# Will Pellet Prices Go Down?



## Mealie38 (Aug 25, 2015)

Oil on Long Island going for 186.00 a gallon,Stove Chow 269.00,Oils cheaper,I`ll miss my stoves.


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## Pass the Pellets (Aug 26, 2015)

Been burning since 2008 and haven't seen them go down in price. Unless of course you are willing to sacrifice pellet quality...


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## sgt2x (Aug 26, 2015)

Do you like stove chow? Where do you get them I also live on the island


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## Peterfield (Aug 26, 2015)

Mealie38 said:


> Oil on Long Island going for 186.00 a gallon,Stove Chow 269.00,Oils cheaper,I`ll miss my stoves.



If folks go back to oil, propane and NG and stay there, prices could possibly drift down next year but this year the suppliers already billed for their raw materials and unless they credited back some of what they charged, the vendors are kind of stuck.  If a trend developed away from pellet heat, market forces would suggest a drop due to lower demand.


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## scotthershall (Aug 26, 2015)

I sure hope they go down but it doesn't sound likely. $6.25/bag and $294.50/ton for Greene Team Platnium at Lowe's in New Haven...$5.58/bag for Green Supreme (can't remember the per ton cost). Since I have electric, I'll still save over that but lower prices would be welcome.


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## rich2500 (Aug 26, 2015)

My HD just dropped the price of Stove Chow from 269.00 a ton down to 259.00


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## Bigjim13 (Aug 26, 2015)

You know when they will go down?  Next spring after everybody ditches $300/ton pellets for $1.95/gal oil.


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## Mealie38 (Aug 26, 2015)

sgt2x check home depots inventory online.I`ve burnt stove chow,but didn't like them much.
They burn real dirty.


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## Pellet-King (Aug 27, 2015)

HD near me has FSU, burn hotter than SC but for $269 no thank's, paid that last year for AWF White Pine, Oil's $1.77 and dropping fast


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## jkowch (Aug 27, 2015)

186.00$ a gallon?  I think you need to move that decimal point a couple #'s to the left.  Unless that is what your're really paying and if that's the case I'd be burning pellets 24/7.


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## TimfromMA (Aug 27, 2015)

if oil is $186.00 per gallon I'm walking to Miami since I can no longer afford heat or a car.


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## jlupi (Aug 27, 2015)

oil still 2.60 in hudson valley


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## moey (Aug 27, 2015)

I doubt it but you may see some pellet places close up shop.


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## Augmister (Aug 27, 2015)

*NO!*


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## roadking88 (Aug 27, 2015)

just filled up today for 1.659.....unreal..
had 2 tons of spruce points delivered Monday at $294.???? 
Think those pellets will still be in the cellar next year along with the mwp i have in the cellar ..cheaper to burn oil..
I ask sibs if their prices will go down because oil is so cheap...he said no.. i said all the pellet dealers will have leftover pellets come spring with the price oil that cheap..
check it out..
http://nepacrossroads.com/fuel-comparison-calculator.php


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## ExhibitGuy (Aug 28, 2015)

roadking88 said:


> just filled up today for 1.659.....unreal..
> had 2 tons of spruce points delivered Monday at $294.????
> Think those pellets will still be in the cellar next year along with the mwp i have in the cellar ..cheaper to burn oil..
> I ask sibs if their prices will go down because oil is so cheap...he said no.. i said all the pellet dealers will have leftover pellets come spring with the price oil that cheap..
> ...


Awesome Link! Thank you!
- j


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## vinny11950 (Aug 28, 2015)

If there is a warm winter, pellet prices will drop.  But if it is anything like last year, they will hold steady.  I can't see them going higher this season because other options are so cheap.  But if pellet prices do drop because of oversupply, then I will be hunting for bargains for next year.  Pellets have the advantage of long term storage, so you can save them for a rainy day.

It is ridiculous how cheap heating/energy prices are this year.  Just wait a couple of years and we will be back to $120 barrel of oil and higher pellet prices too.  Enjoy the low prices now, they will not last.


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## ylomnstr (Aug 28, 2015)

jlupi said:


> oil still 2.60 in hudson valley



$1.90 now out of Poughkeepsie.  I just paid $1.95 to fill my tank the other day.

http://www.valleyoilpok.com/en-us/


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## Mealie38 (Aug 28, 2015)

Oil went up from 1.81.00 a gallon to 1.89.00.Still cheaper to burn oil,but mi`m ordering my pellets


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## Michael6268 (Aug 29, 2015)

And the pellet gougers love you for that!


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## Grisu (Aug 29, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> And the pellet gougers love you for that!



And future generations for not burning away the natural wealth of humankind.


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## lagger (Sep 1, 2015)

jlupi said:


> oil still 2.60 in hudson valley


getting a fill today (9/1/15) from Fine Design near Wurtsboro.. quoted 2.00 a gallon on the phone yesterday


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## velvetfoot (Sep 1, 2015)

While I was in a hardware store, I asked what they were getting for pellets.  He said it starts at 270 for Infernos.  I pointed out that oil keeps going down, but not pellets.  He just shrugged his shoulders and, I guess, didn't want to talk about it.


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## Bioburner (Sep 1, 2015)

I just read an article where a Canadian company may shut down pellet production because of the lower heating fuel costs. Crude dropped about 7% today and won't talk about what the stocks did.


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## moey (Sep 1, 2015)

Oil and pellet prices have very little to do with each other. Pellets are not cheaper to produce because oil prices are lower. Fuel costs make up a small portion of delivery costs.


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## Bigjim13 (Sep 1, 2015)

moey said:


> Oil and pellet prices have very little to do with each other. Pellets are not cheaper to produce because oil prices are lower. Fuel costs make up a small portion of delivery costs.


I get what your saying but if you recall a few years back when oil was up, pellet prices went up as well because, we were told:

1. It costs more to produce with oil up

And the ever popular

2. It costs more to get said product to the end user because the cost of oil has driven up shipping costs.

So I can see why someone would reach the conclusion that when oil goes down, so should pellet prices.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 2, 2015)

But yet when fuel goes up, prices skyrocket immediately.


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## katman (Sep 2, 2015)

Pellet prices will probably stay high here because we are sending so much to europe.  People there aren't going to retool to burn oil or gas and they actually might see a slight drop in pellet prices if shipping costs decline due to lower fuel prices for cargo ships


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## Brettsdaddy2010 (Sep 2, 2015)

I just checked and oil is $2.36 per gallon where I live in Vermont. I just had 2 tons of LG pellets delivered last week at $250 per ton. Right now it'll still be about $45 per month cheaper to burn pellets but...that savings is shrinking by the month. I haven't run my oil furnace in almost 3 years but if the oil prices keep dropping it may get to a point where I'll have to consider starting the beast up again. This is all a big game of supply and demand, for the past 3 years the demand for pellets has been high because oil prices have been outrageous pellet manufacturers/dealers could charge just about whatever they wanted as long as it was lower than oil and they'd have more customers than they could handle but with oil prices dropping like a rock the demand for pellets is dropping accordingly the price of pellets will also have to come down or many dealers will be stuck with a ton (or in this case MANY tons) of leftover pellet inventory sitting in their yards that they will have to pay on all next summer...you can't charge top dollar if the demand is no longer there or you will in fact be helping to drive former/potential customers back to oil!


