Wood Stove vs. Pellet Stove

[jsd176]

Here's the background. My parents heat primarily with electric baseboards, however they used to have a wood stove in their family room. Probably 15 years ago we had a flu fire and my dad was doing a lot of travel for business so they decided to switch out the wood stove for a coal stove. The coal stove was dry and dusty plus getting rid of the ashes was a hassle. So, they got rid of the coal stove and bought a ventless gas stove. It is pretty nice, however they live in a rural area so they have to get propane in tanks, which is pricey. I'm guessing they spend about $1000 to $1200 for gas in the winter. I was talking to my mom this afternoon and she mentioned how they just got a $500 gas bill and that she mentioned getting a pellet stove to my dad. We got to talking and I mentioned that a wood stove might be a better route. My grandfather owns about 100 acres a few miles from my parent’s house where I already get some wood for myself. I offered to cut and split the wood for them as well. I don't really have any say in what they choose but I figured I'd pick everyone's brain here and see what the pros and cons are. My mom's biggest worry is another flue fire, which I think was caused by unseasoned wood and creosote buildup. They bought their wood before so I doubt it was properly seasoned. If I were to cut the wood that would be a non-issue.

Right now I see the biggest advantage to wood is the huge savings in fuel. I'm not sure how a ton of pellets compares to a cord of wood, but from what I've seen a ton of pellets is about $200. The wood would be free, plus the have plenty of room to let it season.
I'm also not familiar with pellet stoves, but do you have to worry about creosote buildup with them as well? If you guys could give me the pros and cons of both I’d appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[whitemountain]

My parents got 2 pellet stoves 5 years ago. They still have the stoves, and they do get a little use, but they heat primarily with the wood stove they bought last spring. They use a single woodstove to heat the same space that one of the pellet stoves did. It is alot more fun to visit them now. They have commented to me several times as to how much they enjoy the wood heat, and the wood I brought them.

Not only that, but I remember taking out ashes daily with the woodstove when I was growing up. 5-6 times is all we took out the ashes all winter.

One other aspect to consider is that pellet stoves require electricity to run. The auger motor, the blower, the thermostat all require electricity. If power failure is a possibility that's something to consider. I did see where they make ones with battery back-ups now which would be better, but there's obvious limitations when the powers out.

 

[indiansprings]

I currently use a pellet stove made by lenox to augment my home. I heat 5300 sq feet, the pellet stove is rated at 3100 sq ft. In extremely cold weather 2 bags of pellets a day. If it is in the mid to upper thirties to forties one bag a day, one lp furnace never kicks on.
Positives, very easy for anyone, wife. kids to load the pellets, no mess.
Take out ashes twice for every ton of pellets burned.
Dosen't take a large flue, just a three inch double insulated exhaust, no chance of a flue fire
Negatives
It does create some fine dust.
Pellets were in extremely short supply last year, most suppliers ran out.
Takes electricity, dependent on the fan to heat, no radiant heat.
Replacement parts are high, iginiters around 130.00 fans the same I've never had to replace mine but the dealer told me what to expect on the front side.
A good high quality pellet stove is no cheaper than a high quality wood stove
I gave 3100.00 for mine.

I plan on replacing mine with a Pacific Energy wood stove this summer while prices are lower. I like the radiant heat for my old bones.

 

[stihlcountry]

The biggest draw back with pellets is your stuck with buying them from somebody. And not being able to get your wood from where ever you want and even for Free. You,ll never get pellets for free. When the price of a barrel of oil go,s up so does the price of pellets. Not the case with wood. Then you got the electric problem, when then electric go,s out so does your pellet stove. :greenchainsaw:

 

[pickwood]

As a VFD member and wood burner- you have to clean the flue once a year and your parents probably need to have theirs inspected - then you should be ok to burn. It doesnt hurt to have chimney fire extinguishing log too.

 

[FJH]

so asuming the wood was not free I have to ask How does the price of pellets compare to. ?
pellets a bag to two bags a day @ what 5 bucks a bag?
wood=
Gas=
and fuel oil=

Just curious.

