Glad I burn wood & not pellets

[Sawyer Rob]

Natural Gas, that's a great Idea, did you hear the news yesterday, 2 buildings blown to he!! in Manhattan, sure makes me want to hook right up!

That makes about as much sense as me telling you about the "three" houses that burned down this winter because of woodstoves!

SR

 

[Richard@PM]

This WAS an apartment building that neighbors and residents complained the day before about the smell of gas, 6 months earlier another complaint was filed for the same reason and most importantly, IT BLEW UP, it did NOT burn because a homeowner got careless

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Isn't all of those cases, caused by HUMAN Error?? I don't/won't live in town and surely NOT in an apartment.

At my home, "IF" I smelled gas, I'd turn the gas off!! Just like "I" do the maintenance on my chimney, to avoid those problems too...

SR

 

[cantoo]

I heard that one of the apartment dwellers had an OWB and it set off the explosion? I also heard another story that a gun started the explosion. Just one more step to the gun shooting someone. After all we know that natural gas explosions are a stepping stone to mass murder for a gun.
FYI, I have fire insurance and working smoke and co detectors, if I have a stove fire I have a chance of getting out. If I have a natural gas explosion I have very little chance of getting out. I installed an OWB so it would give me some more protection from fire. Now If I could figure out how to disarm a jealous husband I would be set to live forever.

 

[spike60]

If it's OK to talk about pellets here again......................................

Was at the hardware store where my buddy gets his and they are out for the year, as are a few others in the area. There are 2 things in play here. In some cases retailers can't get them period. But in at least one case, the guy doesn't want to bring them in this late in the season. Warm weather can't be TOO far away. (hopefully)

But the other thing is that pellet prices are way up and they expect that they will come down over the summer. No way you'd want to carry inventory into next fall and have retail pellet prices be below current wholesale cost this spring.

That may of course explain some of the supply issue. But for people who need more pellets to finish the season they're still up the creek. And there lies yet another testimony to the independence most of us have burning wood. Since most of us are do-it-yourself types, we are essentially in control of our own supplies.

 

[MrWhoopee]

If it's OK to talk about pellets here again......................................
But for people who need more pellets to finish the season they're still up the creek. And there lies yet another testimony to the independence most of us have burning wood. Since most of us are do-it-yourself types, we are essentially in control of our own supplies.

And we're back to my original point. A short, efficient supply chain is most cost effective and least subject to interruption.

Edit: Lest somebody take offense again, I am not criticizing those who choose pellets. I am merely stating the reasons for MY CHOICE.

 

[Dale]

Burning pellets does have merit for many.... not me, but many.

 

[Dale]

The underlying principle was that you don't cut wood to save money because you could go to work instead and buy it and actually make a profit doing so. You choose to cut wood and that's wonderful and great, but it is costing you real dollars just like it costs me real dollars to cut it instead of working overtime

I believe you are correct, I just don't think your message "delivery" methodology is very well-received.... and for just reason.

 

[spike60]

And we're back to my original point. A short, efficient supply chain is most cost effective and least subject to interruption.

Absolutely!

Funny thing is that after my earlier post, I spoke with a Landscaper customer of mine from over the other side of the river. Before hanging up he asked if anyone over here had pellets as he needed some for his Mom's house. There's nothing anywhere around here. The retailer over by him can't get them til April, and they also have a waiting list of 50+ names. And that's just one store.

Got to 14 degrees last night and heading to 12 tonight. We've got a ways to go yet.

 

[mainewoods]

I like the fact that I don't need to depend on some store for my "wood" supply. Always worrying if they have any pellets and if the do,will I get there in time to beat the stampede for a bag of compressed wood waste. Not to mention the price of a pellet stove, and the fact that it only works if you have power. Constantly needing to clean it - hoping the auger doesn't break down, and then have a worthless piece of metal until it is repaired. No thank you. It might be for some people, but I like being in control of my own heat source and not dependent on someone else. If my stove "breaks down", I throw another log in it. If I need a bag of pellets, I go out and cut a tree. If I run out of fuel, I go out to the wood shed.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I like the fact that I don't need to depend on some store for my "wood" supply. Always worrying if they have any pellets and if the do,will I get there in time to beat the stampede for a bag of compressed wood waste. Not to mention the price of a pellet stove, and the fact that it only works if you have power. Constantly needing to clean it.

