Because a pellet stove, like a fireplace, is an attractive addition to a room, it is best located where the family can enjoy it and where it will provide the best benefit as a heating source. But several other considerations come into play when you decide where to put a new pellet stove.

In most cases, a central location is best for a freestanding pellet stove because this allows its radiant heat to serve the entire surrounding area.

For a pellet stove to heat the entire house, the house will need to have an open plan, with few barriers to heat movement. Rooms away from the stove’s location will need a means of warm air distribution such as a ducted forced-air heating system. And the stove must have a blower.

With this type of setup, the stove can be placed near a primary cold-air return for the forced-air heating system so that its warm air is drawn into the system and circulated to the various rooms in your house. At the very least, this provides a good supplement for the existing heating system and cuts down on the use of gas or oil. (Keep in mind that the warmed air will only be distributed when the system’s blower is running.)

Why we like it: • 3-Sided bay window, wood-fire-like flame • One load of pellets heats up to 45 hours • Thermostat control

Another option, if you want to heat the entire house with pellet fuel, is a pellet-fired furnace or boiler. This can replace or supplement your gas- or oil-fired furnace or boiler.

Because most pellet stoves do not require the same type of chimney as a conventional wood stove or fireplace, you usually have more options where it can be placed. You will need to plan for a 3-inch flue to exit out the back or top of the stove, go through the wall, and then extend upward past the house eaves.

The outer surfaces of a pellet stove don’t get as hot as the surfaces in wood stoves or fireplaces, so most can be placed closer to combustibles—typically 3 inches from walls at the sides and 1 inch from a back wall. Most need to stand on a non-combustible surface such as stone or tile that is at least 3/8 inch thick. Be sure to adhere to all of the manufacturer’s requirements regarding clearances.