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## harttj (Sep 2, 2015)

I burn mainly corn. When corn shot up in price all the corn stove manufactures dissapeared quickly. Corn is cheap again. If pellets stay expensive wonder if the manufactures of the stoves will do the same.


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## Bigjim13 (Sep 2, 2015)

Brettsdaddy2010 said:


> I just checked and oil is $2.36 per gallon where I live in Vermont. I just had 2 tons of LG pellets delivered last week at $250 per ton. Right now it'll still be about $45 per month cheaper to burn pellets but...that savings is shrinking by the month. I haven't run my oil furnace in almost 3 years but if the oil prices keep dropping it may get to a point where I'll have to consider starting the beast up again. This is all a big game of supply and demand, for the past 3 years the demand for pellets has been high because oil prices have been outrageous pellet manufacturers/dealers could charge just about whatever they wanted as long as it was lower than oil and they'd have more customers than they could handle but with oil prices dropping like a rock the demand for pellets is dropping accordingly the price of pellets will also have to come down or many dealers will be stuck with a ton (or in this case MANY tons) of leftover pellet inventory sitting in their yards that they will have to pay on all next summer...you can't charge top dollar if the demand is no longer there or you will in fact be helping to drive former/potential customers back to oil!


Curious if that $45 savings includes the labor involved with owning the stove?

If not, to me it's a wash cost wise.


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## TheRambler (Sep 3, 2015)

People are right when they say the price of oil is completely seperate from the price of pellets for the most part. However it does change the supply and demand equation. With oil and propane dropping there will be far fewer people buying pellets this year. If the pellet market doesnt lower their prices for next year then they are going to start losing money even more, and the small ones could even go under.

The prices are stuck where they are for the time being. They will hold out at a high price for as long as they can to try and ride the oil wave to see if it goes back up. I doubt any significant pellet price drop will be seen before  spring.


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## Brettsdaddy2010 (Sep 3, 2015)

Bigjim13 said:


> Curious if that $45 savings includes the labor involved with owning the stove?
> If not, to me it's a wash cost wise.



To me there isn't much labor, I store my pellets in my sun room so they are out of the elements and more importantly I don't freeze my butt of when it's 30 below outside . Sure there's annual maintenance to the stove but I do most of that myself plus there's annual maintenance on a oil furnace as well and that I can't do so I'd be hiring a guy to provide me a $150 check up for the furnace each year. Add to that fact 150 gallons of oil which is in most cases the minimum amount you can order lasts me about 1 month at $354 (using the $2.36 per gallon pricing) compared to a ton of pellets which lasts me about 1-1/2 months at $250 per ton...that's over a $100 savings and the pellets last longer. Still worth it to me but as I said, if the price of oil continues to drop dramatically over the upcoming months I will definitely have to give strong consideration to starting up the oil furnace again.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 7, 2015)

Pellet prices will not go down unless pellet users wise up and stop wasting their money. The reason pellet prices are as high as they are is because most people are paying the crazy prices! I hear every day on this forum I don't care how much pellets cost, im using my pellet stove. If people are crazy enough to pay the prices they're asking for, they're going to keep asking for it, getting it, and laugh all the way to the bank at the consumers expense.
Its like the beanie baby craze. A stuffed animal that cost a nickel to make, if that, people were willing to pay $30 $40 $50 even hundreds of dollars, and the makers also laughed all the way to the bank! Only the consumer has the power to see to it that pellet prices go lower.


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## Jason845845 (Sep 7, 2015)

My stove isn't all about saving money. My wife and I like the constant heat. We also like that the house is 72 as opposed to 62. My wife, the liberal kook likes the fact that we aren't "polluting the planet and causing global warming". I like the ambiance of the stove in the room. I also sort of enjoy "the chase" of getting pellets.  

As far as the price of pellets skyrocketing, I'm furious about it and I will be using more oil this year relative to my pellet use, but my stove isn't going anywhere, at least until I switch over to wood, which will be free. 





Michael6268 said:


> Pellet prices will not go down unless pellet users wise up and stop wasting their money. The reason pellet prices are as high as they are is because most people are paying the crazy prices! I hear every day on this forum I don't care how much pellets cost, im using my pellet stove. If people are crazy enough to pay the prices they're asking for, they're going to keep asking for it, getting it, and laugh all the way to the bank at the consumers expense.
> Its like the beanie baby craze. A stuffed animal that cost a nickel to make, if that, people were willing to pay $30 $40 $50 even hundreds of dollars, and the makers also laughed all the way to the bank! Only the consumer has the power to see to it that pellet prices go lower.


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## Grisu (Sep 7, 2015)

Good that you don't see me go shopping; you would go ballistic. Just two days ago I bought at our local farmers market tomatoes for $3.50 per lb and a loaf of bread for $6. Both I could have gotten for half the price in the supermarket and it was not just the inferior quality that made me not buy them there. It is the realization that I don't want to pay some corporate executives or shareholders millions in salaries and profits when the actual workers slave away at a minimum wage. Because many people here share that mindset our farmers can actually make a decent living. None of them is getting rich, though, despite working hard all day. I may be wrong but I doubt that the pellet industry is making billions in profits or paying its executives millions in salaries; Quite different from the oil industry. Add to it that by using fossil fuels we are burning away the wealth of future generations and I fully sympathize with anyone who keeps burning pellets even at those "outrageous" prices.

This cartoon shows a very different perspective from our everyday thinking and is very fitting for labor day: http://links.org.au/files/surplusvalue.jpg


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 7, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> Pellet prices will not go down unless pellet users wise up and stop *wasting* their money.



That is such a subjective word.
Is buying a large Dunkin Donut coffee every morning "wasting", because you
can make it at home for a fraction of that?
Is a Keurig "wasting" at 50¢ a pod?
Is $20,000 on a Harley that you ride a few months a year "wasting"?
How about a 52" TV?
What about a $5,000 vacation?
A $600 phone?
$2,500 bicycle?

