Wood Pellet Stove FAQ

How do I start my fire?

If you have a manual igniter you need to use a special gel or solid starter material, light the pellet fuel and monitor the progress. If your pellet stoves are automatic then simply add the pellets and push the start button to heat the self-ignite device.

What are my choices of models?

Freestanding or insert pellet stove, with combinations of bottom feed or top feed, and of course there are numerous colors.

What professional should I call if I have an issue?

Of course depands on the issue, but If you are contacting a professional to perform a chimney sweep you should make sure your sweep comes with a complete check of all components in your stove. If you are contacting a professional because the stove is [...] Continue Reading...

Wood Pellet Stove Accessories

Now you have bought a new wood pellet stoves and now you want to customize it. There are a several items that you can buy to allow you to bring a creative side to your stove. Most accessories are sold in black, gold, brass, smoke gray and silver colors and generally cost under $100.00 per item.
Stove Screens
Stove screens can be mesh or ceramic. but generally they are made of glass to allow you to view inside the stove as the fire burns. Ranging in price from approx $50-$90 you can find these online or at any local home improvement store.
Stove Brushes and Buckets
Pipe brushes are sold at most hardware store for about $20. You would want to make sure the brush is at least 3” in length to ensure [...] Continue Reading...

Pellet Fuel Manufacturers

Pellet fuel has grown in demand over the past decade with many different tyes of pellet fuels like wood, paper and even shelled corn. Consumers interested in expanding their options for purchasing pellet fuel should seek out additional vendors.

Here's some simple steps you can use to find a pellet fuel manufacturer in the USA or Canada

Step #1 - Choose manufacturers closest in geography

Step #2 - Call several manufacturers for the names of their retailers in your area

Step #3 - Contact those retailers for current inventory and pricing

Member Pellet Fuel Plants Currently in Operation in USA and Canada
East

Company
Location
Phone
Contact

Allegheny Pellet Corp.
Youngsville, PA
814/563-4358
Ron Leofsky

Associated Harvest Co.
Lafargeville, NY
315/658-2926
Glenn Walldroff

Bald [...] Continue Reading...

Wood Pellet Fuel

Wood pellet fuel is made from sawdust and ground up wood chips, which are biomass waste materials from trees used to make furniture, lumber, and other such products. Therefore very environmentally friendly as only waste products are used.

Typically wood pellet fuel have alow moisture content of approx. 5%–10% compared to 15% for
fuel shelled corn and around 20% for seasoned fire wood.

Some wood pellet fuels contain either petroleum or non-petroleum lignin used as a lubricant in the pellet production process, though most contain no additives. Pellets made from agricultural waste contain more ash, but can produce more heat than wood pellet fuel.

Under the PFI standards, there are two pellet fuel grades:

premium and standard.

The main difference between grades is in the inorganic ash content, premium pellet fuels [...] Continue Reading...

Harman PF100 Hot Air Pellet Furnace

The Harman PF100 Hot Air Pellet Furnace takes Pellet Fuel Heating to Its Optimum Level giving operating automaticaly to give comfortable temperatres thoughout your home. It's so simple you can just fill the hopper with pellet fuel and set the temperature dial on the wall and off you go and leave the PF100.

If the PF100 Harman Pellet stove will automatically lght and burn if the temperature dip below your preset setting, likewise if the heating demand is reduced, the Harman PF100 will automatically reduce its burn.
When the fuel in the hopper gets low, the red light on the wall control will blink, telling you to add fuel to the hopper thats how simple and beautiful the Harman Pellet stove is.

The PF100’s huge ash pan allows two to three tons [...] Continue Reading...

Pellet Stove Shut Down Operation

What are signs of performance problems?

Properly operated and well maintained pellet stoves experience few, if any problems. Most of pellet stove operation is automatic, but sometimes combustion air adjustment is needed.

Signs like a lazy, orange, sooty flame or dark smoke coming out of the vent (after startup and before shutdown) may indicate the need for more air or an overactive, "blow torch" flame calls for less air." Performance problems are more likely to be caused by neglected maintenance than by operation. Lazy flame, dark smoke, unusual sooting of glass, unexplained smoke spillage, and reduced heat output all point to the need for maintenance of appliance components and/or the venting system or for remedies for house depressurization. Problems related to mechanical failure usually result in safety switches shutting the [...] Continue Reading...

Other factors for Venting System for Pellet stoves

Besides appliance requirements, what other factors may be considered in specifying pellet venting systems?
The following factors may play a role in the designation of the venting system:

Altitude: Sounds funny but the higher the altitude installations, generally higher than 2500 feet above sea level, may require special venting options to provide adequate combustion air and/or draft.
House Pressure: Extremely tight house construction or strong kitchen, bath, or other exhaust fans may create a negative pressure within the home that decreases venting effectiveness. May necessitate an approved outside air source.
Windy Conditions. Unpredictable effects of high winds or prevailing wind conditions may necessitate the addition of vertical venting extending above the roof [...] Continue Reading...

Pellet stove venting layout

Options for venting layout?
Mechanical Exhaust:

Sidewall horizontal venting (Figure 9). Is the least expensive venting system. Disadvantage of potential smoke spilling into the house in the event of a power outage or component failure, or house depressurization , also can leave an ugly black smoke mark on the wall.
Horizontal vent with backup vertical venting (see Figure 10). Preferred horizontal method that avoids venting problems associated with unexpected appliance shutdown. Smoke mark will still occur.
Vertical venting through the ceiling and roof (Figure 11). Has the advantages of keeping vent gases warm and of providing natural draft to prevent problems in an unexpected shutdown.
Venting into existing chimney. Stove [...] Continue Reading...

Pellet stove Ventilation

What are the purposes of venting systems?

Proper ventialation is an essential for proper appliance performance, dwelling safety, maintenance frequency, and general indoor environment. Pellet stoves appliances will produce little or no visible smoke after startup, but water vapour,exhaust gases and fine ash must be removed safely from the appliance to the outdoors.

The purpose of all vents is to remove combustion by-products during normal pellet stove operation. For most pellet stove designs the exhaust is mechanical by means of blowing the combustion by-products out and pulling air needed for combustion into the fire, nowdays few pellet stoves operate without a combustion air fan and use natural draft both for exhaust and combustion air intake. Protection of nearby combustibles is essential. The minimum clearance between the vent and combustibles, as [...] Continue Reading...

Pellet Stove Starting Operation

Where do we start?

The obvious would be the instructions that accompany the pellet stove appliance, generally operating a pellet stove is not difficult, but it maybe new technology so it calls for some basic knowledge.

Training vides accompany some stoves, and hands on demonstrations are done by many dealers and installers.

How do I start a fire?
Most designs make start up easy by using Small dry pellet fuel and combustion air. Operating instructions provided with the stove give the specific steps to follow.

Manual ignition stoves call for the owner to apply an approved gel or solid starter material (no liquids), light the pellets, and monitor the fire to see that the fire catches and the flame gradually grows. On the automatic ignition pellet stoves, pushing the start button feeds pellets [...] Continue Reading...