When temperatures plummet, homeowners almost universally begin complaining about how much it costs to heat their homes. And nearly all homeowners begin looking for ways to reduce their home heating costs. This winter, consider adding a wood or pellet stove to your home for more efficient heating.
Pellet Stoves Save Money
Heating your home with oil is expensive. And it’s even more expensive if you live in an older home or a large home. You can reduce your home heating costs anywhere from 40 to 50 percent by installing a free-standing wood or pellet stove in your home, or by installing a wood or pellet insert into your open-hearth fireplace. That’s because wood and pellets are relatively inexpensive, and EPA-certified heating stoves or inserts burn hot and clean to convert your wood or pellet fuel into an efficient source of heat.
Wood Versus Pellet
When it comes to deciding between a wood or pellet stove, the choice is largely personal. They are fairly close when it comes to operating costs and appearance, but here are the primary differences between wood stoves and pellet stoves:
- Fuel. A wood stove, of course, depends on wood for fuel, and that means burning wood logs to heat your home. Most pellet stoves burn compressed, dehydrated sawdust pellets, though some burn biofuel, such as corn.
- Cost. The average cost of fueling a wood stove for a winter is less than fueling a pellet stove. The average pellet stove requires 7.3 tons of pellets each winter, which costs around $1,825. The average wood stove burns about 6.5 cords per wood. Purchased, that would cost $1,300, though many homeowners cut and cure their own wood to fuel their wood stoves. Either is cheaper than heating a home with oil or electricity.
- Care. Pellet stoves have the advantage over wood stoves when it comes to care. Woodstoves require nearly constant tending, while pellet stoves feature large hoppers to hold pellets and an automatic feeding system. That means pellet stoves can continue to heat your home while you’re sleeping, at work or even gone for a weekend.
- Maintenance. Both pellet stoves and wood stoves require annual maintenance. Chimneys and stoves should be professionally cleaned and inspected at least once per year to ensure their safe operation and reduce the risk of a home fire.
Choosing a Pellet or Wood Stove
If you’re ready to lower your home heating bills this winter with a wood or pellet stove, visit Total Chimney Care’s online fireplace store or stop by in person at Total Chimney Care’s hearth store counterpart, The Cozy Flame. Our fireplace experts can help you pick the right heating stove to fit your home heating needs and lower your home heating bills this winter!