Economy is based on buying things you 'want',
not always things you 'need'..
It is also the reason you work harder, or more, to enjoy those things.
Saying people are crazy, for buying something they want, is a little unfair.
(IMO)

Dan


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## Michael6268 (Sep 7, 2015)

You're missing the boat Dan. Buying a Harley over a Honda or a Ford over a Chevy is not wasting money. It's a matter of choice due to aesthetics performance quality personal preference, riding style etc. If you only wanted something to get you from point A to point B and didn't care about these factors, it wouldn't make sense to buy a Harley when a scooter would do. That would be wasting money. Buying coffee at Starbucks ,  could be personal taste,  convenience while on the road etc.  As far as heat goes IMO -heat is heat. This garbage that pellets throw a more constant heat doesn't fly with me. I live in a 3000 square foot house and if I put a pellet stove in, sure the room it's in might be comfortable but no way would it travel throughout the house like a furnace does. Maybe people that speak of the constant heat live in a very small small house. Still, years ago when pellet stoves came out almost everyone said I'm buying one to save money. I didn't hear anyone saying I'm buying it to spend more money. Again IMO heat is heat! How it gets there I could care less! You can't compare cars, motorcycles, coffee, etc, to hot air! I don't think anyone would leave one gas station and drive across town to another gas station that sells the same brand etc and pay more for their gas there. So why would one do it with hot air? OP originally asked will pellet prices come down. The sad fact is they won't if people are still paying crazy prices for them.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 7, 2015)

God bless you Grisu! You are a good man! I unfortunately have to be thrifty with my money. Quality is one thing, but spending more for a similar product just not to support the execs, I can't afford.


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## Jason845845 (Sep 7, 2015)

Aaaaaaaand I'm out. 





Michael6268 said:


> You're missing the boat Dan. Buying a Harley over a Honda or a Ford over a Chevy is not wasting money. It's a matter of choice due to aesthetics performance quality personal preference, riding style etc. If you only wanted something to get you from point A to point B and didn't care about these factors, it wouldn't make sense to buy a Harley when a scooter would do. That would be wasting money. Buying coffee at Starbucks ,  could be personal taste,  convenience while on the road etc.  As far as heat goes IMO -heat is heat. This garbage that pellets throw a more constant heat doesn't fly with me. I live in a 3000 square foot house and if I put a pellet stove in, sure the room it's in might be comfortable but no way would it travel throughout the house like a furnace does. Maybe people that speak of the constant heat live in a very small small house. Still, years ago when pellet stoves came out almost everyone said I'm buying one to save money. I didn't hear anyone saying I'm buying it to spend more money. Again IMO heat is heat! How it gets there I could care less! You can't compare cars, motorcycles, coffee, etc, to hot air! I don't think anyone would leave one gas station and drive across town to another gas station that sells the same brand etc and pay more for their gas there. So why would one do it with hot air? OP originally asked will pellet prices come down. The sad fact is they won't if people are still paying crazy prices for them.


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## bags (Sep 7, 2015)

There is a point where the cost of pellets would no longer make sense to shell out for. Not there yet but as you all can see in this thread (and many other cheap oil threads) it is beginning to knock on that door. IMO everyone purchased a pellet stove to *save money heating. *But then again some of you would rather have a $50 Big Mac than a $35 filet and lobster tail. Enjoy your Big Macs is all I can say.

Where is the logic in paying more for heat and doing more work for said heat? Just curious. Kind of like me saying I would rather spend a bunch more cash to go back to wood splitting and burning vs. my current reasonably priced pellet heat.

I do spend a bit more for pellets than "free" wood but convenience and current needs are factors also. All I can say as logically as possible is that IF I could flip a stat switch and change furnace filters and save money staying warm another way then it makes sense to me and I would likely do that than hump 40 pounders and clean ash. Call me crazy. It's your cash so spend it as you see fit.

Another fact is that when pellets come with a silly and hefty price tag I'll be busting and humping wood again instead. That said I would rather flip a switch and ride the couch in comfort spending less.

Bottom line is cheap oil is making people question pellet prices AND they should. If I could heat cheaper with oil I'd be on that program because it makes sense in many ways and for the diehards well, you can still fire the stove up for ambiance or a warm blast of heat at your leisure for enjoyment. That would help you save on the cheaper oil.  You can also drive down the road throwing out $20 bills every five feet.

If it makes ya happy then I am happy. Hell, we are all happy but please give me a courtesy call when you want to drive by my place tossing those $20's out. After collecting them I could off set my high dollar pellet heating costs.


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## Peterfield (Sep 7, 2015)

When I was researching pellet stoves getting ready to buy my first one last year, the ONLY matter discussed after how many BTU's I needed was when the "low" cost of heating with pellets would pay for the stove.  That was what the vendors were hawking and that was what every one of my friends that had one already said.  Yes, the heat is more even than the wood stove I was used to and it will burn evenly all night versus my old wood stove almost being out in the morning, but that little dial on the wall will have my oil burner humming and keeping the temperature of the entire heating zone at whatever temperature I want it, just by twisting a little dial.  I admit to the ambiance of looking at the flame but that's subjective and if oil keeps dropping, I can just put the Harman in manual mode and use it like a fireplace when the mood strikes.


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 7, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> God bless you Grisu! You are a good man! I unfortunately have to be thrifty with my money. Quality is one thing, but spending more for a similar product just not to support the execs, I can't afford.


Everything you wrote in your long response in #38 was explained well in this one...

Everyone has to decide for themselves, what "wasteful" is... In your case, you cannot afford the extra.
Others can, and do. 
They aren't "crazy"... and neither are you.

I can't believe how the Doug Firs are selling... People call and just want them..
Are they crazy? No... It's what they want.. I doubt they are in danger of losing their home.

I see no difference in buying pellets over oil, than a Harley over a Honda.
If it's what you want, you do it. You are the only one that knows if you "can" do it.

Dan


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## bags (Sep 7, 2015)

Those Doug Firs must be as good as the taste of a $50 Big Mac. No one will see me buying a $50 burger nor a north of $300 ton of pellets and I can afford both.

Now explain this: How does the inside temp (let's say a nice comfortable 74*) of your home feel any better by spending more to get it to the 74*. Another words, what you are saying is that your house brought to 74* with high dollar Doug Firs is a better 74* than the *same* 74* your house could be at with a cheaper heat source? Really?

74 degrees is 74 degrees. It feels the same because it is the same. Bikes have no relevancy here unless you want to roll it into your living room for engine and exhaust heat which would be an epic failure. I have three bikes BTW. I like them all. One is high dollar and the other two low dollar.