Do you need to beat the stampede for your wood?? NO? Well I don't have a pellet stove, but if I did, I'd lay in a supply of pellets for the year, just like you do your wood supply.

As for your other comments, MY woodstove wasn't free, I had to buy it, just like I would a pellet stove and when the power goes out, my fan stops. I have a small genset for the rest of the house, so I plug the woodstove fan in too, just like I would a pellet stove. I also have to clean the ashes out of my woodstove...

It's really not much different with either one...

SR

 

[philoshop]

Are wood pellets becoming the new .22 rimfire or beanie-baby craze? Hoard 'til yer bored?
My brother burns some pellets, but it hasn't come up in our recent conversations.

 

[mainewoods]

Do you need to beat the stampede for your wood?? NO? Well I don't have a pellet stove, but if I did, I'd lay in a supply of pellets for the year, just like you do your wood supply.

As for your other comments, MY woodstove wasn't free, I had to buy it, just like I would a pellet stove and when the power goes out, my fan stops. I have a small genset for the rest of the house, so I plug the woodstove fan in too, just like I would a pellet stove. I also have to clean the ashes out of my woodstove...

It's really not much different with either one...

SR

A wood stove doesn't need power to give out heat - a pellet stove does. Not many wood stoves are free, obviously. Obviously there is no stampede in the forest for firewood, but from what I hear the same can not be said about a shipment of pellets arriving in mid season at a supply store, (if they arrive at all). A wood stove puts out heat without power, the same can not be said for a pellet stove, without an alternative power source. It is just my opinion, and I am sure they are ideal for many people, as others have stated. Again, in my opinion only, I enjoy the independence of burning the wood that I harvest myself.

 

[spike60]

A wood stove doesn't need power to give out heat - a pellet stove does. Not many wood stoves are free, obviously. Obviously there is no stampede in the forest for firewood, but from what I hear the same can not be said about a shipment of pellets arriving in mid season at a supply store, (if they arrive at all). A wood stove puts out heat without power, the same can not be said for a pellet stove, without an alternative power source. It is just my opinion, and I am sure they are ideal for many people, as others have stated. Again, in my opinion only, I enjoy the independence of burning the wood that I harvest myself.

This sums up my thinking also, particularly that last line. But I'll add a few things.

This is one of those debates where nearly every post will be somewhat valid in a given context. My view on pellet stoves is that they have a place and within their limitations are viable as a partial heat source. I think that as you move towards more urban areas where harvesting your own wood is more difficult, pellets start to become attractive. Especially for people who buy split wood. People who have experienced uncertain delivery or seasoning with firewood will understandably like the idea of simply driving to the store to buy pellets. (if they have any)

I live in a forest, so harvesting my wood is easy. And the fact that I throughly enjoy the entire process is a bonus. Between scrounging, cutting on my own property, and logger friends from the store who let me cut tops/drops at landings, I've never paid for a sitck of wood in my life. I'm really fortunate that it all fits together so perfectly for me.

This isn't the first time there has been a pellet shortage, and let's not forget there's a wood shortage this year too for people who buy it. So even people who laid in a typical year's pellet supply, this brutal winter has many of them on those waiting lists. But again, firewood's shorter and more independent supply line allows the industrious to do something besides simply wait in line. Despite the winter we are going through, guys around here are finding ways to get wood out. Whether for themselves or customers. Yeah, it's certainly a little more work in these conditions, but we're getting it done. Pellet folks are just waiting helplessly by the phone.

 

[mainewoods]

I certainly can see the advantages of pellet stoves. The ability to go to a store and buy a nice neat, clean bag of "wood" that you just pour into a hopper, which in turn is automatically fed into the combustion chamber, is certainly alluring. Gathering firewood is time consuming and laborious, and in this hurry up - fast paced world, a pellet stove makes a lot of sense to a lot of people, and for good reason. There is a decent chance that in a few years a pellet stove will look good to me, and I may want one. Until then I will continue cutting my own wood and getting the exercise, and satisfaction of not being dependent on someone else, as long as I am physically able.