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[Guide] Heating and pellet stoves: advice for buying and maintaining
How to make the choice for the purchase of a pellet stove? First you need to know its fuel. Here are Brichome's tips for choosing quality pellets.
In order to buy the right pellet stove, you need to know more about its fuel and how it works. With this guide we want to tell you more about the features of a quality pellets by answering a few simple questions.
What is pellets?
Obtained from sawdust and woodworking residues, the pellet is a fuel made from dried sawdust and then compressed into the form of small cylinders with a diameter of a few millimeters. The production of this fuel is the result of processes which, after having dried the wood shavings, bring it to thestandard residual humidity of the 15%; depending on the materials used, cylinders are created that are as similar as possible to each other.
In fact, the more the woods used are pure and of good quality (mostly firs and conifers), the more the shape of these is uniform and functional for use in our stoves or boilers.
Is clear pellet better?
It is very important to debunk false myths which identify an excellent quality pellet which is made up of very light small cylinders and the low quality one made up of darker small cylinders. In fact, a very white pellet could be the result of productions with low quality materials chemically “bleached” to please the eye.
The same goes for darker pellets, the drying and roasting phases are different depending on the producers, in fact some toast the cylinders on hot beds which take on an amber color.
The situation regarding the qualities of very dark pellets is different, in fact these are the result of the use of non-pure materials and with the addition of bark from the trunks which tend to darken the final product.
Which pellets to choose?
The answer is difficult, even connoisseurs of pellets with the naked eye would not go overboard in favor of one pellet rather than another. The eye makes you choose a product that tends to be clear, but as previously said, this it is not indicative.
In addition to this, it is necessary to evaluate whether there are not excessive quantities of sawdust or dust in the bag in which the pellets are packaged; these are symptoms of insufficient drying and relative disintegration of the cylinder.
Give it a try: take a handful of pellets, pour a drop of water over them and after a few minutes you will see them crumble in their entirety. A pellet that is not well dried, therefore with too much residual humidity, has the same effect inside the bag.
To know which pellet to choose, the certifications that are affixed to bags of pellets can be helpful. Certifications vary by country. If the pellet comes from Germany and is certified by German bodies, it will have the "EN" or "DIN" certifications which, since 2010 have become valid certifications at European level, becoming "EN PLUS".
It is not essential that a pellet is certified, but this denotes it the sure quality, which is normally followed by the quality of the packaging which, in some cases, is also certified by bodies, among which we can include DEKRA. These bodies certify that the packaging has followed all the steps so that the final product can reach the end user without particular traumas and for optimal use.
To know which pellet to choose the quality of the packaging is important: any infiltrated humidity would cause even the best pellets to deteriorate.
In addition to a reduced efficiency of the stove, poor quality pellets also involve a greater frequency of cleaning operations: the brazier is often full of pellets and crystallized residues, which must be removed. Find out how to clean your pellet stove in 3 steps
An important advice is of course what is given to you by your trusted supplier, who if he is serious and knows where, but above all, in what period to buy it, will certainly provide you with the most suitable product.
To choose a quality pellet it is important to verify some characteristics of fundamental importance:
Is pellets convenient?
By heating with pellets, savings are guaranteed and considerable, compared to classic fossil fuels; this is one more reason why it is not advisable to buy low quality pellets: saving a few cents per bag could lead to serious damage to your stove, as well as reduced efficiency.
How do pellet stoves work?
The first thing to know is that they need electricity. So to install a pellet stove you need to have an electrical outlet nearby.
Another important point is the discharge of fumes, in fact the stoves/boilers through the combustion process generate ash residues which, although very limited, must be conveyed into a flue.
If you have a flue near the place where the pellet stove is to be installed, just connect it to it through the pipes without traveling horizontally. If you don't have one, you'll need to create one.
The operation of pellet stoves is automatic, just insert the pellets in the appropriate tank and the stove/boiler will supply the brazier automatically through a system of augers both in case of ignition and power supply. Attention, it is absolutely forbidden to open the doors of the pellet stoves when they are in operation!
In the event of a lack of pellets, the stove will no longer have its fuel and will consequently switch off.
Most pellet stoves have the possibility of programming switching on and off using digital timers in which to activate the stove according to your needs and switch it off when it is not needed. In addition to this, they can have a thermostat which allows you to set the desired temperature in the environment and maintain it over time.
Do pellet stoves need maintenance?
Certainly.
The main maintenance operations consist in cleaning the brazier and the combustion area, with the stove off and cold, it is necessary to remove the ash contained inside them (there are special ash vacuum bins, do not use the vacuum cleaner bin, it could be damaged) and clean the tailgate glass.
Occasionally it is advisable to check that the pipe connecting the flue is not full of condensate (also in this case there are T-shaped pipes with small glasses that allow you to inspect this area), if there is any deposited, it is advisable to check that the barrel has a good draft or that the pellets not too wet.
It is highly recommended to check the internal channels of the stove and to do this it is advisable to make use of specialized technicians both to avoid incurring damage deriving from these operations and to invalidate any guarantee that covers your stoves.
Tips for buying pellet stoves. Which ones to buy?
There are many stove manufacturers, the first way to go is to purchase a product that guarantees good heat after sales assistance. In fact, not all stoves, even the best brands, are perfect, they may have defects, but what differentiates them is speed and professionalism intervention to fix the problem. Therefore, in addition to thinking about which stove to buy, with what power, it is essential to inquire about the after-sales service offered by the manufacturer as well as by the seller who, thanks to his experience, could give practical advice for the correct installation and best functioning of your stove. pellets.