Simple economics. No one loves their pellet stoves enough to spend ridiculous money feeding them. The thread is about pellets not being the great bang for the buck as they once were. Some are weighing in the other joyful factors of stove ownership as well vs. flipping a switch. Heating my home is a priority as is for everyone else. Doing it cheaper is better is my motto on that. Riding whatever bike or slurping high dollar wait in line with sheeple coffees are the individuals choice. Sure Starbucks has some good java but I stop at a local mom and pop shop almost every morning and nail down a kick azz cup for $1.19. Paying more doesn't make anything better. So paying more for the *same *74 degrees is silly if you ask me. I also refuse to wait in a long line or slow moving drive thru for a cup of Joe.

The least expensive and easiest way to heat one's home is the best. Oil will be used a lot this season by those that have that option.

So Dan, ya might want to trade in that coal stove you heat your home with because it is cheaper than pellets. LOL! Send it my way......


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## Bigjim13 (Sep 7, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> God bless you Grisu! You are a good man! I unfortunately have to be thrifty with my money. Quality is one thing, but spending more for a similar product just not to support the execs, I can't afford.


I don't know many people that can afford that.

I got into pellets 7 years ago, oil pre-buy budget an for me was like $4.79/gal.  I didn't mind hauling, stacking the pellets, cleaning the stove with pellets at $219/ton.  I was saving $1200-$1500 yr.  

Now the savings is next to nothing and when I factor in time & labor, it may cost more.   Just not feeling it this year.  I want to burn pellets and not oil but it just doesn't make sense.


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## bags (Sep 7, 2015)

Bigjim13,
 Exactly. Doing a little extra effort is worth it to many no matter what to save $1,200 to $1,500 per heating season. Let's see, say you do like Starbucks a lot and don't mind the lines. $3 Java a day x 5 = $15 bucks per average work week or $60 bucks a month x 12 months = $720 annual budget for coffee. 

By saving say $1,440 a year using pellet heat you would still have another $720 to boot to spend on other stuff or entertainment after the coffee tab is paid.

I went the pellet stove route for two main reasons: 1.) An economical way to heat 2.) Ease of use and fueling stove for my wife mainly since I was working out of town. Therefore, I elected to actually pay a little more vs. my endless wood cutting and humping. Made perfect sense but now I am wondering how it will pan out on return on investment since pellet prices are climbing.

Pellets are still had here for between $205 to $230 per ton except most big boxes want $4.98 a bag or $250 a ton now like many other places. Even at $250 per ton pellets make sense for me but not that much sense at all really. Anything more than that and I'll be going to plan B because I refuse to be beaten. At $250 plus or $300 a ton of pellets per month thru the heating season I will definitely be flipping my thermostat switch on. 

Why would I want the extra cleaning and bag toting? Why would anyone? I like my pellet stoves,,,,, But...... I like my cash and free time much more. I am hoping the pellet suppliers are just trying to pimp cash currently and the market will level a bit. My friend that sort of helped in my decision to go the pellet route was paying $180 to $190 per ton for several years up until last year he paid $225 a ton which I paid $224 per ton my first season. This is his fourth winter heating with pellets. Now he is on the fence but did buy a new Harman recently so he is committed also. I guess mixing 50% corn to knock costs down is looking a little better too. Somewhat more of a hassle and slightly more work though.

I still have my wood options too for heating cheaply as much fun as that is and extra work We shall see.


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## Bigjim13 (Sep 7, 2015)

bags said:


> Bigjim13,
> Exactly. Doing a little extra effort is worth it to many no matter what to save $1,200 to $1,500 per heating season. Let's see, say you do like Starbucks a lot and don't mind the lines. $3 Java a day x 5 = $15 bucks per average work week or $60 bucks a month x 12 months = $720 annual budget for coffee.
> 
> By saving say $1,440 a year using pellet heat you would still have another $720 to boot to spend on other stuff or entertainment after the coffee tab is paid.
> ...


The older I get, and I'm not that old yet, the more I value my time and time withy wife and daughter.  

My in laws have an endless supply of wood, but that's even more time & effort.  They also have an outside wood furnace which are against codes in our towns...so that's out.

Natural Gas hasn't made it here yet.  So that leaves oil and propane and I'm looking into both.


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## bags (Sep 7, 2015)

I wouldn't sweat it much because after the 2016 elections it will be business as usual and prices on stuff will soar right back up there. Including gas and oil. Right now everyone is require to wear their rose colored glasses until the next pack of thieves take their oaths after elected. 

Overall I think pellets will remain an economical heat source. They had better or I'll be ramming a slightly use P68 right square up someones azz.


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## bags (Sep 7, 2015)

I have an OWB Woodmaster 5500 and love it with plenty of wood on my land. Just keeping up with downed and standing dead keeps me very busy. It's the time and work involved I can not afford for my "free" wood. After ten years with the wood pig and decades of heating with wood my butt is worn out for now. Three kids and a busy work schedule doesn't help wood processing and it doesn't cut. split, stack, and carry, itself. 

It is my cheapest heating option, but time is money too. And to be perfectly honest I'm not missing it much. When pellets get more expensive I will suddenly miss it more.


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## Grisu (Sep 7, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> God bless you Grisu! You are a good man! I unfortunately have to be thrifty with my money. Quality is one thing, but spending more for a similar product just not to support the execs, I can't afford.



The question is if we can really afford to pay all those execs, shareholders etc. for not (really) producing much if anything useful. Your spending is another person's income. If we collectively try to reduce our spending, we collectively try to reduce our incomes. What's the benefit of that? And when we keep paying those non-producers we make sure that they can consume more and more while the actual workers will receive less and less. By now, those workers are mostly found abroad. In the long run that is not sustainable and we have seen it blowing up in 2007/08. 

You see, I am completely selfish when paying those "high" prices. Those farmers will keep me employed, a Chinese factory worker not so much. When I want to have my work compensated fairly I need to do the same for others.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 7, 2015)

Pete Zahria said:


> Everything you wrote in your long response in #38 was explained well in this one...
> 
> Everyone has to decide for themselves, what "wasteful" is... In your case, you cannot afford the extra.
> Others can, and do.
> ...




I guess I should have worded it differently.  I choose not to pay more for the same. My $ is too valuable to waste.
I "can" afford to "wipe my butt" with $100 bills but I choose not to! Its makes no difference to me if you choose to flush your $ and time down the toilet buying pellets.As I said before, people get rich off of people like you everyday. I was just stating "fact" to the original post. If people are crazy enough to pay more and work harder while gaining nothing, go for it! But prices wont come down. They will only go up.
If you are ever my way and want to throw your $ away, lets get together...


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## BrotherBart (Sep 7, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> I guess I should have worded it differently.  I choose not to pay more for the same. My $ is too valuable to waste.
> I "can" afford to "wipe my butt" with $100 bills but I choose not to! Its makes no difference to me if you choose to flush your $ and time down the toilet buying pellets.As I said before, people get rich off of people like you everyday. I was just stating "fact" to the original post. If people are crazy enough to pay more and work harder while gaining nothing, go for it! But prices wont come down. They will only go up.
> If you are ever my way and want to throw your $ away, lets get together...



