What is your opinion on using Pellet stoves for your primary heat source?

I have been reading about pellet stoves. I searched Yahoo Answers and many people state that it is a waste since they use A LOT of electricity. I am bewildered by this. How much does it cost you to run your pellet stove, and please provide your experience on it.





I have natural gas and I am not too keen on paying the high costs. Right now (Well when winter comes) I will keep my house a chilling 68*F, and suppliment that with the heat from a woodburning fireplace (Which is out by morning, so its cold again). I end up paying $150.00 per month for the natural gas. I do use a programmable thermastat which lowers the temp at night a few degrees (While sleeping).





So, before I start shopping for pellet stoves, tell me your opinions/experiences with them - Right now my electric bill is about $50 per month.





Thanks!!! Look forward to your responses!

What is your opinion on using Pellet stoves for your primary heat source?
First off, pay no attention to superbooks.





Pellet or corn stoves work really well. I know pellets cost about 170-200 per ton. Depending on the size of your house you could use a ton in 1-1/2 to 2 months and most dealers will deliver the pellets which come on a skid of 50bags-40lb each . Check out Harmanstoves.com. They make one of the best Pellet stoves on the market, have the best warranty, and the best service. You can also purchase a battery back-up to keep your stove running in case of a power outage. Also, they don't use alot of electricity, at least my Harman doesn't. My electric bill is normally $35.00 a month, but during the months I burn my pellet stove it raises to $45.00. I have oil, hot water radiator heat, but only use it to heat my domestic hot water for the bath and shower, which cuts my oil bill down dramtically. I've been burning a Harman Advance for 3yrs. and it paid for it's self in what I saved on buying oil.





Harman also manufactures pellet fire place inserts, which are more energy efficent than your current open fireplace.





A Harman pellet stove also adds beauty to your home.





Aslo, I'm pretty sure you get a tax credit from the IRS if you purchase a pellet or corn stove(biomass appliance) and with the increase in demand of pellet stoves, pellets are becoming more availiable since pellet makers have been gearing up since the end of the last heating season to meet the growing demand.
Reply:Readers ask, "What is your opinion on using Pellet stoves for your primary heat source?"





superbooks.org ANSWERS:





1. A stove is always more dangerous than any other heat source and this is not a heat source that everyone in your family can use or benefit from.





2. A pellet stove can be the source of high allergens and if you have someone in the house that has asthma or serious allergies then you are making more trouble for yourself and your doctors and medical and drug bills will offset the cost of any savings that you think you'll make by using a stove as a primary heat source.





3. You'll need to have the pellets delivered and also you'll need to shovel them into the stove correct? Is your time worth that or will you be paying in your time what you thought you'd be saving in cash? Depending on the quality of the pellets, you can have more trouble there.





4. If you have a storm , blizzard etc, or severe weather which is the time that you really need a heat source, a dependable heat source, then your pellet trucks might be stopped by fallen trees or just might not be able to be delivered due to workers not being able to get into their trucks. You'll have to be out there immediately shoveling your drive so the trucks can get by you quickly.





5. By having strangers , deliverymen onto your property every two weeks or every month, you are opening yourself up to possible lawsuits if they get hurt while on your property.





6. what do you do if you stove breaks down --repair bills and you have no heat. But with gas heat, you just have it and that's it. If something breaks , the gas company guy comes out to repair.





7. You'll need to train your children not to touch the pellets and not to go near the loading area and to stay away from the delivery man when he brings the pellets or coal.








9. For coal delivery, coal has been known to give off noxious fumes, and possibly the pellets have done that so too. So, there is another health risk factor.








You will save NO money -in the end- by using pellet stove as primary heating source.











It's a cute idea but it just doesn't work.





Have a peaceful day today.
Reply:Personal experience: The pellets cost a lot of money. I went with the corn stoves. Corn is cheaper, and they burn just as clean if not cleaner than the pellets.
Reply:This I can answer. I have a pellet stove as a main sorce of heat in a ranch style house 3 bedroom 2 bath. we have electric base boards for back up. A bag of pellets where I live run about 5.00 a bag tax free you can also burn cherry seeds and corn in some stoves they are cheaper . anyhoo a bag will last about 2 days if super cold maybe only one . so you would prob need to buy around 70.00 a month in pellets give or take . Now the eletric bill I did not notice going up that much they do not run all the time. The auger is what is turning and it slowly drops pellets down and they burn that is all it does not take that much to run it. I do like my pellet stove my advise buy lots of pellets in the summer because during the winter they can be hard to find! If it is real cold outside they are hard to keep a large house warm I have to use celing fans.
Reply:My parents have a pellet stove in their home. They also have the electric furnace. They keep it at 65 degrees. Primarily use the pellet. Yes, the pellets can be expensive. My parents use half pellets and half corn. Mom says that the bill is really low and the stove keeps it nice and cozy. I have been to visit in the winter. It keeps it very warm.
Reply:This is a simple one. People get sick of paying 150 bucks a month for gas or oil so they buy a pellet, corn, or outdoor woodstove. After the initial investment, they continue to buy fuel (pellets,corn or wood) but claim to be saving money. I will let you in on a secret: it takes many many years to pay for your minimal savings and by that time your equipment is wore out. The people marketing these things are geniouses. I stopped selling them a few years ago when I realized I was actually not helping my customers. Do some research, crack the numbers and see for yourself.