Updated at: 08-08-2022 - By: cnbusinessnews

You are considering installing a pellet stove and want to know if this is a viable option for house heating. Pellet stoves, as the name suggests, use wood pellets as fuel. There are many different types of biomass fuels that can be used in pellet stoves.

It’s possible to find pellet stoves that take their fuel from either the top or the bottom. Bottom-fed pellet appliances have a combustion chamber full of ash and other debris because pellets are fed into them from below.

The bigger ash pan capacity of this stove makes cleanup a breeze.

However, a pipe delivering pellets to a top-fed stove is superfluous because pellets are fed directly into the combustion chamber from the bottom of the appliance.

What Is A Pellet?

There are three distinct types of pellets, a biomass-based fuel. Sawdust or woodchips are commonly used to create wood pellets, which are then heated and pressed. Similar processes can be used to create pellets from waste materials like paper or grass.

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Due to their uniform size and shape, pellets are a space-saving storage option. Their diameters range from 1.5 inches to 14 inches and 5/16 of an inch. Pellets have a more consistent moisture level than logs, making them more efficient fuel.

What are the advantages of pellet stoves?

Cost-effective, when used for supplementary heating

Pellet stoves are great to have as a secondary source of heat in the winter. The savings in time and effort you’ll experience by not having to turn on the central heating system again at the start of winter and turning it off earlier at the end of the heating season speaks to their value (even though pellets are more expensive than other energy sources).

It also gives the heating system a rest during the cold months.

If you use the stove for a few hours per day between October and April, you can anticipate spending between €150 and €200 for pellets and energy for the year, and up to €300 for more intensive use. However, heating with pellets alone is no longer cost-effective due to the drop in energy prices associated with the health crisis.

A cost-effective fuel

Pellet prices, while sometimes fluctuating with the market, have been rather stable over the past decade.

Over the years, the average price of a 15-kilogram bag of pellets picked up from a store has been around € 4.5 per kilogram (incl. VAT). When bought by the ton or a pallet with 64-102 bags, pellets cost between € 0.26 and € 0.30 per kilo. Some companies will even make deliveries at no cost to you!

Easy to use

Electronic ignitions in pellet stoves eliminate the need for fire starters like paper, kindling, or matches.

Having a thermostat as a bare minimum means that all models can power themselves on and off. Some versions also have sophisticated features like programming, remote control, smartphone/internet control, and more.

Excellent performance

When using a premium pellet stove, you can achieve efficiencies of 90 percent or higher. In this way, the pellets’ energy loss in the chimney is greatly reduced to 10%. That’s

  • Compared to the effectiveness of a conventional wood fireplace, which is just 40-50%, (60 to 80 percent for recent high-efficiency stoves)
  • Quite a bit more efficient than using wood in an open fire, which only achieves efficiency levels of 5-15 percent.

No need for a traditional chimney

Pellet stove smoke is expelled through a tube that is 80 to 120 mm in diameter and can be installed in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. A tube can even be curved if necessary. As a result, the stove can be installed in the ceiling, against an exterior wall, or even right next to an electrical outlet.

A pellet stove can be used with either fresh air from outside or from inside the home (on models with a double exhaust and suction tube or a separate exterior air supply).

Low emissions of particulates

This chart displays the relative amount of PM10 particles produced by pellet burners and other common heating methods.

Remember that this is just a middle point. Several (superb) home appliances have performance levels 200 times higher than the Belgian standard and release zero particles into the air. Of course, the situation is worse for certain people…

Carbon neutral

Pellets are produced from sawdust sourced from the timber industry (furniture, pallets, lumber, etc.).

Pellet stoves are considered carbon neutral since the amount of carbon produced after combustion is equivalent to the amount absorbed by the tree during its growth.

  • In terms of quality and environmental concerns, pellets must meet DIN+ and EN+ standards.
  • To be sold in the country, they must conform to a Royal Decree setting standards for things like nutritional value, chemical free production, and minimum caloric content.

What are the disadvantages of pellet stoves?

Less attractive than a traditional wood-burning stove

The flames produced by a pellet stove, even those with natural convection, are not as visually appealing as those produced by a wood-burning stove due to the way they are produced (called “blown” flames).

Pellet bags are heavy and take up space

You need to buy lots of pellets in 15-kilogram bags. On top of that, you can get it in convenient 10 kg sacks. Carrying these bags can be a hassle, especially if you live on a higher floor. A pellet stove may hold anything from 1.5 to 4 bags.

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Its consumption will depend on :

  • No matter how big or small of an area you need to heat,
  • time needed to heat something to its desired temperature
  • your preferred heat level.

You can expect about 12 hours of autonomy at full power and about 36 hours at a third of that capacity thanks to the built-in reserve. A little extra room for storage is necessary for forethoughtful preparation. Pellets need to be stored in a cool, dry place.

Does not work without electricity

The electrical controls, pellet feed, ventilation system, and automatic igniting system are all run by electricity.

Requires maintenance

  • At least once every two days, scrub the burner with a brush to ensure optimal performance.
  • Once every two weeks, or whenever the ashtray gets full, empty it.
  • At least once every two weeks, clean the heat exchanger.
  • Once a year, ideally by a professional specialist, you should do extensive maintenance. You’ll have to move the stove so you can access the chimney.

