Wood Pellet Stoves are Fueling the Green Movement

Clean burning wood pellet stoves are a green alternative to wood burning stoves. They are good for the environment because they don’t emit harmful smoke that can pollute the air.  Wood pellet stoves mean an end to strenuous wood chopping and maintaining a fire.

Two Types of Wood Pellet Stoves

The two types of wood pellet stoves are freestanding and fireplace insert. A freestanding stove is set up anywhere in a room where you can vent it to the outside of your house using a stovepipe. Other wood pellet stoves are inserted into the opening of the fireplace and vented through the chimney.

Features

Wood pellet stoves look like wood burning stoves. The stoves are electronically operated and use wood pellets instead of wood for fuel.

Pellets

Wood pellets are made from recycled sawdust and wood shavings. They are cheap and easily manufactured.

Styles of Wood Pellet Stoves

Wood pellet stoves are available in different colors, sizes and heat levels. Sizes and heat levels vary according to how big the space is that you want to heat. Heat levels are measured in British Thermal Units (BTU). Options for heat levels range from 8,000 to 90,000 BTU.

Components

The hopper holds the wood pellets located at the top or bottom of stove. An auger is a motorized delivering device. The burn pot is housed in the combustion chamber and the ash pot fills up with burnt pellets.

The Working Wood Pellet Stove

Wood pellet stoves use electricity to operate. When pellets are placed in the hopper, the auger delivers the pellets from the hopper to the burn pot. The speed of the auger determines the stove temperature. Pellets in the burn pot are ignited and burnt ashes fall into the ash pot. You must routinely clean the ash pot for maintenance and safety.

Things to Consider When Purchasing

Purchasing and storing wood pellets are something you need to consider. Make sure that stores in your area carry wood pellets. Packaging for wood pellets is about the size of a mulch bag.

The cost of buying wood pellet stoves is high when they are not found locally. If distributors near you don’t stock wood pellet stoves, you will pay more to have one shipped to you.

Keep in mind that wood pellet stoves may be worth the additional cost and storage. They have a lower creosote emission and are easier to clean and maintain than wood burning stoves.