Pellet Stove vs. Wood Stove
With snow already falling in many parts of the country, now is the time to figure out how to stay warm in the upcoming cold months. Effective and inexpensive home heating options are in high demand right now, and many homeowners face the question of which type to choose. For those looking to stoves to heat the home, another question comes up: wood-burning or pellet-burning stove? Both have great advantages with some downsides as well, so you should take into consideration how you intend to use it, the amount of heat you need, the availability of fuel in your area, and other factors.
How do Pellet and Wood Stoves Work?
Pellet stoves have gained popularity in recent years because they efficiently burn renewable energy. Wood pellets are made by debarking, grinding, drying and compressing wood, and then the pellets are electronically fed into the burning chamber. Wood stoves work just like any other wood-burning unit. Split logs start and maintain the fire and the heat in place of the pellets in a pellet-burning stove.
What Makes Pellets Better?
For one, pellets burn very efficiently, meaning more of the material burns and creates heat. This leads to warmer, more sustainable fires and fewer harmful emissions. Wood pellet fires can burn for as long as 16 hours without requiring a refill, which is ideal for working families who spend long hours away from the home during the day. Compared to a wood-burning stove, pellet stoves are highly efficient.
Another benefit to a pellet-burning stove is purchasing and storing the fuel. First, in the built-up Westhampton Beach area, forests and firewood are harder to come by than in more rural areas, making split wood logs scarce. Wood pellets are ideal options for this situation because they can be shipped into urban areas more easily and economically. Next, wood pellets take up one-third less space than traditional wood. A cord of wood takes up 128 cubic feet, and one ton of pellets takes up just 80 cubic feet. These volumes create the same amount of heat but take up vastly different amounts of space to store. For tight New York homes, this could be a determining factor.
What Makes Wood Better?
Conversely, wood-burning stoves have some advantages over their pellet-burning counterparts. One major factor is that wood-burning stoves do not require electricity to function. In the case of power outages, as is common in winters when ice builds up on power lines, the wood-burning stove continues to run, while the pellet-burning stove simply runs cold. Although battery back-ups can be installed, they only last up to eight hours, making this issue life-threatening depending on the length of the power outage.
Another advantage of burning wood is the cost of the fuel. On average, one cord of wood costs less than $200. Because pellets require significantly more processing, a heat-equivalent amount of pellets might start at $200. The price of fuel, in addition to the price of electricity to run the pellet stove, might make the wood-burning stove more attractive.
For more information and help deciding what type of stove best suits your home and lifestyle, contact Beach Stove and Fireplace of Westhampton Beach, New York. These experts can help you make the most informed decision.