You of course do realize what he does for a living, don't you. 

"To be honest we have never had anyone say they
Didn't want to finish using up the ones they had...
Never had anyone say they would never burn them again..."

His website:

http://mcmanusfuels.com/


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

No, wasn't aware but makes no difference. My comnents are true.
So he is a "part time helper" at a pellet dealer..
No wonder he is trying to shove his nonsense down everyone's throats. Thanks for the info though BB
Now I understand the reasons behind the far out comments.


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## Peterfield (Sep 8, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> I guess I should have worded it differently.  I choose not to pay more for the same. My $ is too valuable to waste.
> I "can" afford to "wipe my butt" with $100 bills but I choose not to! Its makes no difference to me if you choose to flush your $ and time down the toilet buying pellets.As I said before, people get rich off of people like you everyday. I was just stating "fact" to the original post. If people are crazy enough to pay more and work harder while gaining nothing, go for it! But prices wont come down. They will only go up.
> If you are ever my way and want to throw your $ away, lets get together...



 I can't afford to wipe my butt with $100 bills but if you can send me some, I'd like to try it.  PM me for my address.  Thanks.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

I'll see what I can do!  LOL


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 8, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> No, wasn't aware but makes no difference. My comnents are true.
> So he is a "part time helper" at a pellet dealer..
> No wonder he is trying to shove his nonsense down everyone's throats. Thanks for the info though BB
> Now I understand the reasons behind the far out comments.



Wow.... you certainly are clueless as to how we do things.......
I'm sorry, that not even knowing me, or McManus at all, that you feel so strongly against me.


> It makes no difference to me if you choose to flush your $ and time down the toilet buying pellets.


And for the record..
I don't even heat with pellets... and I do not get a paycheck from McManus Fuels....
We have been best friends, helping each other out for near 40 years. I work with him, he works with me..
I'll bet we gave away more pellets to people down on their luck, during the big shortage, than you burned.
If that seems like the type of people that shove things down others' throats, then I feel for you.
Keep doing business with the BBS.

Done with this one...
Dan


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## velvetfoot (Sep 8, 2015)

BBS?  http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/BBS

It's good, despite the throwing-out-of-money-factor-for-capital-additions factor, to have a choice of which fuel to burn.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

See ya!! You apparently are obtuse, so you take your ball and go home! Typical!  I have nothing against you personally, just your opinions on shipping costs and pellet prices that I have read on this forum. For the record, I don't burn pellets anymore either. Even years ago it was getting ridiculous to do all that work and pay all that money, so I got out. I started burning pellets when it was still a good deal. Believe it or not I paid $74 a ton when I first got into it. That was a long time ago. I am now burning coal, as I believe you do. That too is getting borderline-more costly then oil. Once I'm through my stash, if things keep going the way they are going, I too will click the thermostat on and "save"money.


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## Northern Guy (Sep 8, 2015)

I am just in the process of finishing my pellet install and after reading all this am hoping I did not make a mistake.


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## crizpynutz (Sep 8, 2015)

So, just as an aside, I read through the thread and it seems there is a bit of a "fight" going on here between two non-pellet burning members regarding pellets?  Seems....odd to me.  Okay, carry-on.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

I have been a member of this forum for a long time. Before this current forums format, there was another format of this forum. I was a member of that. Says I was a member since 2009 not sure if that includes the prior forum. Anyhow having burnt pellets in the past, & I still burn wood occasionally, I keep in touch. That's why I am here.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

And Pete, just wanted to let you know. I don't do business with the" British boy scouts" - BBS.     LOL


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## crizpynutz (Sep 8, 2015)

Oh not questioning you're right to be here, of course you have a right!  I was just posing an observation I thought was kinda funny.


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

crizpynutz said:


> Oh not questioning you're right to be here, of course you have a right!  I was just posing an observation I thought was kinda funny.



I hear ya crizpy! LOL


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

Northern Guy said:


> I am just in the process of finishing my pellet install and after reading all this am hoping I did not make a mistake.



Lol! I can imagine! Did you make a mistake? Not necessarily. It all depends on why you did it. Did you do it because you have electric heat? Did you do it because your furnace is inefficient, broken etc? Don't know your demographics / oil pricing, heating equipment etc. In general, without knowing the above factors, if you did it solely to save money, it would be safe to say you probably won't save money anytime soon with pellets if things keep going the way they are going. Again, I don't know your particular circumstance.


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## Bioburner (Sep 8, 2015)

Northern Guy said:


> I am just in the process of finishing my pellet install and after reading all this am hoping I did not make a mistake.


 Seems the rules change for some things north of the border. Like why are you so expensive for gas and oil and selling crude for almost half of Cushing prices?


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 8, 2015)

crizpynutz said:


> So, just as an aside, I read through the thread and it seems there is a bit of a "fight" going on here between two non-pellet burning members regarding pellets?  Seems....odd to me.  Okay, carry-on.


Speaking for myself only, I have not been on this forum as long as others.
But I have been involved with pellets for around 8 years.
My opinions are from dealing with manufacturers, pricing, and truckers.
Wholesale and retail. We have great relationships with all of them.
I have nothing to gain at all for not shooting the way I see it.
Some believe, others don't. It really makes no difference to me.
I'm 67... Well beyond worrying about that sort of thing..
I don't participate here to sell product.
I make the same whether we sell 20 or2000 ton.
There aren't many here close enough to us to even consider that benefit..
Of the thousands of tons sold,
I've met a grand total of one person that bought stuff that reads this forum..

Dan


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONE???

Welcome baaack!


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## redbill (Sep 8, 2015)

Northern Guy said:


> I am just in the process of finishing my pellet install and after reading all this am hoping I did not make a mistake.



If you meant coming in to this post and reading this nonsense, then yes you have made a huge mistake.


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## Northern Guy (Sep 8, 2015)

No I meant that we have been paying over 600 a month in winter for our geo thermal in electricity so thought pellet would save us money...just hoping it still will with what I am reading here. Just not sure how many we will go through


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 8, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONE???
> Welcome baaack!



Gone from the original topic...
I can't leave... Somebody has to pi$$ you off, might as well be me!!  

Dan


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## Michael6268 (Sep 8, 2015)

I knew you meant the topic, not the forum. But I sucked you back into the topic. 

At least we agree on one thing,(I think) and that is- coal rocks!!


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## Pete Zahria (Sep 9, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> At least we agree on one thing,(I think) and that is- coal rocks!!


Onlyist thing cheaper... Is free!

Dan


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## MadMax31 (Sep 9, 2015)

So, coal aside...

