and more. Interesting technology!

[dec]

15 years ago I was ripping out a lot of pellet stoves being everyone that was putting them in , were not really happy with them.

Tore them out and put in high efficancy gas or propane.

They said pellets were a pain and getting good quality pellets was impossible. Every time theey got a good price on pellets ..... they were junk.

[bona fide hvac tech]

We do not sell them we install them for a local fireplace retailer. The stoves are nice however, The availabiliy of the fuel in Jersey is not! I Can tell you this make sure you have plenty of pellets before you by the thing. we installed a least fifteen units last season and nobody could burn them because of the backlog in orders. Maybe this year will be better but get the pellets first.

[bobh]

I found some cheaper inserts priced alot closer to what Im willing to pay . After reading how to clean one prooperly Im not sure if I want to go with a pellet insert . A stove would be somewhat easier . The cheaper ones seem light weight and cheap and prolly woke hold up like a heavy duty wood stove . I did find one insert that weighed 450 lbs ( Harman Accentra Pellet Fireplace Insert ) but than again the price is way outta line for an insert . Dont get me wrong , If I didnt already hav a ventfree gas log set n my fireplace I might be more inclined to go with a pellet stove . I still think the best money spent in a new hvac system . Bob h

[hockey]

I am looking into installing a pellet stove in the basement too, using the basement fireplace to vent. This is because the previous NH owners said the basement fireplace "doesn't vent well." I am hoping the vent blower will provide forced draft. Can anyone tell me what, if anything is required in my
4" x 8" masonry chimney? The chimney inside material looks like red clay.

[hearthman]

Basements are usually under a lot of negative pressure so fireplaces there are more predisposed to spilling smoke. If you install a pellet stove, you must run a full length stainless steel chimney liner, which will contain the bad stuff on most cases. However, should the power fail and at startup and tailout, you will get a whiff of smoke from most units. However, because pellet stoves power vent, they are a good candidate for such applications. When shopping, look for a company whose techs are factory trained to service that brand and are NFI Certified in Pellets. Next, shop around for sources and prices of pellets. Do you have enough room to store (50) 40 lb. bags? Talk to the techs about realistic expectations on homeowner service required. Most stove shops will sugar coat the required maintenance whether talking wood or pellet stoves.

You cannot compare the quality of stoves 15 yrs old to current models. You also cannot compare last yr's insanity with this yr. Last yr. people were so nuts, they were paying 25% over list on ebay for used stoves! It was NUTS! This yr. is very slow so plenty of pellets. Get enough for this winter then make your early buy in Spring at a guaranteed price just like heating oil.
HTH

[hockey]

Thank you. I've read so many posts I forgot why I was looking for a pellet stove! (I like the power vent feature).
Great minds think alike!
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