Pellet Stoves

All pellet stoves have a fuel hopper, which is like a basin that holds the wood pellets to be burned. The hopper then feeds the pellets into a combustion chamber called a “burn pot” via an electric auger where the pellets burn and produce heat.

Overall, pellet stoves are very easy to use, which is one of their best benefits. Using the stove is as simple as turning it on, setting the temperature, pouring in a bag of pellets, and walking away.

The basic maintenance of a pellet stove is very simple and does not require much time.

• Adding pellets to the hopper
• Scraping the burn pot
• Removing ashes from the ash pan
• Cleaning the stove glass

On top of the regular cleaning and maintenance you can do yourself, it is highly recommended that you get your pellet stove professionally cleaned annually.

Wood pellets are made from sawdust and/or other wood waste. The raw material is pressed and then dried to a consistent moisture level, usually below 5%. There are no glue or adhesives used – they are simply dried and pressed to hold shape.

One ton of wood pellets is equal to 119 gallons of oil, or about 1 1/4 cords of firewood.

The average cost of purchase and installation for a pellet stove ranges between $3,000 and $8,000, depending on the stove purchased and the materials required for installation and venting. The final price tag of your project depends on your current layout and the complexity of the installation.

To understand the projected cost of your pellet stove installation project, get a free estimate from our team by calling 978-355-6343 or clicking here. This way, you can choose a stove that fits your price range and we will estimate what your project will cost without all the hidden fees and guesswork.

Yes, but you do not need a full chimney. Pellet stoves do need to be vented to the outside, but this can be done with a special pellet vent pipe in a short configuration. As little as one foot of horizontal pipe is acceptable, however we recommend that at least 4 feet of vertical pipe be used in order to assist in providing a draft in the event of a power outage.

Pellets come in softwood, hardwood, or blends and are made from compressed wood particles, so a quality pellet stove will burn any grade of pellets easily.

Unlike wood stoves, you can burn either hardwood or softwood pellets in a pellet stove and notice little to no difference. It is more important to buy a premium wood pellet than to worry about the type of wood. A premium wood pellet will assure a quality product with less than 1% ash content.

The glass on your stove will become dirty after a few fires. It will also become dirty if burning slowly or if adequate air flow and draft is not available. Professional grade, non-ammonia glass cleaners are available for purchase at Higgins Energy that will not harm your stove glass.

Spray the inside and outside of the glass with a non-ammonia wood stove grade glass cleaner and wipe using a paper towel. If you do not have a non-ammonia wood stove grade glass cleaner, you can dip a wet paper towel into the ash inside the stove and wipe it directly onto the inside of the glass. Ash is abrasive and corrosive, so it will break down any residue on the inside of your stove glass.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ONLY use a non-ammonia glass cleaner to clean your pellet stove glass! The heat from the stove will cause residue from an ammonia-based cleaner to be permanently “etched” onto the stove glass that is then impossible to remove. The alkaline properties of ammonia are too harsh for high-temperature surfaces and can lead to irreversible damage, discoloration, and streaks.

Yes – in order to operate and burn a pellet stove, an electrical connection is required. Pellet stoves will not operate without electricity.

You can either use a battery backup or a generator to run your pellet stove in case of a power outage. Just remember to use a surge protector at all times!