Pellet Stove or Propane?

I'll be replacing my woodstove next summer. There are just no inexpensive supplies of firewood around any more.

If you had your choice - would you put in a pellet or a propane stove? Why?

Thanks, Dave

Reply to
Dave
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Are you using the stove every day in the winter to heat the house? Or is it for an occasional hour or two to take the chill off a particular room a night or two a week? Do you have frequent power failures?

If it is full use, I'd check the cost of operation and that would decide.

If it is more of a convenience factor, propane is just the flick of a switch with no pellets to drag around.

My wood stove has not been burned for the past two years. Buying wood is more expensive than paying the oil man. I keep about a quarter cord in case of emergency in a power failure. Pellet stoves use an electric powered auger so keep that in mind for your decision making.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I replaced my wood stove several years ago with propane. About the same time my brother-in-law bought 2 pellet stoves.

Hands down, I'd go with propane again-- unvented if the space will allow it. [pricewise I think it still has an edge over pellets, but comparing two systems is tricky & prices on both fluctuate]

Here's why I like my propane; I can turn it on or off in an instant. It can be thermostatically controlled. [mine isn't] I never have to lift anything heavier than a remote. No moving parts. [it seems like b-i-l is replacing a blower, motor or some auger part every year on one stove or the other. I replaced my thermocouple the first year-- then I found out that after vaccuuming the dust in the fall the pilot nozzle likes a shot of compressed air.] One without a blower will work when the electricity are out. No dust. No hauling heavy bags of pellets or storing outside in a silo. If there are kids in the house, the propane doesn't get as hot on the outside. [might just be a design thing-- but my b-i-l's pellet stoves get too hot to touch, my iron 'wood stove looking' propane is never too hot to touch.

I turn my propane on in November & off in April. Vacuum it out in Oct. & it's ready for a new season. If the lights go out, I turn it up a bit. Other than that, I forget it's there. If you like futzing with things, get a pellet stove.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

You might want to take a look at corn stoves or maybe a combination corn/pellet stove. I've read articles claiming corn heat can cost as little as half of what other sources cost.

Some articles:

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Dean

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

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