Wednesday, July 24, 2013

does a wood pellet stove produce more energy per pound of fuel than a conventional wood stove burning hardwood?

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If not, what would be the point of buying a wood pellet stove over a conventional wood stove?


Answer
Where I used to live I had a pellet stove in the dining room and a woodburning insert in the fireplace in the living room. Each has its strengths and each has its weaknesses.

The amount of heat you get from a pellet stove will depend as much on the type of pellets you burn as anything else. Pellet quality differs alot and you should always buy "premium, low-ash" pellets. They will cost a little more, but you will get more heat from them. There is a BTU rating printed on bags of pellets so you can compare heat output. I lived in the High Sierra Nevadas at the time and I bought Golden Flame and then Bear Mountain brand pellets. My pellet stove was an old Earth Stove RP45 (I bought it in 1993). It was definitely low-tech compared to the stoves that are available now, it did have a blower assembly and a battery backup. I never had any problems with it and I liked it because I could load up the hopper and have heat for well over 24 hours with the stove set on low. The heat from a pellet stove is less intense than the heat from a wood burner, but it's longer lasting and more consistent. If you live in an area where there are power outages, you will need a battery backup or a generator -- the pellet stove will not work without electricity.

I stopped burning regular cord wood in the fireplace insert and started burning densified fuel logs (I bought mine from Bear Mountain Forest Products and they were like Presto logs on steroids). They look like huge pellets -- about 18 inches long and they weigh between 5 and 7.5 pounds each (you definitely don't want to drop one of them on your foot). The heat output from them was amazing and, if you have an airtight stove or insert, the logs will burn for eight hours or more depending on how you calibrate your stove. The instructions that come with the logs warn you not to put more than two of them in a stove at a time because they will generate so much heat they can crack the stove or the glass in the stove. There was less ash to clean out of the stove and the logs were cleaner than cord wood. The woodburner was nice when we had extended power outages (sometimes 3 days or more) and for times when it was especially cold (20 below zero was not uncommon).

Our winter heating season started in late September and ended in May. I used about two tons of pellets (100 40-lb bags) and a "unit" of the fuel logs (a unit is 270 logs shipped shrink-wrapped on a pallet). The last year I was there, I spent about $450.00 on pellets and fuel logs for the entire winter. It was definitely less expensive than electric heat or heat from propane (the only other alternatives available there).

What does is mean to green: like recycleling and stuff?







My mom wants us to start being more environmentally aware and asked me to look some things up. Can anyone give me any pointers and such? Thanks! ^-^


Answer
show your mom my answer

In Your Home â Reduce Toxicity


Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).
Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.
Buy the right amount of paint for the job.
Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease.
When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result.
If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off.
Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.
Have your home tested for radon.
Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.

In Your Yard


Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion.
Use only the required amount of fertilizer.
Minimize pesticide use.
Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
Water grass early in the morning.
Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used.
Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.

In Your Office

Copy and print on both sides of paper.
Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee.
Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence.
Use recycled paper.
Use discarded paper for scrap paper.
Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic.
Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.

Ways To Protect Our Air


Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
Recycle printer cartridges.
Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.
Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
Use solar power for home and water heating.
Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid.
If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning.
Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.






Ways to Use Less Water

Check and fix any water leaks.
Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.
Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
Install a low-flow shower head.
Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.
Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.

Ways to Protect Our Water


Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
Never dump anything down a storm drain.
Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
Learn about your watershed.


Create Less Trash


Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
Buy products that you can reuse.
Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
Use reusable containers to store food instead of alum




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Title Post: does a wood pellet stove produce more energy per pound of fuel than a conventional wood stove burning hardwood?
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