Please take this Pellet Stove Survey!

[John Ackerly]

Hi all - The Alliance for Green Heat is doing a short pellet stove survey to help highlight why people use pellet stoves, who they are, how the feel about the technology, etc. The results will be public in June, and will be anonymized. We don't ask for name or address, and not even an email, unless you want to be entered into the drawing for $75 gift cards. There seems to be a growing confusion about wood pellets in America, due in large part by concerns of American industrial pellets being shipped to Europe to make electricity. We need to differentiate ourselves.

Please take the survey here, and also we hope some of you can repost it on other sites, listserves, social media outlets. The more responses the better!

We kept it short - it's only a dozen questions -to make it easy to fill out.


Thank you!

John

 

[Washed-Up]

Done

 

[bogieb]

I completed the survey but had to fudge some questions:

• What is main type of heat: Well my basement only has a pellet stove for heat - so that is primary. This year electricity was cheap (and I had credits from solar production so it basically free anyway), so used the minisplit for primary on the main floor. If it was really cold and/or electricity prices were high, I'd be using pellet stove for sole source of heat on main floor. 9/10 years, I have used pellet stove as main source, so that is what I put down.
• Secondary type of heat. Well, if it was a normal winter, then I'd use propane if the pellet stove went down. But if it is a mild winter (like this year), my mini split was sufficient 98% of the time. I put down propane since that would be useful 100% of the time regardless of outside temps.
• Also, the question about what would I look into in the future: I already have solar, a mini split and a high efficiency propane boiler - options are always good . So, I put down that I'm not interested in any of the list, but that is only because I'm all set in those areas.

 

[shtrdave]

done

 

[scajjr2]

Done

sam

 

[Dataman]

Done. Harmon XXV since 2018. Replaced Wood Stove

 

[johneh]

Done

 

[mellow]

@John Ackerly since you brought this up, did you see my post asking about Pellet banks?

Pelletwood Bank?

@John Ackerly has there been any talks about starting Pelletwood banks with the prices in Wood Pellets increasing? For others that don't know AGH runs a fund for firewood banks: https://www.firewoodbanks.org/ Also a topic on it here...

www.hearth.com

Took the survey.

 

[usefulidi0t]

Done.

 

[bogieb]

Received an email yesterday with a link to the results of the survey. Although it says, "circulated it through scores of social media pages, newsletters and neighborhood listservs." I didn't see the survey presented on the other forum. That may or may not have much of an affect on results as at least some here frequent both. They also added this, "Thus, the survey is not rigorously scientific and likely over-represents pellet stove enthusiasts," as a disclaimer.

This is also interesting, "The survey was undertaken between April and June of 2024," since April is at the end, or past the end of the season for much of the country so they perhaps did not reach as much of an audience. I know many members of forums basically stop coming around about that time - appearing again in the fall. Perhaps this tat shows that very affect (although, it is probably true that the more northern states use pellet stoves more)

When they compared the reliability question with length of ownership, , ". . . those who had their stove for longer than 10 years reported higher levels of satisfaction with reliability. And it was the group who owned stoves for 3 - 5 years who reported lower levels of satisfaction with reliability, possibly indicating that this is the period that repairs may be the highest." Perhaps that group with the least satisfaction purchased one of the cheaper stoves, in which breakdowns may occur earlier. Those who had their stoves more than 10 years may have purchased a more expensive stove and any "breakdowns" (in whatever manner) were probably viewed as normal wear and tear versus unreliability. I know there are plenty of people who have had many years of reliable service from their cheaper stoves so I am in no way saying that is the root cause, just a possibility.

Additionally, I would venture that breakdowns in the 3-5 year range may be indicative of some people not maintaining the stove, where a "breakdown" may be related to not having a clean exhaust or air pathway within the stove itself.

It was an interesting read and once again, they underscored that it was not a study that followed strict scientific methods, so everyone will make guesses to the meanings of the results based on their own experiences.