My cutoff last year was $320 a ton. No delivery as I have a stout trailer... This year Im locked in Propain .50 cents  cheaper than last year. So this years cutoff is more like $300 a ton. Now that Im digging my pellet stove, and loving the 74 degrees my house sits at, I sure hope prices flatten out again. If they sit 320-375 a ton, my stove will be ornamental, or a jacket holder. 

Curran Blend for $249
Barefoots $281
If I see Greenways for ~ 269 Im grabbing 2 tons.


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## Pellet-King (Sep 9, 2015)

WOW!


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## F4jock (Oct 18, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> I guess I should have worded it differently.  I choose not to pay more for the same. My $ is too valuable to waste.
> I "can" afford to "wipe my butt" with $100 bills but I choose not to! Its makes no difference to me if you choose to flush your $ and time down the toilet buying pellets.As I said before, people get rich off of people like you everyday. I was just stating "fact" to the original post. If people are crazy enough to pay more and work harder while gaining nothing, go for it! But prices wont come down. They will only go up.
> If you are ever my way and want to throw your $ away, lets get together...


Oil here in NEPA is around $2.25 a gallon. Good pellets were around $256 a ton when I got them on prebuy. Almost a push. Pellet suppliers are starting to price themselves out of business, at least MY business


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## bcarton (Oct 18, 2015)

All I can say to anyone trying to guess what the cheapest energy will be in next few years is "Good Luck." 

I'm one of the guys who has electric heat. When electricity costs spiked 47% last fall, I was forced to take action.  If I hadn't installed a pellet stove last year, it would have cost me over $1000/mo to keep the house in the low- mid 60s all winter.  Instead I burned just 3 tons of pellets starting in December. My install paid for itself in less than a year. And our house was warmer than we've ever kept it in the last 19 years.

There are lots of things to think about here beyond the cost of the fuel itself. The cost to install a pellet stove is low compared to many heat systems. The cost to upgrade can be even lower, especially if you can keep using your existing vent. Compare that to the cost of converting to any other type of heat. And can you service your own oil burner or propane system? 

And are you okay with depending on someone else to deliver your next load of fuel when you're running low and a blizzard is coming in? Could you do an emergency repair on your propane burner when it fails on a Friday night?

I love my pellet stove.


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## Marina1327 (Oct 18, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> Lol! I can imagine! Did you make a mistake? Not necessarily. It all depends on why you did it. Did you do it because you have electric heat? Did you do it because your furnace is inefficient, broken etc? Don't know your demographics / oil pricing, heating equipment etc. In general, without knowing the above factors, if you did it solely to save money, it would be safe to say you probably won't save money anytime soon with pellets if things keep going the way they are going. Again, I don't know your particular circumstance.




I bought mine in the spring and this will be my first winter.  I had a natural gas boiler which finally went kaput and after spending 1000 bucks to try and fix it, I decided to move on. The pellet stove is currently my only source of heat.    I went with the pellet stove because I was spending 130 dollars (1560.00 yearly) a month for gas and that was the budget plan for 12 months.  It has also been so cold in my house with the boiler that I had to supplement with electric space heaters which added a significant cost to my heating bill.  I only have a 869 square foot house, but it is over 100 years old and not insulated.   I paid 5 something a bag for pellets and currently have a ton stored.  Not sure if I will go through 1 or 2 tons or not but even at 300 dollars a ton that's still less. The local pellet dealer charges 250 dollars to do an annual inspection/cleaning/maintenance...which doesn't seem bad.   I paid 850.00 bucks for the stove and another 1400 to have it installed.   I woke up this morning to a warm house for the first time in 8 years...I will probably eventually get a back up heater just to satisfy the homeowners ins etc..but for now I think I made a good choice...so, I would say the decision to buy a pellet stove has to depend on your circumstances.


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## Michael6268 (Oct 18, 2015)

Marina1327 said:


> I bought mine in the spring and this will be my first winter.  I had a natural gas boiler which finally went kaput and after spending 1000 bucks to try and fix it, I decided to move on. The pellet stove is currently my only source of heat.    I went with the pellet stove because I was spending 130 dollars (1560.00 yearly) a month for gas and that was the budget plan for 12 months.  It has also been so cold in my house with the boiler that I had to supplement with electric space heaters which added a significant cost to my heating bill.  I only have a 869 square foot house, but it is over 100 years old and not insulated.   I paid 5 something a bag for pellets and currently have a ton stored.  Not sure if I will go through 1 or 2 tons or not but even at 300 dollars a ton that's still less. The local pellet dealer charges 250 dollars to do an annual inspection/cleaning/maintenance...which doesn't seem bad.   I paid 850.00 bucks for the stove and another 1400 to have it installed.   I woke up this morning to a warm house for the first time in 8 years...I will probably eventually get a back up heater just to satisfy the homeowners ins etc..but for now I think I made a good choice...so, I would say the decision to buy a pellet stove has to depend on your circumstances.



1-2 tons for the season?
In your situation stated (no insulation) and location, it most likely will be more like 5-6 tons, maybe more a season.


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## Marina1327 (Oct 18, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> 1-2 tons for the season?
> In your situation stated (no insulation) and location, it most likely will be more like 5-6 tons, maybe more a season.



Even if I have to buy that many....which I hope not...not because of the money but because I seriously will have a storage dilemma...I would still be happy with the kind of heat the stove seems to throw compared to the 8 years I have lived here freezing....my poor dogs last year learned how to stay in one spot with quilts over them...just to try and keep warm.   My electric bill last year was 700 dollars a month-in the winter months trying to supplement my boiler...I am still trying to pay it off.  I almost went with the NG heater that looks like a pellet stove...but wasn't sure...I might still do that later.  I am slightly limited to the types of heaters I can put in because I live in an historic house and have to get approval.


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## Michael6268 (Oct 18, 2015)

I hear ya.
No fun freezing!
Just wanted to warn you on the usage.
2-3 bags a day during coldest months is common for some.


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## ChandlerR (Oct 18, 2015)

I live in a 1800's farmhouse. I gutted and rehabbed it 7 years ago. I updated all the electrical and super insulated the house. I have never burned more than two and a half tons of pellets and that was last year. I have a Buderus furnace and I still have over a half tank of oil from the fill up I did 7 years ago. To me, there is no comparison to heating with oil VS heating with pellets. Because I have never heated this house with oil for a season, I have no idea how expensive it would be but even with the price of pellets as high as they are, I'm looking at a heating bill between $600 and $750 for the year. Not bad in my book.


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 18, 2015)

bcarton said:


> All I can say to anyone trying to guess what the cheapest energy will be in next few years is "Good Luck


Absolutely...


