Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the Surrounding Communities
Today, you have more options than ever before when you want a wood- or pellet-burning appliance to fill your home with warmth. Rather than traditional wood-burning stoves that require seasoned logs of firewood, pellet stoves burn small wood pellets an inch or less in length.
Pellet stoves certainly have their advantages, but are they the better choice when compared to a traditional woodstove?
There are a lot of home heating options out there, and it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. Many people go into the decision considering either natural gas or electrical heating options, but wood pellet-fuel heating options deserve your consideration as well. Wood pellet stoves and boilers may not be for everyone, but what is? Before you make any decisions about how you want to heat your home make sure that you have the information you need to make an informed choice. Here is some information that may help you decide if heating your Minnetonka home with wood pellets is the right choice for you. For more information call the wood pellet pros at 2nd Generation Chimneys.
Wood pellet stoves do a great job heating an entire home, especially considering their relatively small size. The pellets themselves come in fairly small, manageable bags as well, making pellet stoves a good option for homes without a lot of space to spare. They are convenient to use as well, as you do not have to continually feed them the way you would with a wood burning stove. A hopper holds a supply of wood pellets, and as they burn down the hopper feeds more into the stove.
Many people purchase and operate wood burning stoves in their homes because they appreciate the sustainability of the fuel source. Wood pellets are made of recycled material that is compressed into the pellet form. This high level of compression has some added benefits as well. The moisture content is much lower than in split wood, and this dryness allows for more heat to be generated. This in turn means that wood pellets actually burn more completely and cleanly than wooden logs, creating fewer pollutants. Pellet stoves also create less smoke than burning wood, which reduces less ash than firewood and creates less creosote to accumulate in your chimney. Creosote buildup can lead to chimney fires.
As with any other home heating option, wood pellets do have their drawbacks. The stoves are expensive to purchase, and they run on electricity which can be an issue in the event of a power outage. Be sure to check the availability of wood pellets in your area as well. A pellet burning stove isn’t worth too much if you don’t have access to the fuel source.
If you are considering the purchase and installation of a pellet burning stove, call the home heating experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys today. We’ll help you decide if it is the right choice for Minnetonka home. Let us help you keep your home comfortable this winter.
Pellet stoves allow you to heat your Fridley home with some of the most efficient and clean energy available. Pellets are made from renewable materials, such as recycled wood or organic waste materials, and pellet fuel generates less emissions than all other solid fuels. Because pellet appliances burn such clean and renewable fuel, they are appealing to many homeowners, and pellet stoves are more common in homes than they were even a few years ago. Some manufacturers are now designing new pellet-burning furnaces and boilers; however, pellets are more commonly used in stoves and fireplace inserts. Before you start looking around for a new pellet stove to replace your old heating system, there are a few things you should consider.
In addition to providing highly efficient heat, pellet appliances are also convenient because they have a hopper that stores the fuel, and a feeding device that loads the fuel throughout the day. In most pellet appliances, the hopper only needs to be refueled once a day. However, this added feature also means that there are more components that can break, which may increase repair and maintenance costs. These devices also use electricity to operate, so you’ll want to factor in these additional costs when you are deciding whether or not to install a pellet stove. Another factor to consider is whether or not pellet fuel is accessible and affordable in your area. A quick Internet search will direct you to any suppliers near your home.
Most pellet appliance manufacturers also recommend that you install a stainless steel flue liner before installation. If you have a clay or tile liner, you should find out what size metal liner you’ll need and how much it will cost to re-line your chimney. Hiring a professional chimney technician to inspect your current flue and liner will also determine if your flue size and shape. This will let you know if you need a stainless steel liner that is made of flexible material and how much labor will be involved in cutting the liner to fit your chimney flue.
Depending on the age and condition of your current heating system, you may benefit from installing a pellet stove in your Fridley home. First you’ll need to compare the installation costs with how much you’ll get in energy savings. You can always call 2nd Generation Chimneys to speak with one of our chimney and fireplace experts about which heating system upgrade is the best choice for your heating needs.