Wood Pellet Stove Cost
Last Updated on December 23, 2020 | Written by CPA Alec Pow
First Published on December 23, 2020 | Content Reviewed by 
CFA Alexander Popivker
Wood pellet stoves make use of compressed pellets that look like rabbit food and, when burned, produce just very small quantities of ash and creosote. Pellet stoves are also pretty easy to light and produce a continuous temperature level as pellets are immediately fed from the hopper to the combustion chamber. Continue reading to find out more about the different kinds of pellet burning stoves and just how much they cost to have them installed.
Pellet-Burning Stove Options
Pellet stoves can be put into one of the following broad classifications:
Freestanding vs. Insert
If you currently have a fireplace, think about setting up a pellet stove insert, or a system that is placed into the existing firebox. Pellet stove inserts usually make use of the existing chimney for ventilation, although there are also vent-free fireplace inserts that need no chimney at all.
You might also like our articles about the cost of a chimney cap, furnace ignitor, or fire extinguisher ball.
Freestanding pellet stoves can be put anywhere inside the house, however, some adjustments will be required to make sure appropriate ventilation is possible. Like an insert, a freestanding pellet stove can vent through the existing chimney or be vent-free. Extra ventilation alternatives consist of natural draft (vent through the roofing system), and direct-vent (ventilation will take place through a pipe that goes through the wall behind the system or above the system through the roofing system).
Top-Fed vs. Bottom-Fed
In a top-fed pellet stove, the pellets move from a hopper at the top of a stove down into the combustion chamber, whereas in a bottom-fed pellet stove, pellets are directed into the combustion chamber from the bottom and move up. Clean-up of a bottom-fed stove tends to be much easier.
The Size
While the real size of a pellet range, and in particular the size of the pellet hopper, ought to be taken into account when determining your heating requirements, a more vital aspect is the heat load, determined in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per hour (Btu/h). According to Consumer Reports, you’ll require a pellet stove that puts out a minimum of 5,000 Btu/h in order to warm a 200 square foot house. Other elements that impact heating capability are your local environment, the number of windows in a particular area, the house’s insulation, and the existence of a heated area above or below the space.
Pellet Types
A normal pellet stove burns pellets made from sawdust or woodchips. While the size of wood pellets is pretty uniform, there are 2 quality grades: premium (less than 1% ash material) and normal grade (anywhere between 1% and 3% ash material).
It is also possible to purchase a multi-fuel pellet stove, which can burn not just wood pellets, but also those made from corn, wheat, cherry and olive pits, waste, and grass.
Pellet Stove Average Expenses
The real expense of a pellet stove depends upon the size and kind of system you have, your house size, the complexity of the setup, and other aspects.
You should be ready to pay a minimum of $1,000 and as high as $4,000 or more for a wood pellet stove.
Multi-fuel stoves cost $1,500 to $3,000.
A freestanding pellet stove will need a hearth pad that costs $250 to $500, so make sure you take it into account when figuring out the budget.
Pellet stove installation labor begins at $250 for a standard setup and could be $1,000+ depending upon the kind of ventilation you will use.
A 40-lb bag of pellets can cost $5 to $10 depending upon the quality, or approximately $150 to $300 per lot. Consumer Reports approximates that it takes around $15 worth of pellets to produce 1 million BTUs.
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