Green Benefits of Pellet Burning Stoves

The first gas stove was patented in 1826 with the first practical coal stove being invented in 1833. After that came the invention of the first electric stove in 1891. They have certainly come a long way and there is no doubt that stoves provide efficient heating in addition to being timeless in their unique styling. Nowadays, there are numerous different styles to choose from ranging from gas, wood and even pellet burning stoves. Consequently, you are sure to find one that fits your needs and lifestyle.

The cast iron stove is one more style that is not only efficient but also extremely stylish that remains a popular choice today. Apart from their decorative and attractive traditional styles, they are also capable of using a number of different fuel types, such as coal stoves and wood burning stoves, and numerous other types of smokeless fuels. Of course, they are also able to operate as fully functioning cooking stoves and still provide efficient heating. An output of high heat is a standard feature on all of the styles and models, starting at a low of six kilowatts up to a large wattage of sixteen kilowatts, which is more than capable of heating a large room.

Wood Burning Stoves vs Pellet Stoves

Pellet Burning Stove

With everybody turning toward a greener lifestyle, there is a natural focus on what can be done to make appliances, such as stoves and fireplaces, more environmentally friendly. That is where pellet burning stoves come in, as they are extremely easy to operate and are more convenient than conventional wood burning appliances. Many folks consider that they are as easy to operate as the gas, oil or electric heaters that they are familiar with.

This type of stove burns wood pellets, which is compressed wood that is collected from what would otherwise be waste products of wood and lumber. There are also corn pellet stoves that offer the same type of environmentally friendly and simple operation as the wood pellet stoves.

Pellet Burning Stove Efficiency

Most of the pellet stoves rely on sophisticated computers and circuit boards to determine how much pellet fuel should be burned. Most models have at least two burn settings and some use thermostats to control the fire. This type of system is highly efficient and causes very little pollution.

An additional benefit to these types of pellet burning stoves is that they burn wood so efficiently that a standard chimney is not normally required. Typically, the exhaust fumes are routed through a small hole in the wall to the outside using a pipe known as a pellet stove vent. Pellet stove inserts can also be vented up through an existing chimney, but normally the chimney will need to be relined with a stainless steel liner.

Home Gas Stoves History

The first gas stove was unveiled to the world back in 1851, during the World Fair in London. However, the technology of gas stoves did not start to become a commercial success until the 1880s, partly due to the slow growth of the gas pipe network. The first stoves were somewhat awkward and clumsy to use but that soon changed once the manufacturers incorporated an oven into the base and reduced the overall size of the appliance in order to fit and match in with other kitchen equipment.

There are two basic types of ignition systems used in the cooking stoves of today, which are either electric or standing pilot. A standing pilot refers to a small continuous burning gas flame called a pilot light that is under the cook top, usually between the front and rear burners. When the stove is turned on, the flame lights the gas that is flowing out of the burners. The advantage of this type of system over electric stoves is that it is easy to use and is totally independent of any other type of external power source. The one downside is that the flame consumes fuel on a continuous basis, even when the stove is not in use.

Home Gas Stove

The early gas stoves did not have pilot lights, as they had to be lit manually with a match. If somebody inadvertently left the gas on with the door closed, then gas would fill the stove/oven and eventually the whole room. Even the smallest of sparks, such as the small arc that sometimes occurs when a light switch is turned on, could ignite the gas resulting in an explosion. To stop this from happening in the future, the manufacturers developed and installed safety valves. The safety valve uses a pilot flame that ignites the main burner when it is turned on, heating a thermocoupler that sends a signal to the valve to stay open. If for any reason the pilot goes out, then the thermocoupler cools and signals the valve to close, which shuts off the gas to the stove.

The modern fireplaces/stoves are designed to burn either propane or natural gas; they require very little maintenance, emit little pollution and can be installed virtually anywhere in your home. Most often, gas fuel stoves can be made to appear like wood burning stoves with the large flames and glowing embers.

Fireplaces stoves can also help save you money on heating costs through zone heating, which means the stove is used to heat only a specific area of the home, such as a family room. In addition, newer gas stoves can be vented out through an existing chimney or even directly vented through a wall that is behind the stove. Not all of the models require outside venting, although the Environmental Protection Agency does not support their use due to the degradation of indoor air quality if venting to the outside is employed.

What is a Pellet Stove

A pellet burning stove is considered to be amongst the most efficient methods of home heating and folks who try out a pellet stove often find that they thoroughly enjoy the efficient and environmentally friendly appliance.

They are automatic in their heat production without relying on expensive and sometimes messy firewood, as is necessary for wood burning fireplaces stoves. For little more than a few cents an hour, you can fill your home with warmth as well as reduce your monthly heating bills significantly. The initial investment will soon be recouped from the amount of money that can be saved.

How Does a Pellet Stove Work

Wood Pellet Stove

The pellet stove wood burning units are modern, state-of-the-art and efficient heating appliances. They work by carefully controlling and modulating the fuel to air ratio inside the stove, which guarantees complete and clean combustion of the fuel. The whole process also allows for very low smoke emissions, which makes them cleaner burning, even as outside cooking stoves. This is particularly helpful in areas that have temperature inversions, which are a layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases with altitude. This phenomenon causes wood smoke to settle over an area rather than blowing away.

It is almost certainty that heating costs are not likely to be going down any time soon. Indeed, the likelihood is that they will only continue to rise which means that anything that you can do in order to reduce heating costs is a step in the right direction. The overall efficiency of a pellet stove comes from its fuel source, which is processed, recycled sawdust. It is simple and economical to produce and the cost savings are passed on to the consumer. An additional advantage is the fact that you can purchase enough fuel for an entire year at one time, guaranteeing that you will always have what you need.

Best Pellet Stove to Buy

There are a number of features to consider when you are deciding what size or style of the wood pellet fuel stoves are right for you. The size of the stove is in fact secondary to the quantity of heat that is emitted. Smaller sizes are capable of producing enough heat to keep a large area warm although the hopper may be unable to hold more than a few days worth of fuel. As you would with any major appliance you are considering, whether it is one of the indoor or outdoor designs, it is important to do some research and ask questions.

There are specialty shops that concentrate on just selling pellet burning stoves, which make them an excellent resource when considering your purchase. Most of the pellet stove retailers are more than adequate when it comes to helping consumers choose the right stove for their needs. If they do not provide these services on site, then they will be knowledgeable about where you can go to purchase the fuel, have maintenance completed or where you can locate someone certified to install the stove for you.