223. Pellet Stoves

 I grew up living in homes heated with wood burning stoves, most of them closed so you didn’t see the flame. I always loved seeing fires in fireplaces, but I could understand why people didn’t typically rely on them for heat because generally a fireplace takes the heat out the chimney, so they end up more ambiance than actual heat source. I also remember spending hour upon hour out in the woods cutting firewood. I was never allowed to use the chainsaw as a kid, but I spent plenty of time splitting wood. I still like to split wood once in a while, though I only do it when camping so instead of improving my chopping skills I’m getting worse. I don’t know how it works for wood permits anymore and I don’t even own a chainsaw, so sometimes I miss that, but it was really time consuming and until my recent retirement I can’t imagine having enough time to have to cut wood. On top of teaching that would have just become a nagging chore that I would have come to resent instead of enjoy.

We live pretty far north, so heating is something people here have to really think about. Sure, we’re in the Northwest where electricity is affordable, but we spent a winter electrically heating a small house and it was not cheap. We ended up buying a wood pellet stove and I have been in love with my pellet stove since then. Now we are on our second pellet stove and it runs off a thermostat so it has become incredibly easy, yet it has the same heat as a wood stove, along with a visible flame like a fireplace. For me the pellet stove is the perfect compromise. My $500 to $600 heating bill for the year is a pittance compared to a monthly electric bill that would run over $400 a month by itself. Plus, the money I spend on pellets goes toward the wood products industry which is a renewable resource and the industry that has supported my life long existence through loggers and mill workers from whom I am descended. And, because it is a renewable heating resource, I don’t have to pay taxes on it.

It’s easy to start a pellet stove, too. Our first pellet stove had to be started with pellets soaked in lighter fluid, which in itself was easier than splitting kindling and playing with paper and matches. But in my new stove hot air lights the pellets and we set the thermostat at the temperature we want and it just starts on by itself. I love the visible flame. I love that I can stand in front of it after being outside shoveling snow. Or on the day in late winter when the snow is getting rained away and it seems colder than those sunny January days when it’s below zero. Today is one of those gray, damp cold days in late winter. Right now, I’m sitting at the table near the pellet stove as I write this. I love a good pellet stove.