Wood Heat Thread ~ post pics

Not trying to start shit, only looking for understanding. Why is pellet better than propane? In my particular case, propane would likely be easier with running a line from an external tank outside to inside, flip a switch to make it go. Pellets would require carrying every bag downstairs through what will eventually be my mancave.

 

Because this is Oz-T's "warming-my-naked-woman-by-clothing-her-with-a-bearskin-pelt-and-burning-wood-while-smoking-venison-for-dinner-and-picking-my-teeth-with-my-machete-wood-burning-heat" thread. That's why. If you asked in the "martha-stewarts-conveniences-of-modern-civilized-living" thread you'd get a different answer.

 

Propane may be more convenient, but when you figure the $/BTU it is more expensive. I say that, but I've never actually done the calculation. I've never burned propane other than for camping, it's just a guess.

Propane ~ 72000 BTU/gal @ whatever per gallon
Pellets ~ 8000btu/lb $5/40lb bag (high) - 320,000 BTU/bag

You can probably do the math from here. You need to figure in the appliance efficiency too.

 

^
This.

^
Also this, somewhat. A little. But not really.


Pellets have a higher BTU content, they're cheaper, they're renewable, and if one of the bags leaks it won't blow up your house.

 

Hells yeah

 

I think someone forgot to read the basis for the thread...

 

1. Oz telling everybody that madrone is the best wood
2. Pellet stoves don't count
3. Propane heat is for imbeciles that don't own toyotas

 

1 true
2 true
3 true

 

Like.

 

I currently have a gas stove fed from a tank. Let me tell you, it is EXPENSIVE to use. I'm currently remodeling the family room that the stove is in, and I'm going to replace the gas stove with a wood stove (as long as everything passes inspection). Natural gas is much cheaper if you can get it, but liquid propane is just too expensive to use as a constant heat.

Just a quick example. Approx numbers.
91,500 BTUs/gallon
64,000 BTU stove
I was only running about 5 hours/day last year. Let's say 30 minutes use/hour.
32,010 BTUs/hour x 5 hours=160,050 BTUs/day
160,050 BTUs x 30 days=4,801,500 BTUs/month
4,801,500 BTUs ÷ 91,500 = 52.5 gallons.
52.5 gallons x $3.80 = $199

So about $200/ month just to use it for 5 hours a day. I stopped using it as much once I realized how much it was costing me.

 

Thank you for the price breakdown. Pretty sure I can get a ton of pellets for that price and keep heat on 24/7 for over a month.

Oz, I will still be primarily using split wood, so you can't boot me out of this thread. Pellet stove/propane stove would be for heating basement only, where electric furnace is.

 

I'll take that into consideration

 

Something else to consider with the pellet stove is that they require power. That's no good for me. For some reason in my area we're prone to loosing power during inclement weather. Almost every severe storm, all year round, we loose power. The gas stove saved us many times last year for heat. Thats why im looking to get a wood stove. I know wood will be more work, but it's simple and won't fail me.

 

I already brought that up and a few guys in here said theirs had a back up system for the hopper

 

I fill the hopper, my back-up system is my wife fills the hopper
We hardly ever lose power. I know it's possible, and the power could be out for long periods, and for that I have a back-up generator.

 

Pellet stove is only for basement heating that we don't use so much, so not a big deal if we lose power. I am also starting to look into a generator, specifically a honda 10,000 watt so I can run most of my house still. Primary heat comes from fireplace on main level.

 

Keep in mind if power is down for extended periods larger generators require more fuel.
Maybe someone will build a small power plant that burns wood for the home owner

 

Gotcha

I definitely need to invest in a generator.

 

Back to our regularly scheduled thread discussion. Off to buy our first ton of WOOD pellets to HEAT our house with this winter