Wood pellet stoves are stoves that burn compressed wood for heating residential spaces. Wood pellets are fed from a storage container in the burn-pot area in the stove. This creates constant flames in wood pellet stoves and requires little or no physical adjustment like you would in wood burning stoves.
Over the years, wood pellet stoves have undergone a large change from the earlier boxy, workhorse designs to modern decorative pellet stoves. Wood pellet stoves are available as standalone appliances, or those that fit into fireplaces, and are vented with an existed chimney.
Modern wood pellet stoves are versatile appliances. Most wood pellet stoves are self-igniting and have thermostat controls. Some may even be equipped with remote controls.
Wood pellets burn very cleanly and produce a fine fly-ash layer as a byproduct of combustion. However, the grade of the wood pellet you use determines the performance of wood pellet stoves and output of fly-ash. For example, if you use premium grade pellets you can expect the out to be as low as 1%. Low grade pellets require a higher level of maintenance.
If you maintain wood pellet stoves properly you can avoid formation of coal-tar creosote, the inflammable substance that is responsible for chimney fires.
Ensure that you buy wood pellet stoves that are certified for double wall venting, commonly with a stainless steel interior of at least three inches diameter and galvanized exterior. Since pellet stoves are equipped with a forced exhaust system they do not require a vertical vent. Despite that, you should opt for a five foot vertical vent to prevent leakage in case of an outage.
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