Wood Pellets

[cold1313]

I store my wood pellets in my basement, which means carrying the bags by hand through the garage, into the house and down into the basement.

I have an unused dryer vent that goes into the basement. Considering some PVC pipe and dump the pellets outside, down into the basement, into a storage container.

Any concerns with the pellets getting busted up into small pieces? I can't think of a reason why this would not be good for the stove / heat output.

Most of the time the pellets are too long because the manufacturers get cheap.

 

[AndyR2]

Dust is the biggest concern. Can't see it would be a big issue with you dumping individual bags. Make your arrangement with as few bends as possible and cleanouts so that you can break up a clog if need be. I have a large hopper in the basement but get delivery by the bulk truck and then it gets augered/vacuum fed into the main boiler.

 

[Mendonsy]

Make sure that your storage containers are air tight. It doesn't take much moisture to ruin wood pellets.

 

[Gunny]

I don't think the container has to be completely air tight, unless the basement is damp, but I doubt it would hurt anything if it was.

The best pellets we can buy here are Somerset and their bags have several small holes in them. They're pretty much in the same locations from bag to bag, so I have to assume that they're either made that way or the handling machinery at the plant does it, but I keep my pellets in an unheated garage next to the roll up door which is always open and I've not had any problems.

 

[cold1313]

I've been buying pellets for years and all of the brands have holes in the bags. Plus everyone stores them outside on pallet racks at the big box stores.

I put them in the basement and burn left over pellets from last year to let them dry out over a few months. Luckily, it's not my primary heat source. I have geothermal, so the warmer feeling wood heat is nice.

I also have them as an emergency backup to run off of a small portable generator.

For the dust, I have some expanded metal, I might sift them through that to let some of the dust fall out.

I wish we could get bulk delivery like Andy.

 

[cdaigle430]

I store my wood pellets in my basement, which means carrying the bags by hand through the garage, into the house and down into the basement.

I have an unused dryer vent that goes into the basement. Considering some PVC pipe and dump the pellets outside, down into the basement, into a storage container.

Any concerns with the pellets getting busted up into small pieces? I can't think of a reason why this would not be good for the stove / heat output.

Most of the time the pellets are too long because the manufacturers get cheap.

I was thinking the same thing but I would have to go through my basement window. Not sure where you live but for Maine I would have to have a container large enough to fit 3 tons of pellets to make it worth while. Once winter starts its a pain to get anything in the house basement.
Also yes you must make sure that the storage container is airtight, damp pellets will become moist and clog augers and hoppers easily. You will also loose efficiency of the pellet and the stove will require more maintenance. Control the dust when filling the container - not only is the dust harmful to your lungs (75% of the air we breath can come from our basements) but dust can become extremely combustible. We had pellet mills burn down in Maine because of lack of dust control.

Then there is the transfer from the bin to the pellet stove hopper-there are special bulk containers that have bottom hoppers you can fill a 10 gallon pail.

Yes you can go cheap-yes you may never have a problem-but why risk it.