The small pellet stove features wood pellets that are made up of wood fibers. It’s an eco-friendly solution to keep tiny homes or other smaller properties warm. Most of the wood pellets used to manufacture the stoves uses the remains of wood sawing.
The unique way of feeding and burning fuel in these pellet stoves make them unique. However, they have certain drawbacks as well and may not fit all the locations.
So, it’s important to learn what a small pellet stove is, how efficient it is, and how to heat it before moving on to purchasing one. In this guide, we will teach you all about this heater. So, let’s see whether it fulfills your needs or not!
What is a Small Pellet Stove?
The small pellet stove is a heating system for tiny places that is made up of wood pellets. These wood pellets are eco-friendly because they are made with industrial saw remains. The way they burn the fuel is very efficient, so they are becoming popular in different areas. Here are the different parts of the wooden pellet stove;
- Hopper that works as a fuel container
- Auger that delivers fuel pellets from hopper to combustion chamber
- Combustion chamber or burn part where the actual action happens
- Drawer style ash pot to store and remove the ash
- Convection blower that pulls the cool air from room and pushes it into the stove
- Distribution blower that spreads the hot air
- Exhaust blower that pushes the smoke out of stove
- Thermostat and sensor to monitor and control the temperature
- Control panel
- Flue to make way for smoke removal
- Power cord and plug to connect the stove to electricity, as it needs some electric supply
How to Heat a Small Home With a Pellet Stove?
A small pellet stove works in a simple combustion cycle to warm your tiny house. Here is how you’ll heat;
- First of all, feed the pellets to the hopper as fuel. Typically, the storage capacity ranges from 40 pounds to 55 pounds.
- The next part, which is the auger, will supply that fuel to the combustion chamber.
- Turn the thermostat ON and it will release the scraps to the combustion chamber until there is enough heat in it.
- Combustion will start to occur within the combustion chamber.
- Cool air in the room will be pulled from convection chamber and will be fed into the combustion chamber.
- Then the distribution blower will spread the hot air into your home to make it warm.
- The blower will keep your place warm until you keep feeding stove.
Note: There are certain models of the small pellet stove that don’t need any fire lighting. These automatic stoves will start the combustion and heating process. However, some models simply need to click a single button on the remote or control panel to start the process. So, they will turn on as per the selected heat level.
Advantages of Small Pellet Stove
Efficient Energy Source
A small pellet stove is an energy efficient home outlet that helps in heating the small rooms or houses. It has certain advantages for the small homeowners. Here are some of the most common benefits of such a heating outlet;
Pellet stoves are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved. They are 70-80% more efficient and safe than some of its competitors. They use carbon neutral and renewable fuel in the combustion chamber.
They omit a small amount of smoke, so they don’t pollute the air much. And one good thing is that the gasses are released in the open air using flue. So, the gasses don’t disturb the room or house’s environment.
Eco-friendly
Environment preservation should be the foremost thing no matter what appliance you’re using. And one plus point of the pellet stove is its eco-friendly nature. Such a stove emits a little amount of gasses into the air, so there are less chances for environmental damage.
They emit 78% less carbon than their competitors. Moreover, there will be a little amount of the sulfur, chlorine, and nitrogen gasses in the released gasses. So, they don’t have much effect on the ecosystem.
Easy Installation
The installation process for the small pellet stove is pretty easy, as you don’t need to make complex chimneys. So, it will save you money and time.
If you know how to drill across the roof or wall, you can install such a pellet stove yourself. However, it’s better to get professional help if you do not know how to operate a drill machine.
Highly Affordable
Purchasing a small pellet stove will not break your bank. You can get the one below $4,000. Moreover, its structure is quite simple and doesn’t need to build complex chimneys for smoke removal. Also, it doesn’t consume a higher amount of electricity. All this makes it an affordable option to hear your small home.
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Pretty Easy Maintenance
A small pellet stove has a simple structure. So, it doesn’t need complex maintenance to work. Like some other heaters, it doesn’t feature any catalytic converter that may prove to be a headache for you. Hence you don’t need frequent fixtures if you own such a stove.
You just need small maintenance at the end of winter season. Possibly, you can use it throughout the season without a single repair or clean.
Disadvantages of Small Pellet Stove
The small pellet stove has some potential drawbacks as well along with its benefits. And these cons should never be overlooked when making a decision. Here are some of the most obvious disadvantages of a small pellet stove;
Tends to Be Noisy
A pellet heater uses blower fans and motors to generate heat. These parts can create some noise that may disturb some users.
Requires Electricity
Some of the parts of a small pellet stove need electricity to work. So, you’ll have to supply electricity to its motor and blowers. This way you may suffer an electricity bill burden. Moreover, you can’t use it in a location having no access to electricity.
Complexity
Some parts of the small pellet stove may tend to be complex and may need frequent maintenance. It happens when any of the blowers or motors blow off. So, you may have to manage occasional maintenance during the season.
Fuel Price
If you don’t have access to wooden chips locally, they may cost you higher. So, it’s not suitable for all the locations due to its limitations.
Less Appealing
Pellet stove has a simple design with a little or no complication. That’s why it is less appealing in its look, which may be a drawback for people who admire the physical appeal of any appliance.
Tips to Maintain Your Small Pellet Stove
You may be planning to invest in a small pellet stove after understanding its functionality, benefits, and drawbacks. However, it’s also important to learn how to look after it to keep it in service for a longer period. In this regard, follow these instructions to maintain the stove well;
Ash Pot Cleaning
A small pellet oven has an ash pot that contains the generated ash and dust. Mostly, these ash pots come in drawer style. So, these are easy to empty and clean. Keep an eye on it and empty it soon after it gets filled with ashes. It will not only maintain the stove but will also avoid the unwanted mess.
Clean Combustion Chamber Regularly
Combustion chamber is one of the major parts of the pellet stove. Any wrong with this part of the stove will result in remarkable failure. So, make a habit of cleaning ash and other debris from this chamber after regular intervals.
Annual Inspection
Small pellet stoves last for a longer time if you properly look after them. An annual inspection is also important despite the stove working fine. You can perform this task yourself by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we discussed what is a small pellet stove and how to heat a small home with it. A small pellet stove is a heater built up of wooden pellets. It also uses pellets as fuel in it. Such stoves are great to heat small homes and other congested spaces. These tend to be eco-friendly and can fit in very tiny spaces. Moreover, you can install them without any special construction. All this makes it the right choice to keep the small homes warm in severe cold situations.
For any repairs, installations, builds, or questions; We recommend you to hire a professional. Find A Pro Near You Here!
FAQs
How much time does a small pellet stove need to heat a small home?
Typically, a small pellet stove takes 5-10 minutes to heat a small home. However, it’s not the fixed time and may differ depending upon the area of the house and the severity of the weather. It may take longer to heat relatively larger homes.
How much electricity is enough to run a small pellet stove?
Usually, you’ll need 2400-7200 watts for the whole day to run a small pellet stove. But if it’s extremely cold outside, the electricity consumption may increase.
Can you leave a small pellet stove unattended?
Yes, it’s possible to leave a small pellet stove unattended once you have started it and feed enough fuel in it to run longer. But if you don’t put enough fuel in it, leaving the stove will be foolish as it will run uselessly when there is no fuel in it.
