Chimney Care Company's Blog
Looking for an alternative to wood? A pellet appliance might be right for you.
Do you love the warmth and glow of a wood-burning fireplace? However, do you hate the thought of hauling, stacking and storing wood? Does your wood-burning appliance sit unused because of the work involved? Are you looking for a heat source that’s comparable to the look and feel of wood, but more efficient, easier to tend, and more environmentally friendly? If so, a pellet appliance might be the perfect home-heating option for you!
What do pellet appliances burn, exactly?
You might have heard of pellet stoves, or spotted bags of pellets at the local home-improvement store. However, what exactly are pellet-stove pellets? The pellets burned for home heating are made of dehydrated, compressed sawdust. Some of this sawdust is waste put off by wood processing. This makes wood pellets an environmentally friendly option. Some pellet stoves also will burn bio-fuels, such as cherry pits or dried corn kernels.
How much work does it take to use a pellet stove?
The biggest advantage of a pellet appliance over a wood-burning appliance? The work involved in keeping the fire burning. Pellet stoves are outfitted with hoppers of varying sizes. The hoppers are filled with pellets, and an auger automatically feeds the pellets into the fire. Depending on the size of the hopper, pellet stoves can burn for anywhere from 16 hours to more than a day – without being reloaded or tended! That makes pellet appliances an excellent heating source for people who are away from home for most of the day. Not to mention those who don’t like to spend their time tending a wood fire.
How much does it cost to tend a pellet stove?
The cost per ton of pellets averages around $250, and the average home burns about 7.3 tons of pellets per year. That does make pellets slightly more expensive than wood, which costs about $200 a cord, with the average home burning 6.3 cords of wood annually. However, the gap in cost is somewhat narrowed by the efficiency of pellet stoves. Since the wood is compressed and dehydrated, pellet stoves tend to burn hotter and more efficiently than their wood-burning counterparts. The cost difference also might be irrelevant for someone who doesn’t want to fuss with a wood-burning appliance; or someone who lives in an urban area where wood is harder to come by and more expensive.
What are my pellet appliance options?
If you think a pellet appliance might be right for your home, you’ll find plenty of options! There are free-standing pellet stoves, or pellet stove inserts that can be fitted into an existing hearth or built into a brand new hearth! Pellet stoves also come with a variety of styles to fit the look and heating needs of your home. If you’re ready to learn more about pellet appliances, or find the pellet appliance that’s right for your home, stop by the Chimney Care Co. showroom and talk to our hearth experts today!
Wood, pellet or gas – Which type of stove is right for your home?
If you’re considering adding a heating stove or fireplace insert to your home, it can be difficult to know what type of stove is right for you. Wood-burning, pellet and gas stoves all have their advantages and disadvantages, which you’ll need to weigh to help determine which type of stove will fit your home-heating needs.
Wood-burning stoves
Wood stoves are a natural choice for traditionalists. If you prefer the warm glow and pleasant sent of a wood fire, a wood stove makes sense. EPA-certified woodstoves can be incredibly efficient, returning up to 70 percent of the fire’s heat to your home. EPA-certified stoves also emit relatively low levels of smoke and particulate matter into the atmosphere.
Of course, one of the biggest draws of wood-burning stoves is fuel costs. If you cut, stack and store your own firewood, you can heat your home with a free fuel source. Even if you must purchase firewood, wood-burning stoves can be inexpensive to fuel and can lower your home’s overall heating costs.
Pellet stoves
Pellet stoves are ideal for people who love the traditional feel of a wood fire, but hate the work and storage space that goes into powering a wood-burning stove. Pellet stoves also are incredibly efficient and environmentally friendly. With pellet stoves, you can expect up to 83 percent of the fire’s heat to be returned to your home. Because pellets are made from dehydrated wood and contain little to no moisture, pellets burn more cleanly than logs, emitting less smoke and leaving less residue in your chimney.
Pellet stoves are easier to maintain than wood stoves, as pellets can be purchased as needed in 40-pound bags, eliminating the need for chopping, stacking and storing firing wood. Because pellets are fed automatically from a hopper into the stove, one load of pellets can heat a home for up to 24 hours. That means a pellet stove can heat your home consistently while you’re at work, running errands or sleeping.
