The Advantages of Pellet Stoves and Inserts
If you are looking for a heating system that is both energy-efficient and economical, consider purchasing a pellet stove or fireplace insert. John Gulland, a wood heat expert and contributing editor for the original guide to living wisely, Mother Earth News, claims, “For someone committed to using a renewable energy source and is away from home for many hours at a time, a pellet stove can be a good choice.” Knowing the advantages of this type of heating system will give you a better idea if a pellet stove or insert is your best option. At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, we sell Regency Greenfire pellet stoves and inserts, and we would like to tell you more about the benefits of heating your home with a pellet stove or insert.
Easy and Safe to Operate
To use your pellet stove or insert, all you have to do is pull out the hopper and load it with wood pellets. With one load of pellets, you will get heat for at least 16 hours before you need to reload with more pellets. Since a pellet stove does not give off external heat during its operation, you can place it as close as one inch from a wall and not worry about it becoming a fire hazard. This quality also makes pellet stoves a great choice if you have children or pets in your home.
Clean-Burning and Environmentally-Friendly
One of the main advantages of a pellet stove over a traditional wood-burning fireplace is there is no smoke produced from a pellet-burning fire. You will never have to worry about smoky rooms, dry air, or unpleasant odors when you heat your home with a pellet stove or insert. Cutting down on air pollution is another benefit of its smoke-free operation.
Inexpensive and Cost-Effective
The average price of a 40-pound bag of wood pellets is approximately three dollars, and this amount provides sufficient heat for two or more days. This means your total heating cost each month will be $50 or less, even during the cold winter months. A typical home heating bill for fuel-heated homes runs about $250 for the winter season, so you can save at least $100 on heating costs with a pellet stove or insert.
Renewable and Highly-Efficient Fuel
Another environmental advantage of pellet stoves and inserts is the fuel source itself. Wood pellets are made from recycled wood from sawmills. Sawdust and wood shavings are compacted into tightly condensed pellets, and burning these pellets is a low-moisture, highly-efficient process. Fewer harmful gases are released when burning wood pellets as compared to regular wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.
Convenient Fuel Storage
You do not need as much space for storing wood pellets since they are so condensed and compact. A ton of wood pellets produces the same amount of heat as a cord of firewood; however, you will need at least 128 cubic feet to store a cord of firewood logs but only 80 cubic feet of storage for a ton of wood pellets. Additionally, since wood pellets are already bagged when purchased, you can store them inside your home, which gives you easy access to your heating fuel.
Want to learn more about the benefits and advantages of pellet stoves and fireplace inserts? Contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today to find out more information about these cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly heating systems.