I want to buy a pellet stove.But I also see that there are house fires caused by pellet stoves.So,for those among you that are knowledgeable,what do I need to look for,stay away from,top feed or bottom feed ,brands to stay away from,so many questions........
I will have the unit "professionally" installed in an existing fireplace and,want to heat around 400 sq.ft.

 

I was the design engineer at Woodheater's supply (now defunct) for a couple of years.

The biggest cause of wood fired (pellets are wood) appliance fires is clearance issues between hot parts and combustibles. That includes the 2x4 behind a sheetrock wall as well as kids toys, clothes, etc.

The other biggie is the chimney. Wood fires produce large amounts of heavy hydrocarbons. If the chimney doesn't keep them warm till they're freely outside, they condense into what's called creosote. When that catches fire, especially if it gets a good supply of air through either faulty stove design or faulty exhaust design (like an automatic draft control that introduces room air for instance)

Odds are good that your fireplace isn't up to the task by virtue of excess air infiltration and maybe inability to contain a 2200 degree fire.

By far the safest and cleanest way to heat your home with alternative fuels, like wood, coal, etc, is to run an outdoor boiler and ship it in as hot water.

Unfortunately, most "experts" I've dealt with are pretty much clueless. They can't even spell thermodynamics, much less understand any of the principles of the disclipline. They do, however, build, sell, and install stoves.

 

Go with a Harmon stove, more money but well worth it. If you put an insert in around here you have to sleeve your chimney per code thus mooting most chimney fire concerns. Code or not in your area Eric I would recommend sleeving it regardless.

 

Double wall is the code here Tim and has been in the plans.What I do not understand is why the storage hopper ignites.Maby I should just go have a wood stove lined with fire brick. I have been looking at Lopi,and Jotul.

 

Hadn't heard anything about fires specific to the pellets, but back when I was looking for one, I spent a lot of time here, kind of like the DTR of alternate heating.........

http://www.hearth.com/talk/

 

I didnt think they would let you burn anything in cali. You could probably get BoBo bucks for a solar pellet stove. It would not heat the house, but you could get a green ribbon for your lapel.

 

Is there natural gas in your area ?


If so, putting in a NG insert is the most fuel efficient and safe way to go. No fires, extremely precise when used with an internal blower, and can be turned on and off with a hand held remote.


Here's one I did a few years back, which my customer loves, as it is so easily tuned, he can either sit and watch a FB game in a snorkel, or just his jockeys, by adjusting the heater control on the unit


BEFORE:



During:




After:

 

Back in the 50's we used to heat our shop using a smudge pot and fuel oil, that thing would glow red and rumble.

Probably was not EPA or SCAQMD approved but it sure put out some heat.

Jim

 

Does that consume the inside air for combustion or is it vented to the outside?

Jim

 

Co-worker put a cast iron stove in his basement Saturday. Fired it up and weren't getting any heat, went down, and it was roasting. They put a couple fans to move air upstairs, woke up Sunday to 81 degrees in the farthest corner of the house.

I need to figure out something with the wood furnace the previous owner of this place put in the basement. 9 foot horizontal run in the stovepipe. Fills with creosote in 2 weeks, unless you adjust the damper to burn it out empty in 4 hours.

 

Sorry, Jim

I didn't see that you asked me a Q ?





The pipe that leads through the wall is a pipe within another pipe. The center pipe is the exhaust, while the outer sector is the intake. The hot air is vented straight out and up, and the cooler more dense air comes in the outer pipe from the downside of the hood outside.