 

[esshup]

$3.60/bag of pellets here - the low ash type. My parents are getting up in age, and they opted for a pellet stove to replace the fireplace in their new house. None of the mess of a wood stove, MUCH less ash to clean and they load the stove once/day. No worry about electric, they have a propane fired back-up generator. The pellets last year ran $165/ton for the std ones, $180/ton for the low ash ones. If I or my parents refer anyone to the stove dealer, and they buy a stove he gives us 1/2 ton of pellets. The stove dealer that we bought from will deliver and stack the pellets in the pole barn for them N/C if he's making his rounds in the area. There is a delivery charge if he has to make a special trip tho. So far that hasn't happened. One ton of pellets lasts between a month to almost two months, so if they had to buy wood, the pellets are cheaper. Takes less space to store than wood as well, less mess too. 2100 sq. ft. house, long side faces West and no protection from the wind. They noticed a difference in the amount of pellets used after I blew in another 50 bags of insulation in the attic. House was new in 2003. There is a propane fired central forced air furnace and central A/C in the house. The pellet stove really reduced their propane usage.

 

[loadthestove]

Have they considered a corn burner.I have family that lives in the upper penisula in michigan and use a corn burner.He love it.his house is about 10 yr old approx 2000 sq ft.he told me stove produces very little ash and house smell almost like someone baking bread.

he buys his corn by the ton and estimates around 3$ a day to heat his house.
only problem corn must be kept very dry as damp corn will not burn right .he stores his in his garage in plastic 55 gallon drums with sealed lids to keep mice out.

He says if he runs out a quick trip to feed store will keep him going for several days.

 

[Upidstay]

I have a wood stove and I love it. Does a great job of heating.

What I hate about? My aching back from cutting, splitting, hauling, stacking the wood. It's messy. Between wood debris and ash, it makes a mess.

4 frinds have pellet stoves and are generally pleased. One friend bought a lemon from a bad company, and has had 3 blowers go on him. Middle of the night, his smoke alarm is going off because the thing is just smoldering and the smoke has no place to go. Another loses power a fair amount in the winter, and had to hook his stove up to the generator to keep it running. Lose power for a week, and you've got a hassle. They ALL complain about the cost of pellets and how hard they can be to get.

 

[indiansprings]

If you go with a pellet stove be sure and buy all your winter's supply of pellets in the summer and store them in a dry storage area, they will draw moisture. Last year you could not find pellets, price went up sky high, if we would not have already had them bought we would have been screwed.

Corn stoves.....not a chance, corn needs to be around 7-8 % moisture to burn well and clean. Look at corn prices per bushel on the commodity market, then factor in the processing/bagging/drying cost, never will be as cheap as pellets by the ton. We've even had guys around here grow there own for supplying their corn stoves, planting cost, harvesting cost, the propane to run the dryer, it just doesn't work out.

 

[fast firewood]

Here's the background. My parents heat primarily with electric baseboards, however they used to have a wood stove in their family room. Probably 15 years ago we had a flu fire and my dad was doing a lot of travel for business so they decided to switch out the wood stove for a coal stove. The coal stove was dry and dusty plus getting rid of the ashes was a hassle. So, they got rid of the coal stove and bought a ventless gas stove. It is pretty nice, however they live in a rural area so they have to get propane in tanks, which is pricey. I'm guessing they spend about $1000 to $1200 for gas in the winter. I was talking to my mom this afternoon and she mentioned how they just got a $500 gas bill and that she mentioned getting a pellet stove to my dad. We got to talking and I mentioned that a wood stove might be a better route. My grandfather owns about 100 acres a few miles from my parent’s house where I already get some wood for myself. I offered to cut and split the wood for them as well. I don't really have any say in what they choose but I figured I'd pick everyone's brain here and see what the pros and cons are. My mom's biggest worry is another flue fire, which I think was caused by unseasoned wood and creosote buildup. They bought their wood before so I doubt it was properly seasoned. If I were to cut the wood that would be a non-issue.

Right now I see the biggest advantage to wood is the huge savings in fuel. I'm not sure how a ton of pellets compares to a cord of wood, but from what I've seen a ton of pellets is about $200. The wood would be free, plus the have plenty of room to let it season.
I'm also not familiar with pellet stoves, but do you have to worry about creosote buildup with them as well? If you guys could give me the pros and cons of both I’d appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

sum of the advantages to a pellet stove are

1 wood pellets usually have a lower moisture content than wood meaning more efficient at providing energy meaning not as much heat loss

2 wood pellet stoves are usually thermostatically controlled mean the stove will keep the room to your desired temperature

3 wood pellets stoves have an automatic feed system. meaning no more getting up in the night to put wood in the fire

4 Sum models need no chimney atoll and just require a simple vent making them not as costly to install

i found this information on Ferguson Firewood: Pellet stove vs Wood stove