Looking at the winter we are having currently, heating is going to account for a large part of the annual utility bill. Let’s face it, it’s cold out there. One efficient way to heat your home this winter is a pellet stove. Pellet stoves can help you cut costs on your utility bill, reduce the waste of ash, and heat your home more effectively than a traditional fireplace. Keep reading to learn all about pellet stoves and their benefits.

Pellet stoves are the modern furnace of today. They can look like old school woodstoves, but burn pellets made from compacted sawdust. These pellets are deposited in to a burning pot using a mechanical auger where they are burned at such a high temperature that they produce very little emissions. One of the greatest benefits of pellet stoves is they are about twice as efficient at warming your home than old fashioned woodstoves. How do they work? Pellet stoves operate with electricity and are powered by convection.  Pellets are loaded into the hopper of the stove on the bottom of the unit and with the auger the pellets are regulated into the burn pot. The faster the auger is regulated, the more heat that is produced by the stove. When the burn pot is ignited it serves as the carburetor burning the dense, low moisture pellet to create a hot flame that will heat your home. All of the burnt pellets are captured by an ash pot and should be disposed of periodically. Pellet stoves come with a thermostat that is designed to control the auger to increase or reduce the heat.

What’s the average cost of a pellet stove? Pellet stoves cost anywhere from $1000 to $5000 depending on the style, size, and additional installation charges such as inserts and chimney liners. If you’re up to the challenge of installing it yourself, set up is pretty easy as long as you know how to properly cut holes in your house for proper venting. If not, call a pro or inquire about installation services at your local hardware to have it done. Expect to pay a couple of hundred dollars to over $1000 in contractor fees depending on the complexity of the job. Additional accessories such as steamers, thermostat controls, and prefab pads all usually cost less than a hundred bucks. The pellets or fuel will cost an average $250 per ton.  Visit your hardware store to find a style and size that best fits your home to find the best rate on pellets. A good rule of thumb to follow is that a room needs an average of 5,000 Btu output from the stove per 200 square feet of space. This is important to prevent waste of fuel and overheating of your stove.

Pellet stoves are beneficial because they are efficient, easy to use, and outperforms its traditional counterpart. The only real disadvantage of any pellet stove is its price in addition to its being powered by electricity. If power goes out, it’s important to have a generator on hand which is an additional cost. Regardless of the upstart cost, pellet stoves are a solid investment for any owner. Use the information in this article and the expertise of your local hardware professional to make the right choice for you.