Buying a Pellet Stove to Save Money? Think Again
There are numerous environmentally friendly choices to pick from for your next home improvement project. From compact fluorescent light bulbs, to energy efficient windows, to high efficiency furnaces, the choices seem nearly endless.
Many "green" home improvement items are sensible choices. They can save you money on utility bills, lessen your dependency on natural resources and contribute to a cleaner world.
Some choices involve a tremendous amount of trade-offs in order to help the environment while others are a win win situation. Currently, a hot trend in "green" home improvement choices is an item called a pellet burning stove. This item is typically used as a supplemental heat source for a large living area within a home or in mild climates, can be used to heat the entire home.
Though a pellet stove does have some distinct advantages, this is one of those projects discussed above that can also involved significant trade-offs. For those on a tight budget and interested in making environmentally friendly upgrades to your home, a pellet stove is not a sound investment.
A pellet stove can cost up to $4,000 in up front costs. Add in an additional $2,000 for installation and you are nearing $6,000. What can you expect for the initial investment? If you are currently using electricity to heat your home, the energy savings of a pellet stove will pay for itself in about 20 years. If you are using oil to heat your home, a pellet stove can pay for itself in about 50 year. If you are using natural gas to heat your home, a pellet stove will cost you approximately 25% more per year to operate.
Ok, so a pellet stove doesn't make economical sense to most people, but what about the environment? A pellet stove utilizes a renewable resource as its energy source and thus cuts down or eliminates the usage of natural resources, but it does not burn as cleanly as many highly efficient furnaces, nor is the upkeep as easy. Users must store pellets in a dry area and constantly go out to purchase the pellets needed for the stove. Driving to a facility to purchase the pellets utilizes gasoline in your car several times a year.
Though a pellet stove may sound like an environmentally friendly heating solution, a high efficiency natural gas furnace is likely to have less impact on the environment, cost less to operate, and contribute less to smog and other pollutants in the atmosphere.
Sometimes a "green" choice is not always as "green" as you may think. If you are interested in using a pellet stove as a supplemental heat source, it is more efficient than a typical electric space heater and would be a wise choice. But for whole house heating, there are better, "greener" choices. Save your money and choose another home improvement project.
Published by Eric Loveday
Journalism is my career, but I am an avid do it yourselfer who has tackled countless home improvement and automotive repair projects. In the automotive category, my hands on experience as well as profession... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentDisregard this article. Totally incorrect if you heat with oil, electricity, or propane.
I agree with you guys, I paid $2000 for a nice stove and another $300 for supplies. I know alot of people with pellet stoves in ohio and I don't know anyone who paid more than $2500 for their stove. I paid $3000 the last year I used propane so my stove paid for itself in 2yrs. This guy must work for the gas company.
Why do the numbers get all screwed up on ever comment posted? To clarify, I had about two thousand total into my pellet stove.
I paid %241700 for my pellet%2Fmulti-fuel stove from TSC and it heats up to 2000 sq%2Fft. The pipe costs another %24300 and it was easy to install myself so it was about %242000 total. Not sure where this guy is getting his info%2C just because the numbers come from national averages%2C it doesn%27t mean that all variables have been taken into account. Most of these stoves burn other fuel sources than just pellets. Mine burns pellets and corn as well as a couple others. Are the figures based soley on pellet costs%2C or do they factor in supplimenting with corn %28which burns hotter than pellets%29%3F I doubt it. Also%2C this is supplemental heat source for my home%2C not trying to replace my current heat source. It works great and the main reason I purchased it was for an other heating options and provide heat during a power outage %28I power it via portable generator%29. %0D%0A%0D%0AThe numbers he refers to should also reflect using heat sources together and not just either%2
this guy should do some research before he writes. My stove cost %25251300.00 and I installed myself%252C very easy. Pellets for a northeast winter cost me%2524700.. If I were to use oil as a primary sourceI would spend %25241000. a month. So my stoves saves money. FYI don%2527t go by this guy regarding a pellet stove.
I worry about maintainence of the Pellet stove. I have friends who have already had problems using quality stoves - hopper jams%2C burn issues%2C etc. It requires cleaning%3B adjusting. I%27m sure it%27s doable and can save over Oil or gas %28new england%29%2C but there%27s a limit on how long a unit will last even with maintainance. These usits often use motorized components.
The statistics, numbers, installation cost, cost of fuel, etc come from national averages directly computed by Consumers Report. The information is accurate. You may have found a deal and saved money, but your experience is the exception, not the norm. Storage of pellets, getting pellets, fuel used to pick up pellets, time spent loading the system, etc are additional costs that were not calculated.
Agreed and on top of what Vince said parts are cheaper, easy to install and you are not at the mercy of service techs and appoinments to fix an issue. I wss spending about 1600 on gas and now spend about 500 on pellets to heat for the entire season. Eric needs to do a little more reseach.
This person is unknowing ... $4000 for a pellet stove? Possible, if i buy the cadillac of stoves. Installation $2000? Chimney kit from Duravent $198 from either big box home improvement store. In Maine, an Englander stove, Larger Model $2200 + Vent Kit $198 + (Numerous Carpenter will do, if you dont want to) $350.00 install = $2748. Do your due dilligence ... this is not an expert.