Gas stoves
Gas stoves win on convenience and efficiency. With a gas stove, you can enjoy roaring flames with the flip of a switch or the push of a button. Many gas stoves are connected to thermostats, so you can control the temperature. Gas stoves emit next to no particulate matter, and gas stoves return up to 99 percent of the fire’s heat back into your home!
Some people worry that gas stoves will provide an artificial-looking fire, but new models produce incredibly real looking logs and flames, complete with glowing embers. Of course, if you prefer a more modern look, gas stoves also can be fitted with rocks or glass marbles.
We can help you choose!
If you’re trying to determine which type of stove is right for your home, call the experts at The Chimney Care Co. Our experts can talk to you about your home heating needs and walk you through the positives and negatives of each type of heating stove.
Update Your Fireplace or Stove This Summer
A great fireplace, stove or insert not only adds value and warmth to your home, it’s a natural focal point for entertaining purposes. If you’re having a hard time picturing your guests sipping cocktails around your current hearth, it may be time for an updated unit. Lucky for you, summer is the perfect time to update your fireplace, stove or insert with the help of the professionals at The Chimney Care Company. We would love the opportunity to help you transform your outdated hearth into a stunning piece of art and/or a conversation piece for guests once again.
A LITTLE GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Half of all American homes (approximately 55 million) have at least one fireplace or freestanding stove, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. Fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by new homebuyers, after outdoor porches and upgraded kitchens. Fifty-nine percent of those homeowners consider the fireplace to be a major design feature of their home, and 73 percent of wood-burning fireplace owners say they use them to enhance the home’s atmosphere. An outdated hearth, however, can detract from the overall appeal of your home.
WE CARRY A VARIETY OF BEAUTIFUL STOVES AND FIREPLACES FOR EVERY TASTE AND SPACE!
After a brutally cold winter, many of us here in Ohio are just glad it’s starting to warm up (although we have to admit there are some people who would be satisfied living on the frozen tundra year round). Regardless of which category you fall into, we’ve got a home heating appliance for you! If you’re one who’s fond of saving money whenever possible, our showroom specials were tailor-made for you. We have an assortment of fireplaces, inserts and stoves and are sure to have something to your liking!
If pellet stoves or inserts are your thing, we’ve got something for you. If you’d prefer a wood-burning stove, insert or fireplace, we’ve got you covered, too. If gas stoves, inserts or fireplaces are more to your liking, we’ve got just the thing for you as well. You honestly can’t go wrong by making a trip to our showroom to get up close and personal with all of our great fireplaces and stoves. We carry a wide variety of quality appliances, and in our 20+ years in business, we’ve kept a focus on finding and recommending only the industry’s most reliable and beautiful products. There’s sure to be something that’s right up your alley!
As you can see, your tired fireplace can easily be taken from drab to fab in a relatively short amount of time (depending on the overall scope of your particular project). If you’re considering having a new appliance installed, The Chimney Care Company can help you from start to finish. We’ll advise you on types of units that will meet your needs and suit your space and the fuel that will best suit your lifestyle and preferences. Contact our team today to and let our experts help you find a great value. You won’t be disappointed in our expert workmanship, professional service or your new fireplace or stove, as all will bring you years of enjoyment!
The Convenience and Savings of a Pellet Stove
You may have heard a lot lately about pellet stoves as they have become a top choice in heating systems for homes over the past few years. The first pellet stove came on the market in 1930, and since then pellet stoves have gone through many changes, going from a large, boxy, workhorse design to a smaller decorative heating appliance to be used in residential homes. Since the heating industry has moved towards heating systems based on efficient combustible and renewable resources in the past 10 years, pellet stoves have seen a great resurgence, and The Chimney Care Company has been asked many questions about these stoves. We’re here to provide you with some of the more commonly asked questions we receive and the answers we’ve supplied.
WHAT IS A PELET STOVE? WHAT ARE PELLETS?
Convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly, a pellet stove is a sophisticated electronic appliance that gives you an economic and eco-friendly heating option for your house. Pellet stoves are fueled by wood pellets, which are made from recycled sawdust, wood shavings, and the other scrap pieces that have been swept up off the floors of sawmills. Cheap and easy to manufacture, wood pellets are compact, resembling rabbit food, and environmentally friendly because they have a very low pollution rate.
HOW MANY TYPES OF PELLET STOVE ARE AVAILABLE?
