Wood Pellet Storage
Wood pellet stoves are a great new option in heating. The fuel is clean, easy to handle, burns efficiently and is recycled from waste materials created from manufacturing. The result is a renewable energy that is more affordable than fossil fuels. Installing the stove requires some investment, but after that, it should pay for itself. Wood Pellets are available at many different types of stores (even grocery stores in some places) by the bag, or you can order them by the ton.
Wood Pellets require about one forty-pound bag to be added every day, although there is a lot of variation on this. Some homes require the fuel to be added more frequently, especially during cold spells. Other homes might stay comfortable with the fuel being added every 36 hours or so. Obviously you will have to store a good quantity of Wood Pellets somewhere for convenience sake.
You can store your wood pellets outside if you absolutely have no other place, but they need to be protected from the weather. If you buy them by the ton, you can get them in 40 pound plastic bags, with the entire pallet full shrinkwrapped. Keep them on the pallet or otherwise make provision for them to be up off the ground, where they would be more likely to get wet. Then use the plastic around the bags to protect the bags even further. A ton takes the space of a 40 by 48 inch pallet piled about 5 feet high.
It would be better to store them on a covered porch or in a barn or shed if you have the space. Build a small three-sided shed with the opening pointed toward the north, or whatever direction the worst weather comes in from. Stack your bags in the shed for safety and protection. A tarp can be used for extra assurance.
Inside, you will want to find a place to keep at least a few bags of pellets. If you could keep at least a week’s worth of Wood Pellets close to where you will use them, you won’t have to be running in and out of the house to get more of them. If you keep the pellets as dry as possible and keep the bags intact, you shouldn’t have problems with insects or mess.
If you haven’t installed a pellet stove yet, make sure you will be able to have a steady supply of fuel of good quality before you buy. Good quality Wood Pellets will have less than a half cup of dirt in the bottom of the bag when it is emptied. All in all, woodpellet stoves are the wave of the future!
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