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## bogieb (Oct 18, 2015)

bcarton said:


> All I can say to anyone trying to guess what the cheapest energy will be in next few years is "Good Luck."
> 
> If I hadn't installed a pellet stove last year, it would have cost me over $1000/mo to keep the house in the low- mid 60s all winter.  Instead I burned just 3 tons of pellets starting in December. My install paid for itself in less than a year. And our house was warmer than we've ever kept it in the last 19 years.
> 
> I love my pellet stove.



That is why I got my first pellet stove - the first 3 months after I moved in on a Thanksgiving weekend, I spent $3k in propane to keep just my main floor of 950 sq/ft at 64* - and the really cold weather hadn't moved in yet. Even going thru 4-5 tons (for both floors), it is cheaper and I stay much warmer.

I too love my pellet stoves.


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## tonyd (Oct 18, 2015)

For most users the stove was an alternative for a more affordable source of heat AND a new cool power tool. Now its just a new power tool. No more threads about how much money you are saving. Just cool heat. Just like most cool stuff, the cool wears off.


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## Bioburner (Oct 18, 2015)

With corn holding very low I just calculated that I am saving half a buck a day over burning 93 cent per gallon propane. 
Still saving but way more hassle


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## bogieb (Oct 19, 2015)

tonyd said:


> For most users the stove was an alternative for a more affordable source of heat AND a new cool power tool. Now its just a new power tool. No more threads about how much money you are saving. Just cool heat. Just like most cool stuff, the cool wears off.


In my case I am still saving $$, and heating both floors for less than heating one floor. Oh, and keeping it warmer. Propane is not cheap in my area like it is for many people - it would cost me $600/month to heat with it (assuming the same usage rate as a couple of years ago), the FHW system is only set up for the main floor, and the FHW has a very old, inefficient boiler.


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## Pellet-King (Oct 19, 2015)

Marina1327 said:


> I bought mine in the spring and this will be my first winter.  I had a natural gas boiler which finally went kaput and after spending 1000 bucks to try and fix it, I decided to move on. The pellet stove is currently my only source of heat.    I went with the pellet stove because I was spending 130 dollars (1560.00 yearly) a month for gas and that was the budget plan for 12 months.  It has also been so cold in my house with the boiler that I had to supplement with electric space heaters which added a significant cost to my heating bill.  I only have a 869 square foot house, but it is over 100 years old and not insulated.   I paid 5 something a bag for pellets and currently have a ton stored.  Not sure if I will go through 1 or 2 tons or not but even at 300 dollars a ton that's still less. The local pellet dealer charges 250 dollars to do an annual inspection/cleaning/maintenance...which doesn't seem bad.   I paid 850.00 bucks for the stove and another 1400 to have it installed.   I woke up this morning to a warm house for the first time in 8 years...I will probably eventually get a back up heater just to satisfy the homeowners ins etc..but for now I think I made a good choice...so, I would say the decision to buy a pellet stove has to depend on your circumstances.


Now your going to spend $269 a ton per month for pellet's, $1400 for install, man you got burned!


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## jbest1 (Oct 19, 2015)

I love how we have this same discussion every year. And the same arguments are made.  That being said..... my pellet stove is still cheaper than the baseboard electric heat that is in my house. Am I considering putting in a natural gas furmance, yes. That won't happen for a while though.


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## Mike Fromme (Oct 19, 2015)

Oil would have to get down to 35 cents a gallon or so before I fire up the oil boiler.




Just saying


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## tonyd (Oct 19, 2015)

Yes it is does still make sense to burn pellets in some households. When the savings out way the hassle, great. But if its a push, oil burner all the way.  That picture hurts my back just looking at it. Have fun.


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## Dpopps (Oct 19, 2015)

I put my stove in last year and it just about paid itself off in one winter. I will using a good amount of propane this year, but will also be roasting some pellets at times.


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## TimfromMA (Oct 19, 2015)

The only reason I'm burning pellets this year is because I already bought them or I'd fire up the oil furnace.


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## Old Spartan (Oct 19, 2015)

The Serenity paid for itself last year. 

This year will burn pellets but also LP. Filled the tanks at 1.82 which for this area is a bargain. I figure as a rule of thumb a gallon of LP equals about 10 #'s of pellets - so 7.68 a bag - given the efficiency of my furnace and distribution system. I spent much less.

I have moved the furnace thermostat to our bedroom and will set it at 66 and leave it. Last year on cold days the bedroom would hover at 60-62 which is slightly below our sleeping comfort level, or at least my wife's.

Regardless of DINO prices I do not regret the pellet stove purchase. Formerly used a lot of wood and frankly we are just to old for the labor.


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## tonyd (Oct 20, 2015)

Will be using the oil furnace more this year then I have in the past 6 yrs. But Ill always need a fire while watching my hockey and football. As a kid growing up, between the tree forts and underground forts, I smelled like smoke all the time. Not gonna  stop now.


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## NateB (Oct 26, 2015)

bags said:


> I would rather flip a switch and ride the couch in comfort spending less.



This mind set is why America will fail. Read this article and understand we are just pawns in a game until we decide to remove yourself from the game board. http://www.theblaze.com/contributio...e-in-the-middle-east-no-one-is-talking-about/

Invest in your neighbors and yourself, and strangle the tyrants that are buying your dependence.

Sorry if this is too political.


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## Michael6268 (Oct 26, 2015)

Only problem I have with that article is we are embedded in the Middle East with" this" administration, because of the "jackasses" in the last administration!


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## Old Spartan (Oct 26, 2015)

The Saudi's get oil out of the ground for about 20 bucks a barrel not the 100 the article states.

Generally the Middle east has very low production costs.


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## F4jock (Oct 26, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> Only problem I have with that article is we are embedded in the Middle East with" this" administration, because of the "jackasses" in the last administration!



No. We're embedded in the Middle East because that's what the Republicrats and Democans want in order to maximize profit for the Military Industrial Complex and their donor-bases. Eisenhower was prescient and Jack Kennedy got offed for opposing them.

Don't kid yourself. They're all the same!


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## Michael6268 (Oct 26, 2015)

To some extent yes, they are the same in some aspects. But the Middle East sure as hell got more screwed up from the last administration than it has been in a long long long time.


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## F4jock (Oct 26, 2015)

Thank Hilarity Clinton and her facilitating Daffy Kadafi's demise. But no more politics please unless you want to take it private. Don't want to engender the ire of the moderators.


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## Peterfield (Oct 26, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> Only problem I have with that article is we are embedded in the Middle East with" this" administration, because of the "jackasses" in the last administration!



We've been embedded in the Middle East through several administrations (yes, that means democratic, too).  When in doubt, follow the money.  Both political parties dance the dance with equal aplomb, just the Republicans flaunt it and the Democrats hide it.


