Wood Pellet Stove - Good Idea or Bad Investment?

[Monty22 833]

So I've been putting off since last year the purchase of a wood pellet burning fireplace insert. With the rising cost of home heating oil and my cousin's recent employment with a alternative heating stove distributor have kick started the process for me. I can get the stove for a reasonable price, but I'm concerned about the fuel basically skyrocketing in price like everything else. Presently a ton of pellets can be had for between $235-250 delivered. There is a large pellet distributor in my town, and when I contacted them about availability, they indicated that out of then 7 different varieties shown on their website, only 2 were in stock, with nothing else expected in the near future. She cited a "sawdust shortage" , which I found some info on here:Sawdust shortage

So, is pulling the trigger a good idea? I don't want to drop $4,140 or so on a stove and 6 tons of pellets (just under 2 winter's worth) and be stuck with 2 different really expensive home heating options, instead of just one. Anybody else with a similar issue?

[Monty22 833]

Well, I went ahead and bought the stove. Also ordered 6 tons of pellets. Anyone considering a pellet stove should jump on it- apparently they are becoming very scarce very quickly. The store I'm buying from estimates they will be sold out by the first of next month, and don't expect to be able to get additional stoves until January. The lock in pre buy price for oil here is $4.79 . I'll take my chances with the pellets being available in 2 years. From what I understand the pellet supplier I ordered from buys locally and instead of just buying "waste" sawdust to make pellets, they just chip whole trees when the supply gets tight (like now).

I have a feeling this is going to be a rough winter for a lot of people.

[Jason Harris 31]

I know someone who bought one prior to last winter, who spoke highly of the investment. He cut down his own trees, although I'm not sure how he arranged that, since he only has about six trees on his property. I don't know if he paid by the hour, by the tree or whether he was helping someone thin the grove for fire safety.

He paid about $2000 for the insert and I think he estimated it would take six cords to last the winter.

[mxihockey 0]

My dad got a wood burning stove, i'm not sure if it's the same thing or not but it's awesome. Heats the whole house.

[Monty22 833]

I have several acres of wooded land, but went with the pellets as it's much less work and takes up a fraction of the space. Each pallet (one ton) is 4' x4'. I'll keep 2 in the garage and call the warehouse when they get low. It's just like oil where you can prebuy before the season. Unless you have a truck and chainsaw, or a reliable source of delivered firewood, the pellets may be the way to go for most people. I've cut large quantities of wood before, it's not insanely hard work, but it's time consuming.

[Jason Harris 31]

Oh, it gets to be hard work where we live -- at 7,800 feet on sloped mountainsides!

Maybe eight years ago I had cut down a number of trees on my property to improve the view. I cut them into 4' to 5' lengths, then decided to bring them up to the garage area for firewood. Man, I don't remember my heart ever pounding so much. I bet each log was 100 to 150 pounds and I probably had to move the logs anywhere from 50' to 80' (although I split the trips in half), with inclines ranging from 15 degrees to 50 degrees, the latter of which I couldn't avoid. I'd make about five trips each morning and/or night, my heart would pound and my body would be exhausted for twenty minutes. It was probably close to a month-long project.

The interesting thing about it all is a neighbor tried to make me feel bad for cutting down the "old growth trees," particularly since it turned out a couple of the trees were on his property, but I had figured he wouldn't care since he owns 17 acres and his house is literally almost a 1/4 mile away. Anyway, he comes back two months later and says he feels he should be compensated. That was eight years ago and we haven't spoken since. Yet it turns out he was way off. These aren't old growth trees and, more importantly, this area is so dry, they want us to thin our trees by a good two-thirds.

But think about my neighbor. Theoretically, he's liable for cutting down and removing hundreds or thousands of trees, all at around 7,600 to 7,800 feet at angles up to 50 degrees. It's an impossible task, so I understand why he's never done it, but if a fire comes shooting up that mountainside, my house is gone and my property overlooks a mountain valley. :D

[mxihockey 0]

Yea we have a huge supply of wood because an estate manager lets my dad go in and cut cup all the trees that fell down in this huge storm a couple months ago. Edit- and I forgot to mention my dad owns a small oil-heating business, looks like everyone is seeking and alternative nowadays.

[Spreedizzle 1]

Yea we have a huge supply of wood because an estate manager lets my dad go in and cut cup all the trees that fell down in this huge storm a couple months ago. Edit- and I forgot to mention my dad owns a small oil-heating business, looks like everyone is seeking and alternative nowadays.

Tell me about it. I'm in the wholesale HVAC business and we are getting more and more requests on solar and geothermal on a daily basis.

Up that way.....I'm guessing that your father purchases from FW Webb??

[Gummer12 134]

I know this is an isolated case...but those are, like every where else, all the rage up here in MI...but some people are complaining about all the smoke....and one town is even considering putting a ban on them, at least in city limits or what i don't know. But just some food for thought. Make sure you do all your research before hand. If you're in BFE....then by all means.

[Monty22 833]

Most of the issue I've read about towns having relate to the outdoor wood burning furnaces. The chimney is fairly low compared to a typical house and they can generate a ton of low level smoke. The pellet stoves are extremely clean burning and I don't see them being an issue.

[Monty22 833]

If anyone is on the fence about a pellet or wood stove, you may want to get moving- Apparently stove prices are going up about $500-$800 and the pellets are now around $280 most places.