There are two different types: freestanding and insert stoves. You can get an insert if you have an existing fireplace, and one of our expert technicians at The Chimney Care Company will install it into the firebox and vent it through your chimney. If you do not have a fireplace, you can go with a freestanding stove with its own exhaust pipe.
ARE DIFFERENT STYLES AND OPTIONS AVAILABLE?
Available in all sorts of sizes, shapes, styles and colors, you are sure to find the perfect pellet stove for your home, no matter your taste. As for options, you can go with the standard model or with the super deluxe version with a programmable, controlled feeder and a remote control thermostat. Our staff at The Chimney Care Company would love to show you our wide variety of pellet stoves available. Other options include the hopper location, heat output levels, and manual or automatic ignition.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING A PELLET STOVE?
The advantages and benefits of a pellet stove far outweigh the disadvantages of an open wood burning fireplace. Pellet stoves are easy to operate, convenient, environmentally friendly, and safer, as they give off less smoke and creosote. They give off far greater efficiency of heat allowing you to use your centralized heating unit less to heat your home. This lowers your heating bills and reduces harmful emissions. In addition, the fuel—the pellets—are inexpensive and easy to store and usually made from recycled materials, such as unused sawdust.
One disadvantage of a pellet stove is that it runs on electricity, so you will need to prepare for alternative heating sources in case of a power outage. Another disadvantage is that you might need to buy your fuel in advance for the season and keep it in a safe dry place as pellet fuel is not available everywhere. Pellet stoves and heating systems are becoming more popular and pellet fuel is becoming more available in more places everyday.
We hope you’ve found this information to be beneficial in your decision making process. If you have other pellet stove related questions, please don’t hesitate to come by the showroom and discuss your heating options with the professionals at The Chimney Care Company today. Our knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to answer your questions!
Better Heating Efficiency with a Fireplace Insert
Not all fireplaces are created equal. Depending on the age of your home and/or the overall condition of your fireplace and all of its parts, you could be sending some serious money right up the chimney during the heating season; it’s estimated that a typical homeowner can send up to 8% of valuable heated air flying straight out the chimney. If reading this statistic has you even the slightest bit scared about using your fireplace as a heating source when the weather turns cold, don’t write it off just yet. The good news is you can transform your fireplace into an efficient room heater simply by adding a fireplace insert.
WHAT CAN A FIREPLACE INSERT DO FOR ME?
An insert is the answer to making your old fireplace more efficient without having to replace it, and, most of the time, they can be retrofitted to your existing wood-burning fireplace seamlessly. Adding an insert will only slightly (in most cases) change the overall look of your fireplace; however, it can take it from a net energy loser to a helpful tool in keeping those skyrocketing heating costs at bay during the winter months.
CAN I AFFORD A FIREPLACE INSERT?
You’re probably sitting there wondering how much an insert is going to set you back. To be completely honest, they are far from cheap. Nevertheless, they are affordable. Inserts can run anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the time of year and your geographic location. This is an all-inclusive price, which includes installation and a new specialized chimney liner.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIREPLACE INSERTS?
If you’re considering a fireplace insert, there are a few options available to you. Choosing the type of heater that best meets the needs of your particular application is as simple as deciding what’s most important to you—burning real wood and having heat even if the power goes out (choose a wood-burning insert), burning a bio-fuel without the hassle of wood in an attempt to minimize your carbon footprint (choose a pellet insert), or flipping on fast heat in a particular portion of the home (choose a gas insert).
Because fuel prices are in a constant state of flux, any savings measurements are really just a moving target. Generally speaking, a homeowner who opts to have an insert installed is looking at an annual savings of anywhere from $75-$250 dollars. While this may not sound like a tremendous amount of savings considering the upfront costs of the insert itself, the savings over the long haul can and will really add up over the lifespan of the insert. Your home is an investment, and, as such, any decision you make needs to include at least a small measure of foresight. We carry a wide variety of quality appliances, and in our 20+ years in business, we’ve kept a focus on finding and recommending only the industry’s most reliable and beautiful products. Whether you prefer the convenience of researching products online or getting up close and personal to compare products, the professionals at The Chimney Care Company have you covered. Give us a call today at (513) 248-9600 or stop in and visit our showroom to see all we have to offer.