Can be noisy

The decibel level of quality “very quiet” home appliances should not exceed 32. (less than a fridge). The 49 dB of noise generated by budget models is too much for a living space.

The noise coming from the stove is due to:

  1. A feeder that spins either nonstop (almost imperceptibly) or erratically (a few seconds apart)
  2. The fan, which generates a lot of noise when first switched on.

While it’s true that more robust machines tend to make more noise, certain high-end variants include features designed to mitigate feeding and blower noise. Therefore, they will place highly in the following rankings.

What Pellet To Use And How To Get Them?

There are two distinct categories of pellets for home use, distinguished by the quantity of ash they produce. Pellets vary widely in quality, with some having an ash percentage of up to 3% and others having as little as 1%.

Stove ash can be kept to a minimum by using premium pellets. The amount of dust in the bag can be used as an indicator of the pellets’ quality. Dust levels in a 40-pound bag of pellets, for example, should be below half a cup.

Pellets are commonly delivered in 40-pound bags for ease of handling and storage, despite the fact that a variety of container sizes are available. Other retailers, such as big-box stores, home improvement centers, and feed warehouses, sell these items.

Pellets are generally provided in 40-pound bags for ease of handling and storage, despite the fact that a range of container sizes are available. Other businesses, such as big-box stores, home improvement centers, and feed warehouses, sell these things.

Is It Possible To Use A Pellet Stove To Cook With Wood?

While a wide range of container sizes is available, pellets are most frequently shipped in 40-pound bags due to their portability and storage convenience. These products can also be purchased from various other businesses such as discount department stores, hardware stores, and feed and seed suppliers.

Can any kind of hardwood be burned in a pellet stove? Any wood will do; it doesn’t matter what kind. Pellet stoves are unique in that they can only be fueled by wood pellets, rather than traditional logs or kindling. Pellet stoves vary in how many pellets they can burn at once.

Pellets may be made up of large amounts of wood since it is used as a source of energy. Wood kindling and logs, which are often used in wood stoves, will not burn in our pellet stoves.

What Fuel Is Used By Wood-Burning Stoves?

Since wood is converted into energy, it is possible that large quantities of wood are utilized to create pellets. However, unlike traditional wood stoves, our pellet stoves cannot be used to heat a room using wood kindling or logs.

Wood is just one of several potential sources for the compressed and crushed pellets used as fuel in pellet burners. Unfortunately, we can’t utilize wood or fireplace logs in our pellet stove in the same way that we would in a traditional fireplace or stove.

Wood stoves typically have a sizable firebox into which logs can be inserted and set ablaze. Woodstove fires are often started using a firelighter, some kindling, and one or two small logs. Adding wood to a fire in a wood stove while it burns is an effective way to keep the flames going and the stove producing warm air.

What Kind Of Corn Do You Use In A Pellet Stove?

When burning pellets, the cleanest burn comes from maize that has been shelled. Shelled maize is an excellent fuel option for a pellet burner since it generates heat at a rate of about 8,000 BTU/lb, which is roughly the same as the efficiency rating of wood pellets.

Do Corn Or Wood Pellets Burn Hotter?

Corn can burn hotter than wood pellets, but wood pellets burn more effectively. Corn is a desirable substitute for wood pellets since it produces more heat per unit volume than any other alternative.

Can You Mix Pellet And Corn?

In the event of a wood pellet scarcity, many people wonder if it would be possible to substitute maize. As a result, the quick answer is yes; you most definitely can.

However, if you’ve heard that mixing pellets and maize creates more heat, you should probably avoid doing so. The addition of corn to wood pellets does not increase their effectiveness as a fuel source or their burn time.

However, burning the corn in the pellet stove is still the most popular option. It’s mostly due to the corn’s sugar content, which turns into a sticky ash when burned. Some also refer to it as clinkers. Particles will gather in a pellet burner because of the lack of a spiked augur to mix them.

This could cause major damage to the inside of your stove. This residue won’t linger around as much, saving you time and effort. However, the clinkers need to go if you want to avoid a situation like this.

Will Deer Corn Burn?

As far as the law is concerned, you can use any type of maize for fuel. However, superior quality, clean, and dry maize will produce the finest results. Some have hypothesized that feed corn, such as the deer variety, is of particularly high quality. For this reason, burning deer grain is acceptable. However, if you want to make sure your stove isn’t going to burn something it shouldn’t, it’s best to consult the manual.

How Much Does Shelled Corn Cost, And Is It Cheaper Than Pellets?

In theory, it doesn’t matter what kind of maize you burn. Superior quality, well-cleaned, dried maize, however, will produce the finest results. Feed corn, like the deer variety, is typically of a high quality, as has been suggested. In order to avoid feeding deer corn, it might be combusted. However, if you want to make sure your stove is safe to use, it’s best to check with the company that made it.

