Wood Stove vs Pellet Stove

gunner3006 · Nov 11, 2018

I grew up with wood. Cut, split and piled far to much hardwood back in Ontario. But. I’ve been in the hvac business for almost 20 years and I can’t get used to the heat of natural gas. So, I’m going to install one or the other. Im wondering what you guys on here are running or thoughts. I’ve done some research. I’m keeping my forced air furnace of course but looking forward to some REAL heat.

Cheers
Chadd

AreWeThereYet · Nov 11, 2018

Wood stove still works when the power goes out.

RXN · Nov 11, 2018

My dad has a pellet stove at his BC place and a wood stove at his Alberta place.
He seems happy with the pellet stove. Less mess. Easier to keep clean. But have to buy pellets.
Where as the wood stove he has access to lots of free wood.
Personally I'd go wood. Incase pellet prices sky rocket

armascott · Nov 11, 2018

I think there was a thread on this last year

kanedog · Nov 11, 2018

gunner3006 said:
I grew up with wood. Cut, split and piled far to much hardwood back in Ontario. But. I’ve been in the hvac business for almost 20 years and I can’t get used to the heat of natural gas. So, I’m going to install one or the other. Im wondering what you guys on here are running or thoughts. I’ve done some research. I’m keeping my forced air furnace of course but looking forward to some REAL heat.

Cheers
Chadd

Heat snob. Me too!

gunner3006 · Nov 11, 2018

AreWeThereYet said:
Wood stove still works when the power goes out.

Very true.

gunner3006 · Nov 11, 2018

I know insurance company’s have been cracking down on wood heat in the city. Not so much in country yet.

S.W.A.T. · Nov 11, 2018

Only thing that beats a wood stove is infloor heat. But as mentioned a stove still works when the lights go out

ferniesnow · Nov 11, 2018

I have 3 wood stoves. A forced air furnace that holds 2 foot long logs, a big Blaze King on the main floor and a smaller blaze King in the shop. Burn about 6 cords of wood a year. Don't split for the furnace but the other two need split wood (I have a small electric splitter). My wood is free and takes me 10 days to cut, haul, split, and stack. I do not cut green wood, only standing dead or dead blow downs. I am usually done around the first of June (the wood is only about 4 km from my house). Air dried under a melt roofed wood shed that sits right beside my house. It is very easy getting the wood from the shed to the stoves. It is a little messy but nothing that one can't handle. Even the chimney cleaning goes easy as all chimneys go straight into the appliances.

We heat 4000 sqft in the house with 40,000 cu.ft of volume (main floor is all vaulted ceilings and basement has 9' walls) and another 500 sqft in the shop. It is nice and it is cheap. Gets one out in the bush for fresh air and exercise.

broke'n'nuts · Nov 11, 2018

Same, grew up with wood, can't beat it compared to has. Have a pellet stove in new house. As previously posted it needs power to run, that being said if power goes out a small genny will run it. No mess. Pallet of pellets lasts me most of a winter. Waaaaay cleaner than wood. Easier to adjust/control temp, wood was always all or nothing. Wood in BC cheap and easy but wood when we lived in AB was a lot pricier and harder to get. Pros and cons to both but I would have no issue with either one. If we were still living in Edmonton it would be pellets all the way

catinthehat · Nov 11, 2018

We went with the pellet stove because of costs, it came in at less than half the price of a wood stove and chimney. Surprisingly enough the insurance was also less.
If you figure the cost of wood (using the going rate to buy it) 5-6 cords of fir/larch comes in around 1300-1500 dollars. No matter what anyone tells you, firewood isn't free. Be honest about the costs, (gas in the saw, truck. Wear and tear on both. Somewhere to store the wood.)
Not everyone can get their wood within 4 km of home. Then think about what happens if for some reason you can't get out for wood, (injury,illness, not necessarily your own even.)
Pellets cost about $325 per ton, usually go through under 2 tons a year.
That being said, the heat is still not the same as a wood stove.
Just my experience.

