Wood and Pellet Blog

April 9th, 2010

Sales of pellet stoves continue to sizzle. Through the first six months of 2008, shipments were up 135 percent over 2007, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association.

As a result, in New England, where a majority of this country’s estimated 800,000 operating pellet stoves have been sold, units are reportedly on back order into 2009. (To learn more about this equipment, read our buyer’s guide to pellet- and wood-burning stoves.)

The pellets used in pellet stoves are often made from sawdust recovered from lumber mills, furniture factories, and flooring manufacturers. Pellets are also made from corn, wheat, sunflower seeds, and other biomass ingredients.

Whatever their raw material, pellets have traditionally been sold at home centers, supermarkets, and other retailers in 40- to 50-pound packages. When you consider that an average stove might burn through a couple pounds of pellets every hour during the winter months, loading all those bags into your car and unloading them at home can be a lot of work.

That’s why more suppliers have started delivering pellets by the pallet directly to consumers. This shift cuts out the middleman and a lot of the lifting, though you still have to empty the pellets into your stove, which creates plastic debris and a good deal of dust.

Jon Strimling, founder of PelletSales.com in Goffstown, New Hampshire, has recognized the inefficiency of that system. “You wouldn’t pour a bucket of oil into your furnace each time you wanted to turn it on,” he says. “So why should you have to do it with pellets?”

PelletSales.com has developed a bulk-delivery system in which pellets are shunted from a truck to a large hopper on your property, say in the garage or garden shed. Once the necessary transfer equipment is installed between the stove and hopper, you can in theory fill your stove with the flick a switch. Note that you’ll still need to empty the ash by hand every week or so, according to the Pellet Fuels Institute. Premium pellets produce about 1 percent of their weight as ash; standard pellets, about 2 to 4 percent ash.

Besides eliminating the pellet-hauling hassle, the delivery system could also generate savings, since 10 to 15 percent of the cost of pellets goes to packaging, according to Strimling. That should help offset the initial cost of the storage bin and transfer equipment, which can run $1,000 to $5,000. No small chunk of change, sure, especially for a piece of equipment that’s essentially a large space heater. If you want a pellet stove but don’t have the means or the desire to deal with a hundred 40-pound bags each year, Strimling’s bulk-delivery program might be the answer.

Wood Stove Safety

April 9th, 2010

With home heating bills smoldering through the roof, it’s no wonder that many homeowners are contemplating a wood burning stove to help handle some or all of their home heating needs. Firewood is abundant and inexpensive in many parts of the country, and technological advancements have made woodstoves and other wood burning appliances safer and more efficient than ever.

Unfortunately, wood burning appliances still pose a danger if common sense safety precautions are ignored. Here’s a quick look at some key steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of a fire.

Find A Professional Wood Stove Installer

Few homeowners have the technical “know-how” to properly install a woodstove, fireplace insert or other wood burning appliance, and fewer still understand all of the pertinent building code requirements in their community. For example, clearances between the wood burning appliance, the venting system and any combustible materials above, below or beside the appliance are critical. What’s more, installation errors in a wood burning appliance rarely prevent it from “working.” This can all too easily leave a homeowner with a false sense of security—until it’s too late.

Ask about certified installation services when shopping for a wood burning appliance, and check credentials. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one of the best ways to locate a certified professional is through a certification agency like the National Fireplace Institute (NFI). A list of NFI Certified Woodburing Specialists is available on the organization’s Internet site a www.nficertified.org.

Before the installer leaves, ask him or her to show you how to use your wood burner. Include all family members in the discussion, if possible, and use this opportunity to set strict rules about who is permitted to operate the new appliance. Much of what you learn will be specific to the make and model of the wood burning appliance you buy. Other safety tips will be more general in nature, but are every bit as important:

Keep a properly maintained fire extinguisher nearby at all times.
Move combustible items as far away from the wood burner as possible.
Use only clean paper, newsprint and dry kindling to start a fire. Never use an accelerant like gasoline, kerosene or lighter fluid.
Burn seasoned wood only. Wet or green logs may cause a combustible residue to build up inside your chimney.
Never burn trash or garbage in your wood burner.
Close the door of your wood burning appliance as soon as it’s lit and immediately after loading new logs.

Talk to your local fire department. They may be able to offer additional information about burning wood safely, and they may be able to provide additional information about local ordinances that affect when you can use your wood burner.

Follow Maintenance Guidelines

Make sure you read and follow the maintenance guidelines provided with your wood burning appliance to help keep it working properly. Many manufacturers recommend an annual inspection, and your installer can often perform this service or recommend an inspector. Remove ashes regularly, and have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a certified chimney sweep. The Chimney Safety Institute of America offers a searchable list of certified chimney sweeps online at www.csia.org.

Install Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you haven’t already done so, now is a great time to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. These devices can potentially warn you about a fire or wood burner malfunction, and may save your life. Talk to your local fire department about the best locations for each device, and make sure you test them regularly to make sure they’re working properly at all times.

The Home Improvement News and Information Center provides information and resources for home remodeling, home improvement and home energy management projects. For more home safety tips, point your web browser to http://www.HomeImprovementTime.com/consumer/search.asp?search=safety&mode=search

Understanding FreeStanding Stoves

April 9th, 2010

(Courtesy wood-stovereview.com)

There are many conveniences to both free standing wood stoves and fireplace inserts. The option you select will depend on your current home and whether or not you currently have a fireplace.

Free standing wood stoves sit on the floor of a room either on a stand or on four legs. These are placed safely away from the wall, however, many can be placed as close as eight inches to the wall without risk of fire. All new free standing wood stoves are EPA certified and are now clean burning. Older wood stoves were not as clean burning, which could cause air quality issues. These stoves also have relatively high heating efficiencies.

There are various styles of free standing wood stoves available, ranging from a traditional, country looking model to a sleek and stylish contemporary design. These stoves are made from various types of metal including cast iron, sheet metal, plate steel or a combination. The appearance of these stoves is often cast iron, as they are usually covered by an enamel to provide this look. They are also available in several different colors or can be covered in marble or porcelain. Stoves also may have glass doors that allow you to see the flames so you get the feel of a fireplace. Many new models utilize an infrared barrier on the door that reflects the heat back so heat is not lost through the door. Many wood stoves come with various features including thermostats that allow you to control the temperature. You will require a chimney for these stoves so you must be certain that they will either fit with an existing chimney or a hole will be cut in your roof.

A fireplace insert is very similar to a wood stove, except that they fit into your existing fireplace. Fireplaces look great, but they are a source of heat loss. If you depend on your fireplace to heat your home, you may be better off with a fireplace insert, as they allow you to retain heat instead of lose heat. The fireplace insert is a great way to turn your fireplace into a heat source instead of causing air pollution in your home as well. Fireplace inserts consists of two shells. The air flows between the two shells and is heated. The heated air is then returned to the room instead of being lost up the chimney or into the masonry structure. Fireplace inserts also feature a decorative fireplace that contains the actual burning fire. Fireplace inserts have become more efficient over the years as a way to heat your home due to several changes. On important change is that they now utilize full chimney liners instead of a partial liner that fit into the chimney. The full liner is easier to clean and maintain, plus less heat is lost from the insert.

Whether you choose a fireplace insert or a free standing stove depends on whether or not you already have a fireplace. If you want to utilize your fireplace to the max, then a fireplace insert will be your best option. If you do not have a fireplace, then a free-standing stove would be a better choice.

Popularity of pellet stoves drives delivery-system innovation

Wood Stove Safety

Find A Professional Wood Stove Installer

Follow Maintenance Guidelines

Install Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Understanding FreeStanding Stoves

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