Pellet Stove Furnace
Pellet stoves can be purchased as freestanding units or fireplace inserts that can give your home the look of an old-fashioned fireplace with wood burning. They are available as freestanding models or as fireplace inserts. They can give the appearance of a traditional wood-burning fire.
The auger transports pellets from the hopper to the combustion chamber where they are ignited and generate heat. Sensors detect the flame and adjust the speed of operation in order to maintain the desired temperature of the room.
1. Energy Efficiency
Pellet stoves burn a renewable non-toxic fuel composed of compressed sawdust, bark, wood chips, and other materials that are typically put in landfills, but can be repurposed into an efficient and clean source of heating. They aid homeowners in reducing their energy consumption, and consequently greenhouse gas emissions. Many users of pellet stoves say that they can recoup their initial investment in just few years by reducing their heating costs.
Pellets are extremely compressed and are more dense than natural wood, making them more efficient to burn. They also produce much less creosote buildup than traditional wood-burning fireplaces. Additionally, they are packaged in plastic bags that seal out moisture and need less frequent cleaning.
Like other heating systems, pellet stoves should be properly measured and vented. A trained technician can evaluate your venting requirements and space requirements to ensure the best results.
In the process of installation, the hearth is constructed to the right size, and the vent is fitted through a pre-cut hole your home's siding. The vent can be run through a sidewall or roof depending on your preference and the local laws.
After the hearth and vent are finished and the stove is ready to be connected. Some manufacturers provide a remote control that makes starting and maintaining the fire simple while others come with additional sensors that monitor combustion, airflow flue temperature, pressure. When the system detects it requires more or less pellets, it will signal the auger to speed up or slow down according to the situation.
Each stove comes with an hopper for storage that can hold between 35 and 130 pounds of pellets until they're needed. The size of the hopper will determine the frequency at which you have to refill your stove. Larger hoppers can be used for longer periods before refills is required. A grille draws air from the room, then passes it over the heat exchanger and then blows heated air through the living area through convection. A grate or an auger distributes the pellets, while a pan underneath will collect any unburnt ones, along with the combustion residue.
While pellet stoves are more efficient than wood-burning models, they're not as efficient as natural gas furnaces or electric heaters. The electric components that drive their motorized components require a power source, which could be an issue during a power failure, but backup systems are available, such as generators and batteries.
2. Low Maintenance
Pellet stoves are extremely efficient, but they require some attention to function properly. Cleaning your stove and exhaust vent regularly will stop the accumulation of harmful creosote, which could cause a fire or explosion that could damage your stove or even your home.
A pellet stove is a device that burns compressed natural wood pellets or other materials (like corn kernels, nutshells or small pieces of scrap wood). The pellets are introduced into the combustion chamber via an electric auger. The speed at which pellets are pumped into the burner is controlled by the thermostat you set. The fire can be kept burning, or it can be decreased or even extinguished in accordance with the temperature you set. The ash will be collected in an empty ash tray beneath the burner. It can be easily removed and then disposed.
Pellets are made from byproducts of lumber processing which would otherwise be thrown away. They are a renewable resource and emit less particulates than traditional wood-burning appliances making pellet stoves a cleaner heat source. The amount of carbon monoxide, carcinogens and other harmful chemicals released by pellet stoves is also much lower than those with modern wood stoves that are EPA-certified.
These appliances are not required to be vented through chimneys, as is the case with traditional wood stoves. Instead, they should be vented through a wall or another exterior structure. Pellet stoves have flue ports at the top or rear of the appliance. They are connected to a ventpipe that extends outside the home.
A pellet stove comes with one drawback that you must purchase or store enough fuel pellets to last for the whole winter season. Pellet stove owners typically use three tons of wood pellets each winter, which is a cost of $200 per ton. The expenses can add up but they're less expensive than buying firewood and then hauling it away for a fireplace or wood-burning stove. You should buy enough pellets to ensure your stove will run throughout the winter's coldest months. Additionally, you will must have a space to keep the pellets (preferably cool and dry).
3. Reduce Carbon Footprint
Pellet stoves make use of renewable biomass fuel to create heat, reducing dependence on finite fossil fuels. This helps reduce the carbon footprint and also helps diversify the sources of energy used in homes.
Even the most modern woodstoves that are EPA certified emit considerably less than pellet stoves. The emissions from pellet stoves are significantly lower than the ones from gas furnaces. Pellets are made of wood, sawdust and other lumber waste. They can also be composed of a variety of other materials including corn, soybeans and nutshells, cherry pits, and agricultural waste. When they are burned, they release less particles, which can cause respiratory issues and allergies and carcinogens as well as nitrous dioxide.
The feed system is the primary difference between a pellet stove and a wood stove. Pellet stoves come with hoppers that hold the pellets. When the thermostat or sensors indicate that the room requires heating, the auger turns and the pellets are fed into the combustion chamber, where they burn and generate heat. The combustion chamber flows through a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat to the blower and out into the room. This process results in very low emissions and no creosote buildup.
After the hopper is empty, a cyclone takes away the ash and puts it in an ash jar. The stove also contains fans to circulate the fresh, heated air into the living room. Most pellet stoves require minimal maintenance and come with a huge viewing area for you and your family to relax and enjoy the flames.
The quality of pellets is the primary element that influences pellet stove emissions. The poor quality pellets emit more emissions. When choosing your pellets, ensure they're certified to meet certain standards and don't contain other ingredients, such as petroleum-based or urea-based substances. Look for a company with a warranty and will repair or replace parts in the event of an issue. Certain states provide homeowners with tax credits if they want to go even greener. This is a great way to help to offset the initial cost of this type of stove and make it more affordable to set up.
4. Reduced Noise
Pellet stoves emit very little smoke and emissions as compared to wood-burning fireplaces. A fan is employed to spread heat more evenly across the room. This feature is one of the reasons pellet stoves require less maintenance than traditional wood stoves. While wood stoves have to be frequently cleaned of particulates and chemicals pellet stoves require a specialized metal vacuum cleaner for regular cleaning.
Many manufacturers have designed their stoves to ensure that they are simple to install and operate as well as maintain. They also make their appliances in a wide range of styles to match the decor of your home. Some come with programmable thermostats and remote control as well as a WIFI apps that let you manage and monitor your stove from anywhere in the world.
The majority of pellet stoves have an enormous fuel hopper which can hold between 35 and 130 pounds of pellets. The pellets are then fed into the combustion chamber using an auger. Small pellet stoves at which pellets are delivered to the burner determines how hot the fire is and also the amount of heat produced. The hopper can be filled with either hardwood pellets (from dense wood species like oak and hickory) or softwood pellets (from pine and fir). Many stoves can even use alternative biomass pellets, such as those made of corn or switchgrass, which can be an environmentally friendly option.
Pellet stoves produce less smoke and require less maintenance because they use a less polluting fuel than wood-burning fireplaces. They also do not require chimneys, making them a better choice for new constructions or retrofits.
Pellet stoves don't require regular cleaning of creosote or other chemical similar to wood stoves. They require only periodic inspections to ensure the proper operation and maintenance. This could involve regular cleaning and inspection of the ash or "clinker" as well as the motors and fans, depending on the model. Your appliance dealer can explain the proper procedure for your specific brand and model. He can also assist you to find the correct fuel for your stove, and give details on storage and safety.