Literally any variety of corn could be used as fuel. However, superior quality, germ-free, totally dry corn yields the best outcomes. Some have speculated that feed maize, especially the deer kind, is of high quality. This means that deer grain can be used for fuel. Still, it’s a good idea to consult the manual or call the company to find out what you can and can’t cook on the stove.

Technically speaking, it is feasible to burn any type of corn in an incinerator. However, superior grade, clean, and dried maize will yield the finest outcomes. Some people think that feed corn, like the deer type, is really high quality. Therefore, deer corn can be used as a fuel source. Even so, before attempting to cook something that isn’t compatible with your stove, you should probably check with the manufacturer.

Can You Burn Corn In Every Pellet Stove?

In order to find out what options you have with your pellet stove, you need contact the company that made it. For some, the ratio of corn to pellets is 1:1. Most stove manufacturers forbid burning maize in pellet stoves because it isn’t a typical fuel for pellet stoves.

How Much Does A Pellet Stove Burn In A Day?

A stove’s daily fuel consumption is affected by many factors, such as the stove’s size, the number of hours it is used, and the temperature setting. On average, a pellet burner will consume 1.67 pounds of pellets every hour. If we use this statistic as a baseline, we may assume that a pellet stove uses 40 pounds of pellets every day.

The Origin and Design of Pellet Stoves as a Heating Source

How Long Will A 40-Lb Bag Of Pellets Burn?

As was mentioned before, the average pellet stove consumes 1.67 pounds of pellets each hour. Given those numbers, it would take at least a day to burn through a 40-pound bag of pellets.

Do Pellet Stoves Burn Hotter Than Wood Stoves?

The short answer is no; pellet burners do not produce higher temperatures during combustion than do conventional wood stoves. It’s possible that a specific model of pellet stove can generate more heat than a comparable wood stove. Although pellet stoves are more efficient, wood stoves provide greater overall heat.

The average pellet stove has a BTU value of around 50,000. On the other hand, wood stoves can be quite efficient, producing well over 100,000 BTU per hour.

Can You Burn Wood In A Pellet Stove In An Emergency?

A wood stove can be used to cook using wood pellets. On the other hand, the inverse doesn’t work. Cooking with wood is not possible on pellet stoves. The only acceptable fuel for a pellet stove is pellets made by hand or a special blend of pellets and other fuels. Even in an emergency, do not use a pellet stove to burn wood or wood scraps.

Do Cherry Pits Burn Hotter Than Wood Pellets?

A wood stove can be used to cook using wood pellets. On the other hand, the inverse doesn’t work. Cooking with wood is not possible on pellet stoves. The only acceptable fuel for a pellet stove is pellets made by hand or a special blend of pellets and other fuels. Even in an emergency, do not use a pellet stove to burn wood or wood scraps.

Cooking with wood pellets in a wood stove. But the converse can never be true. However, wood cannot be used in pellet stoves for any purpose. Only pellets made by hand or a specific fuel blend can be used in a pellet stove. Never use a pellet stove to heat your home with wood or scrap wood, not even in an emergency.

What’s The Difference Between A Pellet Stove And A Corn Stove?

A novice observer might confuse a pellet stove with a corn stove. However, the two stoves are not interchangeable in every way. The fuel used is the main distinction between a pellet stove and a corn stove.

Most corn stoves, for instance, can effectively burn both wood pellets and corn. However, pellet stoves are not the same thing. In general, yes, but it varies by type, most pellet stoves may be used to burn maize.

Maize stoves are more efficient than pellet stoves because they produce less ash. The ash output of a pellet stove is far higher than that of a maize stove. The fuel, and not the furnace, is to blame for this. However, wood pellets are more likely to turn into ash than other fuels. Therefore, using a pellet burner to cook with corn will result in less ash being produced.

Spiked Agitator

Maize burners have greater versatility because of the spiky agitator. Therefore, pellet stoves are not suitable for burning corn. Clinkers form in a corn stove, and a spiked agitator is responsible for crushing and spreading them.

Does Corn Burn Faster Than Wood Pellets?

Some people believe that wood pellets can be burned more fast than corn. Wood pellets are drier than corn (which has a moisture percentage of 12 percent) and burn more quickly because of their lower moisture content. On the other side, corn will keep burning longer than pellets.

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Difference Between Wood Pellets And Corn

Functions

A corn stove is a device that achieves a similar purpose. The most noticeable distinction is that it burns corn pellets instead of wood pellets.

Availability

The ease of obtaining fuels like cornmeal and wood pellets is crucial while looking for a heating stove. More maize pellets are available in the Midwest than in the rest of the country. However, there is a wider variety of wood pellets available in the northwestern and northeastern areas of the United States.

Two to three tons of maize pellets are needed to heat a residence of 2,000 square feet per season. Therefore, if you live in an area without access to maize or wood pellets, the expense of buying fuel may be prohibitive. Even though maize pellets themselves are cheap, shipping charges can quickly add up and increase the whole price.

It’s A Wrap!

After reading this essay, you should have a better understanding of the range of fuels suitable for use in a pellet stove. Pellets can be made from a variety of different materials by pressing and burning them. The efficiency of this fuel is much higher than that of wood logs. More information on stoves can be found in the linked article. Thank you for taking the time to read this!