View Full Version : Wood or Pellet insert??
meisje
09-24-2005, 10:27 AM
I live in a 2000 sq ft home built around 1910 in Columbus, Ohio and want to add heating to our useless 35" x 29" fireplace. We did have the chimney re-lined with stainless steel so it should be good to go. What are the advantages to pellets over wood in this situation? Will I be able to heat the house with pellets or wood? The house is not drafty, but it is not totally sealed either.
Thanks
SeattlePioneer
09-24-2005, 01:45 PM
If you have a source of free or low cost wood and need exercise, consider the wood insert.
If you like to sit on your backside and have plenty of money, or have would have to pay fancy prices for wood, consider the pellet stove.
How much do you plan to use this stove? Most people get tired of stoking a stove after a few years.
Seattle Pioneer
dhvac
09-24-2005, 04:34 PM
do pellet stoves work when the power goes out?
really not sure but my wood burner does :D
hearthman
09-24-2005, 07:50 PM
If the Fp is useless, why is it relined? Before or after you bought it or determined the Fp useless? Just curious...
Depending upon the size liner and if it was properly insulated, you may be able to connect a wood insert to the liner. A pellet stove needs a separate liner properly sized and sealed.
As for heating the whole house, does the fireplace have duct work to every room? Is this house square and wide open where a centrally located radiant stove could heat the 4 corners evenly? If not, then no, no kind of stove can heat your whole house. What is your main source of heat now? Hydronic? Forced hot air? Both have means to distribute the heat. Why think a stove stuffed into a cave can heat the far corners? I just don't want you to get unrealistic expectations. A stove, regardless of what it burns can supply SUPPLEMENTAL heat.
The best firewood is the free type. Cut it shorter--16-20". Test it with a moisture meter--you want a m.c. of 18-20% max.
Pellet is a much cleaner fuel to handle and you don't have to cut it. Its kinda like handling dog food. No bugs or dirt--maybe a little dust. You can get a backup power supply for the pellet stove.
Both stoves require care and feeding by the homeowner and both should have professional annual service.
Go to http://www.fireplaces.com to checkout Quadrafire wood and pellet stoves.
HTH<
meisje
09-24-2005, 08:12 PM
Well, it's not useless, it look pretty, but it does not really put out much heat. We heat with forced air now, but I'm looking for another source of heat, maybe cheaper in the long run.
jdenyer
09-26-2005, 04:05 PM
We just put a pellet stove in our home. We love it. It will feed itself all day, just have to clean the ashes out of the burn pot once a day and reload the hopper. The pellets actually cost us less than a cut and split cord of wood.
tendon
09-27-2005, 08:59 AM
Jdenyer or anyone:
My wife and I are also trying to decide between a wood and pellet insert. One question; we haven't seen a pellet fire yet. What does it look like? Part of the charm of a wood fire is visual. Tho' pellets may have other advantages, hard to imagine a pellet fire has similar charm. opinions?
T
jdenyer
09-27-2005, 02:31 PM
Originally posted by tendon
Jdenyer or anyone:
My wife and I are also trying to decide between a wood and pellet insert. One question; we haven't seen a pellet fire yet. What does it look like? Part of the charm of a wood fire is visual. Tho' pellets may have other advantages, hard to imagine a pellet fire has similar charm. opinions?
T
Well, our pellet stove has a large viewing glass. The fire looks like any other wood fire, except maybe a little brighter due to the air flowing over it. You can get fake logs to put in to make it look like a regular wood fire. If you get up to the viewing glass you can see the burn pot and auger, which of course are not parts associated with a regular wood stove. From a couple of feet away you can't tell the difference. If you really want that fireplace or woodstove look then go for the fake logs option. Just make sure the fake logs you put in are approved for use in whatever model of pellet stove you choose by that specific manufacturer. I have had woodstoves before, now that we have a pellet stove I would never go back. I'm getting to old to cut and stack wood:D
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