{"id":2099,"date":"2010-08-03T03:03:33","date_gmt":"2010-08-03T10:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backwoodshome.com\/blogs\/ClaireWolfe\/?p=2099"},"modified":"2010-08-03T03:03:33","modified_gmt":"2010-08-03T10:03:33","slug":"tell-me-about-pellet-stoves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clairewolfe.com\/blog\/2010\/08\/03\/tell-me-about-pellet-stoves\/","title":{"rendered":"Tell me about pellet stoves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erm .. I’m thinking we may have more than usual of very practical type posts in the next few weeks as I get ready to move to my new home<\/a>. <\/p>\n

And yes, it’s looking more and more as if it will be my<\/i> home. WhooHoo! The inspector came today, and what a pro. He poked and prodded the place for 3-1\/2 hours, and while I probably won’t have his report until tomorrow, my friend Leslie (she who found the place) stayed with him the entire time and gave me updates by phone.<\/p>\n

I think I’m starting to owe Leslie more lunches than I can count.<\/p>\n

No big surprises on the inspection. Except a couple of very pleasant ones. The house has a real<\/i> basement — with concrete floor, workbench, beaucoup shelving, and no evidence of chronic water problems. (Basements are unusual in the NorthWet; probably for many reasons, but not least because the always-high water table tends to drown them. I knew there was an accessible area under the house, but at best I supposed it would be a spider-ridden, dirt-floored storage cellar.) <\/p>\n

And that big dormer room upstairs? The one I already extolled as gigantic (not to mention a wonderful artist’s garret)? There’s another room behind it I didn’t know about. An attic room. Unfinished. Doesn’t even have a proper floor. But — so Leslie tells me — huge. Good heavens. After 10 years of living in less than 400 square feet, currently much less, whatever am I going to do with so much space<\/i>? Several of the single rooms in the new house appear to be larger than the entire dwellings I’m used to.<\/p>\n

Ah well. That’ll be a nice “problem” to adjust to. (A friend who has a gigantic old house tells me I’ll automatically begin collecting more stuff<\/i> than I ever knew existed. And I’ll never be able to bring myself to get rid of a stick of it.)<\/p>\n

Anyway … all the negative news from the inspection was small, and pending the roofers’ estimates, it’s looking as if I’ll be headed north within two weeks!<\/p>\n

But one of the little negatives — or is it? — is that the supposed wood stove in the living room turns out to be a pellet stove. <\/p>\n

I have no experience with pellet stoves. I know they’re very efficient burners. That they burn inexpensive, recycled materials. That they produce very little ash or other waste. And that they’re pretty to watch. (I hear that when the pellets drop from the hopper it’s like viewing fireflies.)<\/p>\n

But the reason I have no experience is that pellet stoves have always struck me as being useless as an alternative heat source because a) they require electricity to operate and b) they use a material that has to be manufactured and can get scarce. Even though the northwest is wood-products wonderland, I recall a time a few years back when none of the locals in my area could get pellets for a month or two — and that was without any S hitting any Fs.<\/p>\n

So tell me, ye who are more experienced with these stoves, will a pellet stove be a good thing to have? And is there any good way to operate one if the power goes out (without running a generator, I mean)? Is it true that many of them can burn — or be jury-rigged to burn — wood chips, corn, or other materials? How about evergreen needles? (No shortage of those in the area …)<\/p>\n

I should add that the house’s main heat source is baseboard electric, and that the northwest has historically had the lowest electric rates in the nation, thanks to abundant hydro. But as with all things government-connected, those super-low rates have been gradually rising.<\/p>\n

So … what can you more experienced types tell me about that pellet stove? Your wise advice much appreciated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Erm .. I’m thinking we may have more than usual of very practical type posts in the next few weeks as I get ready to move to my new home. And yes, it’s looking more and more as if it will be my home. WhooHoo! The inspector came today, and what a pro. He poked and prodded the place for 3-1\/2 hours, and while I probably won’t have his report until tomorrow, my friend Leslie (she who found the place) stayed with him the entire time and gave me updates by phone. I think I’m starting to owe Leslie more…<\/p>\n

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