Unfortunately, pellet appliances are also more complex and have expensive components that can break down. Moreover, they need to be cleaned by the homeowner on a weekly basis and by a professional on an annual basis. They also require electricity to run fans, controls, and pellet feeders. Unless the stove has a back-up power supply, the loss of electric power results in no heat and possibly some smoke in the house.
Chimneys harness the heat of the fire to create what's called a stack effect. As the warm air from the fire rises, cooler house air rushes into the wood-burning appliance through vents, providing the oxygen the fire needs to burn.
Starting a fire with a good hot burn will encourage this healthy draft to flow. Also, between the higher and lower pressure zones of the home lies a neutral pressure zone. The neutral pressure zone tends to move toward the largest air leak. When the top of the chimney is located above the home ceiling as it should be , the chimney's neutral pressure zone is above the neutral pressure zone of the house.
Such proper chimney placement creates a gentle flow of air into the appliance and out the chimney even when no fire burns. If you are designing or building a new home, consider placing the chimney inside your home.
A more traditional chimney, constructed along the outside of a home, will lose valuable heat to the cold, outside air. If the chimney air temperature falls below that of the inside air, the cold, smelly chimney air will be pulled into the house by the low pressure of the stack effect. In such a scenario, the house has become a better chimney than the chimney. So when a fire is lit, smoke fills the room. Chimneys must match the size of the appliance, meaning the flue size should match the stove outlet.
If the chimney is bigger than the stove or fireplace outlet, exiting exhaust slows, increasing creosote buildup and decreasing efficiency. High-performance chimneys are also insulated. Older masonry chimneys can be relined to safely and efficiently connect them to newer high-efficiency, wood-burning appliances. Again, the chimney liner should be continuous from the appliance outlet to the chimney top.
It is not uncommon to pay as much for the chimney as for your appliance. Free-standing woodstoves exhaust into a connecting pipe, which then connects into the chimney.
If the connecting pipe is longer than 8 feet as in a vaulted ceiling , you should consider investing in double-layer pipe with 1-inch airspace between pipe layers. Efficient modern stoves produce large amounts of heat. Much of this heat can radiate from a longer length of single-layer pipe, slowing down the draft, which can impact the overall efficiency of your wood-burning system. To keep your wood- or pellet-burning system operating efficiently and safely, you'll need to maintain it on a regular basis.
Every year, preferably before each heating season, have a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America inspect your wood-burning system. In addition to cleaning the chimney, a certified chimney sweep should have the knowledge to help make sure your appliance, hearth, connecting pipe, air inlets, chimney, and all other components are functioning efficiently and safely.
Catalytic combustors need to be inspected after every two cords of wood burned, and replaced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Most catalytic stoves or inserts have a place for a thermometer to help you check the combustor. Catalysts in new models, especially those made since , should only need changing once every 5—8 years if burning seasoned wood. Older catalytic stoves made prior to need to be checked more often and catalysts need to be replaced more often.
Cleaning out the inside of a wood stove with a wire brush periodically will also help the wood-burning appliance heat more efficiently. For pellet-fuel appliances, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's instructions for operation and maintenance. Inspect fans and motors regularly, and maintain them properly. Manufacturers advise removing unused pellets from the stove hopper and feed system at the end of the heating season.
This reduces the chance of rusting, which can cause expensive damage to the appliance. It also minimizes difficulties in lighting the appliance at the start of the next heating season. Clean the flue vent on a regular basis to prevent soot buildup. All species of wood have similar heat Btu content on a per pound basis when completely dry. Therefore, denser woods will generally cost more and burn longer.
Woods like oak, hickory, and pine will burn overnight. Because a lot of energy can be wasted burning wet wood, you should use wood that has been properly seasoned.
Properly seasoned wood is harvested in the spring and allowed to dry throughout the summer. Look for wood that is of even color, without any green. Store your wood away from the house in case termites discover the woodpile. The top of the pile should be covered, but leave the sides open so air can circulate. If possible, store the wood a foot off the ground on concrete blocks, for example to keep it dry.
Most homeowners who use a pellet appliance as a main source of heat use two to three tons of pellet fuel per year. Pellet fuel appliances are almost always less expensive to operate than electric resistance heating, oil, and propane-fueled appliances. A few pellet manufacturers contain either petroleum or non-petroleum lignin used as a lubricant in the pellet production process, though most contain no additives. The Pellet Fuels Institute launched the PFI Standards Program, a third-party accreditation program providing specifications for residential and commercial-grade fuel.
This standard assures the consumer of the highest quality pellet when certified pellets are purchased. You can also check pellet fuel quality by inspecting the bag for excessive dirt and dust, which can form clinkers in the stove. There should be less than one half of a cup of dust at the bottom of a pound kg bag. Pellet stoves designed for low-ash content typically top-fed stoves tend to operate poorly when used with pellets of a higher ash content.
Many pellet appliance manufacturers are redesigning their products to burn pellets with varying ash contents. Most pellet fuel appliance dealers either maintain a supply of pellets or recommend a supplier. Firing the stove is easy.
Load the hopper once a day or every 3 days and turn it on. The electronics do the rest. The biggest advantage of a wood burner is the price of the wood.
Especially if you have an available wood supply that is free. The saving here over time can be significant. Electric power is required for a pellet burner to operate. If you do not have an alternate source of power generator , the pellet burner will not keep you warm during a winter storm with a power outage. Here are some of the best pellet stoves that I found rating them by size heating area and type.
They range from basic small area stoves to large stoves that could be a centerpiece in a living area. This stove has an emissions rating of 1. This is well below the new regulations set by the EPA that would lower the limit to 2. This stove also has a published BTU output of 10,, which would heat a small home or shop area comfortably. The manufacturer also lists the efficiency rating as 71 percent. The Integra C does meet the current emissions rating but will not pass the next version of the EPA standard.
The standard lowers to 2. I included this stove in the list because of its value. If you are looking for a low-cost pellet stove, this may be the one. This stove has a big output boasting a 48, BTU per hour output. It also has a large hopper that can store up to lbs. The look of this stove is modern, and most of the size is in the hopper. I could find no data on the emissions output other than the manual states that this stove does comply with the EPA standard.
That would suggest that it is between 2. This stove has a modern look combined with a classic wood burner style. A small stove by size and hopper capacity of only 80 lbs. It is also the second-highest price model in the reviews. The 1. The one negative of this stove is the small, 50lb. This stove requires more frequent loading of the pellets unless you are using it to heat a small space.
Another small-sized stove with a maximum output of 25, BTU per hour. This pellet stove is set in classic cast iron frame with the look of an old-style wood stove. With the years of heating experience of the furnace manufacturer behind this product, the electronics are rock solid. Sporting a mid-sized, 75lb. This pellet stove is not a model you would place in your family room. It is designed as a furnace replacement. I included it because it is a pellet burner but would only be placed in the utility room or basement of a home.
It does boast some impressive numbers. It can also handle air like, well, an air handler, which is what a furnace does. You'll probably need about three tons and the space to store the bags—to get you through the winter. The stoves might also need a little more maintenance than your current heating system. Just like the family pet, they require a regular feeding schedule.
You'll need to load in pellets every four or five days, depending on the size of the hopper and how often you use the stove. Many have viewing windows, so you can gaze at the flames. You true romantics can even get fake logs that fit right inside the window — a constant reminder of what, exactly, these stoves are saving. For info on where to find pellet supply in your area, go to pelletheat.
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