pellet stove vs. wood stove

[Unregistered2013]

hi all --

-- i am looking at building a hobby house near my pond, only 1,000 sq. ft. total, 2 floors.

it will need heat when i go out there -- ie, heat on demand, and i don't see using it every day in the winters, etc.

any suggestions on going wood vs. pellet stoves?

thanks!

eric

 

[Highbeam]

Being in NY and having plumbing you will need some sort of regular furnace type heat right? Or do you intend to have this stove provide even freeze protection such as a thermostat operated pellet stove?

So the wood appliance is more for that extra kick and for fun? Then go wood.

Pellets aren't all they're cracked up to be and with cheap wood in the NE and expensive pellets I would rather burn wood in an appliance that needs no motors, bearings, or electronics replaced on a regular basis.

Plus, unless you like the look of a crack pipe fire, the woodstove is nicer to watch and silent.

 

[turnkey4099]

Being in NY and having plumbing you will need some sort of regular furnace type heat right? Or do you intend to have this stove provide even freeze protection such as a thermostat operated pellet stove?

So the wood appliance is more for that extra kick and for fun? Then go wood.

Pellets aren't all they're cracked up to be and with cheap wood in the NE and expensive pellets I would rather burn wood in an appliance that needs no motors, bearings, or electronics replaced on a regular basis.

Plus, unless you like the look of a crack pipe fire, the woodstove is nicer to watch and silent.

Same here. Drawback to the the wood stove is the need to keep it fed. Would have to visit it once a day minimum if heat is required to keep things from freezing up. Drawback to the pellet is "power out - no heat". Back when I checked on pellet vs wood to avoid the cost of oil. Discovered that the cost of the pellets would equal or exceed that of oil. Of course that was back when gas was less than $1.00 gal.

Harry K

Harry K

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Think it boils down to how ecconomics fits into the picture and how you are going to address the plumbing/freezing during the winter months.

Here pellet cost took a big jump last yr but was also at a time when fuel costs were high (transportation). Here I don't see much of a diff in price of wood or pellets. On vol/wt basis they are nearly the same. Typ pellet stove is more efficient than a wood stove.

My experience, my stove is about 6 yrs old, never any problem and certainly no failed parts. Never had any problems with my wood stove insert either and used it for about 20 yrs. The wood stove had a large fire box, could handle 24" long logs. It had to be loaded multiple times a day. And with the large blower it had, power was also a requirement. The pellet stove, 1 bag a day at most. No regrets here on changing over to pellet stove and I still have several cords of wood off my place.

The big issue with a pellet stove is the need for a small amount of electrical power. Using a killowatt meter, with my stove runing at least mid speed, power usage is right at 100w. Believe some pellet stoves are available for 12V operation but battery wouldn't last too many hrs. Personally, I have a small, 1kW inverter genset. Even with that small size of a genset I can run the pellet stove, a few lights and a large project TV and still have power to spare. Genset will run 4-5 hrs on 3qt of gas at half load. I also have natural gas which is always available for use in several diff appliances.

Oh, I bought pellets last yr for $165T and $112T the yr before. Will have to see how transportation cost affect pellet cost this yr.

 

[scott_vt]

Pellets aren't all they're cracked up to be and with cheap wood in the NE and expensive pellets I would rather burn wood in an appliance that needs no motors, bearings, or electronics replaced on a regular basis.

Plus, unless you like the look of a crack pipe fire, the woodstove is nicer to watch and silent.

Afternoon Erik,
I agree with Highbeam and Harry ! For something your going to use occassionally I would go with a nice wood stove, I say nice because that first picture would need a nice looking stove in it to complement it ! As Harry points out, no electricity and no heat with the pellet stove ! That little house has nice retreat written all over it for nasty weather, aka ice storm, blizzard etc ! My vote is for a wood stove ! Of course Ive been burning wood my whole life !

 

[tommu56]

Eric
The plumbing issue is the one I would be first on my mind.
I have a cabin in upstate pa and have the no heat issues.

You don't show a basement that might be one thing to consider pitch all your water pipes so you can drain them.

Use and old style galvanized well tank submersible pump and hardware and sniffer valve and orifice in well so line drains back to well and shoulden't freeze.

tom

 

[Unregistered2013]

hi all --

-- i am sorry, i didn't provide all the infos --

-- i am not running plumbing out to this little cabin -- it's going to be 700' off the road, or 400' from my house --

-- i can't justify running water and setting up septic out there yet at all, so the place can freeze up cold in the winters.

that said, i will have electric out there.

so, you're thinking wood then?

 

[coobie]

Think it boils down to how ecconomics fits into the picture and how you are going to address the plumbing/freezing during the winter months.

Here pellet cost took a big jump last yr but was also at a time when fuel costs were high (transportation). Here I don't see much of a diff in price of wood or pellets. On vol/wt basis they are nearly the same. Typ pellet stove is more efficient than a wood stove.

My experience, my stove is about 6 yrs old, never any problem and certainly no failed parts. Never had any problems with my wood stove insert either and used it for about 20 yrs. The wood stove had a large fire box, could handle 24" long logs. It had to be loaded multiple times a day. And with the large blower it had, power was also a requirement. The pellet stove, 1 bag a day at most. No regrets here on changing over to pellet stove and I still have several cords of wood off my place.

The big issue with a pellet stove is the need for a small amount of electrical power. Using a killowatt meter, with my stove runing at least mid speed, power usage is right at 100w. Believe some pellet stoves are available for 12V operation but battery wouldn't last too many hrs. Personally, I have a small, 1kW inverter genset. Even with that small size of a genset I can run the pellet stove, a few lights and a large project TV and still have power to spare. Genset will run 4-5 hrs on 3qt of gas at half load. I also have natural gas which is always available for use in several diff appliances.

Oh, I bought pellets last yr for $165T and $112T the yr before. Will have to see how transportation cost affect pellet cost this yr.

Here in michigan the farm stores where i buy my wood pellets are taliking about $221 a ton this year,coobie

 

[Highbeam]

I still don't get what the point is. The intended use of the hosue is pretty important.

Will you go out there for a few hours to read, or do some sort of craft and then come home? So you would want rapid heat up and then shut off? Then I would go with a propane forced air unit, electric wall heaters, or even a pellet stove. Rapid warm up, forced convection heating, and ease of use are important here since you don't want to spend a half hour messing with the stove and then leave an hour later.

Will you go out for a day, or overnight with no plumbing? If so, the longer time frame lends itself to the woodstove. For the pleasure.

My home is a combination of thermostat controlled electric wall heaters and woodstove. So I am biased that way if you are looking at longer heat cycles.

A propane stove can be very attractive and capable heater. Check out the vermont castings line.

 

[tommu56]

Eric
If you dont want plumbing out there now I would make provisions for it now even if you dont use it.

I'v had my cabin over 30 years no problem with the outhouse ect, as I get older the the idea of bundeling up and running out at 2:00 am in freezing weather to do any buisness is loosing it's apeal. It's taking me alot longer to add the bathroom (working by myself) but I might be finished in another year or two. I wish I would have stubed it out in the begining.

at least stub the lines out of the building it will be good money spent!

tom