# Burning a pellet stove when not home



## jdempsey (Sep 5, 2011)

Just wondering does most people leave their pellet stoves burning when no one is home? Most everyone i know leaves a regular wood burning stove running 24/7. My parents have a wood burning furnace in the basement and it runs all winter long never being shut down till spring time.

I know things can happen in an instant. But if maintenance is kept up, are pellet stoves just as safe to run unattended, and constantly such as a wood burner.


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## smilejamaica (Sep 6, 2011)

yes ......took me a little while before i was comfortable with it .


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## Vinelife (Sep 6, 2011)

Always burn my quad when i'm not home.... pellet stoves are safe if you keep them clean..


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## imacman (Sep 6, 2011)

Pellet stoves have quite a few safety systems on them.  I run mine 24/7 from Nov. - March, except for cleaning.


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## DexterDay (Sep 6, 2011)

imacman said:
			
		

> Pellet stoves have quite a few safety systems on them.  I run mine 24/7 from Nov. - March, except for cleaning.



X2... I run mine 24/7.. I used to use the thermostat the 1st season. But thats hard on the ignitor, Hot/Cold cycles, etc.... The last 2 seasons, I have run 24/7 on Low setting. Quads have a adjustable slide inside the hopper to further reduce the Feed Rate. I use this slide based on the outside temp. Took some time. But I have "Marks" on where to set it, depending on outside air temp.

So many safety features on a New pellet stove. High limit, Vacuum, Hopper Lid (Some models). Much safer than a "Run Away" Wood stove. 

It may take you a week or 2. I slept next to mine the 1st few nights we had it. Never owning one, I was nervous as all get out. 

Pretty sure you will be fine. Install the stove correctly and also keep it clean and maintained. All will work out.


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## save$ (Sep 6, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

> imacman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We used to burn wood.  this is much safer.  Installed according to the manual, and kept clean and maintained, you should be able to leave it unattended while at work and for when you have your head on your pillow.  This will be our 4th year.  Glad for this forum.  It turned my head around so I was facing the right direction.  The advice was so right!


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## imacman (Sep 6, 2011)

DexterDay said:
			
		

> ....I used to use the thermostat the 1st season. But thats hard on the ignitor, Hot/Cold cycles, etc....



Well, hopefully he has the same revision control board that I have....it allows him to run On-Off AND Hi-Lo mode too, and that saves the ignitor and keeps the temp in the house much more even.

I use On-Off in the Fall & Spring shoulder seasons, and then switch to Hi-Lo when it gets cold.


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## CT Mets Fan (Sep 6, 2011)

This is my 2nd season as a burner, still not 100% comfortable with leaving the stove going all day without supervision.   It took about two weeks just get used to it burning at night.

I actually had the fire department stop by my house last season because they saw the orange-red glow through the windows, asking me if I knew I had a fire!


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## philbrick (Sep 6, 2011)

ChrisA said:
			
		

> This is my 2nd season as a burner, still not 100% comfortable with leaving the stove going all day without supervision.   It took about two weeks just get used to it burning at night.
> 
> I actually had the fire department stop by my house last season because they saw the orange-red glow through the windows, asking me if I knew I had a fire!


....You have a great FD


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## abrucerd (Sep 6, 2011)

just to echo the above points... Yes, I also burn 24/7 December to February.  And yes, it took me quite some time to get used to it.  I remember driving home from work the first day... i left a bit early because i was so nervous.  When I was about 5 miles away from my house, I could see smoke rising from the direction of my house, and I was certain it was my house.

Nope... just the industrial plant a mile down the road.  Home was nice and warm when I arrived... but I was already covered in sweat


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## jtakeman (Sep 6, 2011)

Seems we get this from the new burners almost every year. Your nerves will settle in due time.

I burn auto/off in fall/spring and hi/low during the cold. Coming home to a warm house is priceless IMHO!


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## hoverfly (Sep 6, 2011)

After I learned how to run my pellet stove, never had an issue running it when we were away.


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## lessoil (Sep 6, 2011)

24/7 here from Oct to May.
Does take a while to get used to the idea.
Nothing wrong with being cautious!

Enjoy!


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## Murphy118 (Sep 6, 2011)

As my main heat source was gas fired forced hot water I have baseboards that run to every room, 1st floor and second, each on it's own zone.   My first year with the Pellet Stove, i ran it only during the days, but all day, and set the 1st floor zone t-stat to about 60,,,just enought to break the frost overnight.  My house is 2 story, with basement under one half, and crawlspace under the other.
     in about mid January I noticed that there was no heat from the gas furnace to the 1st floor.  I ended up changing the circulatr pump, zone valve and replacing 2 shut offs.  still no heat.  I finally figuredout that the pellet stove, while keeping me oh so toasty on my first floor never allowed the furnace to kick in, thus I had frozen heat pipes under the crawl space
    I installed last year a dayton 1 hour trip timer, with 1.5 minute trippers, set to close my first floort-stat for 3 minutes every 20 minutes.  In the dead of winter last year that seemed to be enough to keep the water flowing and warm enough to prevent freezing.  I also set the whole timer set up on a wall switch in my living room to make it active when I want without having to go downstairs
     So i guess if I could run my sotve 24/7,,,,,,,,,i certainly would!

John


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## skidozer (Sep 6, 2011)

I live alone and am not home alot I run mine 24/6 . I was leary at first with last winter my first year.

I let it run on the t-stat while I'm at work and come home to a nice toasty house.
I figured out after a month or so as I became more comfortable its more of a applience than a stove.

Saves me major $$$$ over propane and works when Im not home unlike wood.

Sometimes when I go away on weekends I fill the hopper set the t-stat to 58 on friday after work and let it go.
It makes it till sunday late before it runs out depending on how cold it is out.


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## Sinzitu (Sep 6, 2011)

Last season was our first with a pellet stove.  After reading this forum I was very comfortable leaving my stove running 24/7.  I only shut it down to clean it.


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## tsmith (Sep 6, 2011)

Always ran it 24/7, thats why I bought it. As said before if taken care of they are very safe


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## Boobo0 (Sep 7, 2011)

I found myself having the same concerns when I installed my stove last February.  Between comments from the board and getting comfortable with the stove, that hesitation quickly went away.


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## quickrch (Sep 7, 2011)

yes and that was a reason for buying one with a big hopper


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