ferniesnow · Nov 11, 2018

How big of a pellet stove would one need to heat 40,000 cuft. and how many pallets of pellets. It is all relative. Yes, there are costs but my comment about wood being free is just that; we don't have to pay for permits nor a stumpage fee, so the wood is free. Do I have tools to gather wood, yes I doo and that is pretty much a one time cost for chokers, cables, wedges, truck rails, peavy, etc., etc.. It is individual preference what one wants to do with their money. I prefer to be in the bush in the spring cutting wood so that my heating bill is very reasonable. I have been doing this since 1977 and have learned a few tricks. It is a very enjoyable past time for my wife and I.

medler · Nov 11, 2018

I have had both. I have a pellet stove now. I love it but it doesn’t compare to a wood burner. Both are nice but the pellet stove is much easier and less work.
If I had a bungalow and room to store lots of wood I would have a wood stove. All depends

LUCKY 7 · Nov 11, 2018

I have wood heat and until I physically can't get wood due to health I will continue to burn wood. We have a camp so when I go out there starting in May i usually will bring a load back with us each time. Walk into a house with heat and you feel it. we burn pine in the early fall and switch to Fir and Larch when it turns colder. Lots of blow down around the camp and I typically don't drop too many trees. We enjoy the work out and I usually never get firewood on my own due to safety issues. saying that we do have a gas furnace that is 11 years old but might have 6 months worth of use out of it. The furnace comes on when we are gone for more than 8 hours.

gunner3006 · Nov 11, 2018

catinthehat said:
We went with the pellet stove because of costs, it came in at less than half the price of a wood stove and chimney. Surprisingly enough the insurance was also less.
If you figure the cost of wood (using the going rate to buy it) 5-6 cords of fir/larch comes in around 1300-1500 dollars. No matter what anyone tells you, firewood isn't free. Be honest about the costs, (gas in the saw, truck. Wear and tear on both. Somewhere to store the wood.)
Not everyone can get their wood within 4 km of home. Then think about what happens if for some reason you can't get out for wood, (injury,illness, not necessarily your own even.)
Pellets cost about $325 per ton, usually go through under 2 tons a year.
That being said, the heat is still not the same as a wood stove.
Just my experience.

Is this your only source of heat?

TROLLCAT · Nov 11, 2018

me thinks a ton of pellets is equal to a cord of wood I use 6 ton of fur pellets every winter have a open basement where pellet stove can heat upstairs floor

small generator for power outage/interweb posting

new pellet stoves are easier to maintain

no bugs, broken back windows, chainsaws, spiting wood,

FastFarmer · Nov 11, 2018

catinthehat said:
We went with the pellet stove because of costs, it came in at less than half the price of a wood stove and chimney. Surprisingly enough the insurance was also less.
If you figure the cost of wood (using the going rate to buy it) 5-6 cords of fir/larch comes in around 1300-1500 dollars. No matter what anyone tells you, firewood isn't free. Be honest about the costs, (gas in the saw, truck. Wear and tear on both. Somewhere to store the wood.)
Not everyone can get their wood within 4 km of home. Then think about what happens if for some reason you can't get out for wood, (injury,illness, not necessarily your own even.)
Pellets cost about $325 per ton, usually go through under 2 tons a year.
That being said, the heat is still not the same as a wood stove.
Just my experience.

what make and model did you buy if you don’t mind me asking?

FastFarmer · Nov 11, 2018

TROLLCAT said:
me thinks a ton of pellets is equal to a cord of wood I use 6 ton of fur pellets every winter have a open basement where pellet stove can heat upstairs floor

small generator for power outage/interweb posting

new pellet stoves are easier to maintain

no bugs, broken back windows, chainsaws, spiting wood,

Well I’ll done Sir.

catinthehat · Nov 12, 2018

gunner3006 said:
Is this your only source of heat?

No, it is only a secondary heat. Since we put it in the basement our gas bills are reduced enough that there is actually a savings at the end. We have a log house with 22 ft. open beam ceilings so a large area to heat.

catinthehat · Nov 12, 2018

FastFarmer said:
what make and model did you buy if you don’t mind me asking?

It is a Breckwell BigE.

Wood Stove vs Pellet Stove

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