Because of the rising cost of petroleum-based heating fuels,  Americans are looking for alternative methods of heating their homes either to completely replace their fossil fuel heating system, or as an auxiliary heating source to alleviate some of the pain of soaring heating bills.

One of the best alternative fuel burning products is the pellet stove.  Modern technology has enabled pellet stove manufacturers to produce a wide range of features that rival traditional heating systems.

A pellet stove has quite a few advantages over standard wood-burning stoves.  First, and most important for the environment, is the fact that the fuel that pellet stoves burn is mostly wood by-products from places such as sawmills.  The materials are pressed into small, cylindrical-shaped pellets that are generally packaged in 40 or 50 lb bags.

Another aspect of pellet stoves that make them environmentally friendly is the fact that because of the design of the stoves, they burn extremely efficiently with almost 100% fuel combustion.  The ash byproduct is easily discarded, and because of the way the fuel burns, it does not generate a cresote buildup  inside the chimney.

Unlike its cousin the wood-burning stove,  a pellet stove requires electricity and can be plugged into a normal household wall outlet.  A pellet stove  is a consistent heater, consuming fuel that is fed evenly from a refillable hopper into the burn-pot (a perforated cast-iron basin), through a motorized auger.

Some pellet stoves are lit manually, while others feature an automatic igniter.  Some other accessories available include thermostats, backup batteries, and auxiliary blowers.

From an aesthetic standpoint, pellet stoves are available in all kinds of finishes and colors, from basic black to ornate models with beautiful inlays.  If you like to watch the fire, glass doors are available on most models.

Pellet stoves are also availalbe as fireplace inserts, which turn your inefficient fireplace into a very efficient heater, while still maintaining the homey feel of the traditional wood burning fireplace.

If you’re looking for a way to cut down your heating bills, a pellet stove is something you should definitely consider.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 2:35 am and is filed under Alternative Heating Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.