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## Jake86 (Oct 29, 2015)

Old Spartan said:


> The Serenity paid for itself last year.
> 
> This year will burn pellets but also LP. Filled the tanks at 1.82 which for this area is a bargain. I figure as a rule of thumb a gallon of LP equals about 10 #'s of pellets - so 7.68 a bag - given the efficiency of my furnace and distribution system. I spent much less.
> 
> ...


Hey Spartan,

         Question.  Can you open the pellet bin while the stove is running to add pellets without the stove shutting down?  
I'm waiting to have my Castle serenity installed and saw a  video on utube where someone does it.  I thought you couldn't do that.  I defer to your knowledge.
Thanks
Jake


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## billb3 (Oct 30, 2015)

NateB said:


> This mind set is why America will fail. Read this article and understand we are just pawns in a game until we decide to remove yourself from the game board. http://www.theblaze.com/contributio...e-in-the-middle-east-no-one-is-talking-about/
> 
> Invest in your neighbors and yourself, and strangle the tyrants that are buying your dependence.
> 
> Sorry if this is too political.


Wow is that a compost pile of fallacies and fear-mongering distortions .

But yeah this is not the place for it.


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## St_Earl (Oct 30, 2015)

Jake86 said:


> Hey Spartan,
> 
> Question.  Can you open the pellet bin while the stove is running to add pellets without the stove shutting down?
> I'm waiting to have my Castle serenity installed and saw a  video on utube where someone does it.  I thought you couldn't do that.  I defer to your knowledge.
> ...




you can. the lid switch will interrupt the dropping of pellets, but as long as you don't take forever putting the pellets in, it will be fine.
a thing to keep an eye out for is that no pellets get wedged in anywhere on the surface where the lids seats. it is possible to spring the hinges if pellets get lodged in high leverage spots. just a side note.


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## Old Spartan (Oct 31, 2015)

Jake86 said:


> Hey Spartan,
> 
> Question.  Can you open the pellet bin while the stove is running to add pellets without the stove shutting down?
> I'm waiting to have my Castle serenity installed and saw a  video on utube where someone does it.  I thought you couldn't do that.  I defer to your knowledge.
> ...



Yes -- I do it all the time -- It will eventually shut down if the top is left open too long but it gives you plenty of time to load.


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## Old Spartan (Oct 31, 2015)

Just noticed q was answered -- Sorry St Earl


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## Vamountain (Oct 31, 2015)

Here in VA Lowes is matching prices on a ton of pellets from local distributors. One local place had them for 235.00/ton. I grabbed a pallet of them. Lignetics Brand.
Tractor Supply is 250.00 hardwood.
Home Depot is same also.


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## Michael6268 (Oct 31, 2015)

Looked at my local Home Depot the other day. They're sitting on approx 700 tons of pellets. Would think they're going to have to lower their price even more soon. Still don't think their going to get rid of them anytime soon because they're all garbage brand pellets.


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 31, 2015)

Michael6268 said:


> Still don't think there to get rid of them anytime soon because they're all garbage brand pellets.


A lot of people we see, are buying better stuff, for just a little more,
and reporting they are done with the lesser stuff...
As time goes on, we'll see if it's BS... but I know it's a common comment...

Dan


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## Peterfield (Nov 4, 2015)

Perusing CL ads in New England last night and noticed an uptick in folks selling their pellets.  Saw some good ones, like LaCrete's and CleanFire's in a couple of different ads.


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## Jake86 (Nov 4, 2015)

It's basic economics, supply and demand.  My local Agway is complaining about no one buying pellets.  You can tell they're getting nervous. Last year was a boon for them....some even took advantage of the situation.  Rode by a local hardware store surrounded by pallets of pellets.  Looked like circling the wagons trying to defend themselves to the last stand. What goes around comes around.  A cold spell could change everything....maybe.


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## St_Earl (Nov 4, 2015)

SIB /wood pellet warehouse
October Specials
*Maine Woods $224.00 Picked up

that's basically the same as they've been for four years now.
i believe i have paid, $215 (in 2011), $219 and $224  it may have been $229 last spring.


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## Pete Zahria (Nov 4, 2015)

Our stuff has gone up 10 bucks in 4 years.

Dan


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## Peterfield (Nov 5, 2015)

Jake86 said:


> It's basic economics, supply and demand.  My local Agway is complaining about no one buying pellets.  You can tell they're getting nervous. Last year was a boon for them....some even took advantage of the situation.  Rode by a local hardware store surrounded by pallets of pellets.  Looked like circling the wagons trying to defend themselves to the last stand. What goes around comes around.  A cold spell could change everything....maybe.



With El Niño kicking in and oil and gas prices tanking, it may set up to be a good pellet-buying opportunity at BBS's in a month or so.  It's just a commodity and like all other commodities, prices will drop if demand does.  Just look at the price of new and used trucks.  With the drop in gas prices, truck prices have risen but if gas goes back to $4.00 a gallon, truck prices will recede, especially the used truck prices.  Patience is a virtue that is usually rewarded.


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## moey (Nov 5, 2015)

Peterfield said:


> With El Niño kicking in and oil and gas prices tanking, it may set up to be a good pellet-buying opportunity at BBS's in a month or so.  It's just a commodity and like all other commodities, prices will drop if demand does.  Just look at the price of new and used trucks.  With the drop in gas prices, truck prices have risen but if gas goes back to $4.00 a gallon, truck prices will recede, especially the used truck prices.  Patience is a virtue that is usually rewarded.



Or they will sell at the current price and not get much more inventory. I look at it like the gas station in town that charges 5-10% more then the other gas station but operates a repair shop as well. They still sell gas to folks when they get their car repaired. The outdoor sections are empty at BBS stores right now. Come May when they start wanting to put flowers and everything in that space they mark them down.


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## rona (Nov 5, 2015)

moey said:


> Oil and pellet prices have very little to do with each other. Pellets are not cheaper to produce because oil prices are lower. Fuel costs make up a small portion of delivery costs.


That may be true but when fuel price goes up its a excuse for everything else to jump. It works too.  The people who cut the trees down and transport to a pellet factory will likely argue with you that fuel prices doesn't effect their bottom line


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## Peterfield (Nov 5, 2015)

For what it's worth, the out the gate prices for softwood in most countries is down an average of 20% this year.


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## turbulator (Nov 8, 2015)

Not sure how much I'll run my Tarm 4.0 boiler this year, if at all...  Lignetics are at $255/ton...  I could mix with corn and try that.  We have dual forced air propane systems, so we may be running them instead of pellets this year...
I just installed a Harman Accentra 52i and got her fired up last night - I think I'll use that for a "fireplace" heat during football games and holidays...otherwise, probably on propane this year.


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