As the price of natural gas and other heating fuels continues to rise, heating our homes is becoming a major budget expense and a significant obstacle to comfort and safety. What can a homeowner do? In the quest for efficient heating, a previously little known appliance has garnered considerable interest in recent years: the pellet stove.

Pellet stoves are similar to wood stoves but most are far more efficient and burn much more cleanly. They create heat by burning pellets made of recycled sawdust, wood shavings, or other bio-mass waste materials. Pellet stoves are used to provide supplemental (or, in some cases, primary) heat—generally in open-plan homes or in large living spaces. In comparison to other popular heating fuels such as oil, electricity, and even natural gas, bio-mass pellets are a much more affordable option.

Pellet stoves look similar to wood stoves or fireplace inserts, but the similarities end there. Inside, they are very sophisticated combustion appliances with blowers and moving parts. To learn more about pellet stoves and their advantages and drawbacks, click on the article links below.