Pellet Stoves

What Wood Pellets Specifications Mean To You

With energy savings in mind, you installed a wood pellet stove in your home. While this can definitely save you energy and costs to heat your house, you may be under the illusion that all wood pellets are the same. However, that isn't exactly true.

The wood pellets specifications can give you a clue to the quality of the product and help you be sure that you are using the most efficient choice for your needs.

All wood pellets begin at mills and factories as the byproduct of milling wood for other common uses. The manufacturers are left with sawdust and wood chips that are unusable. These are purchased by pellet companies, who compress them and turn them into usable biomass fuel for your stove. However, different processes are used with vastly different results.

One of the easiest ways to check the performance capabilities of your pellets is to look at the wood pellets specifications provided by each company that makes this product. This succinct chart should give a brief overview of things like grade, wood content, moisture and ash levels and even the BTU or calorific value that you can expect from burning the product.

It is also helpful to check the reviews from actual customers to see their experiences with a particular pellet.

Knowing what these mean is helpful when shopping. For example, a lower moisture content means that your stove will burn more efficiently and with less waste. Look for a level that is under 5%.

On the other hand, the BTU number should be higher for the best product. This indicates how much energy you can expect for every pound of pellets.

Of course, if all things are equal, prices should be the next deciding factor. Finally, don't forget to check size, weight and dimensions for compatibility. The wrong size can clog the parts in your stove and cause problems and safety hazards.

Burning pellets is not only more affordable and efficient, but it is also one of the only carbon neutral heating methods available. The carbon dioxide produced in the clean burning process is almost equal to the amount that the tree absorbed while growing, making this a truly environmentally friendly option.