OT - Wood Pellet Fireplace Inserts

Hub

We are getting ready to custom build a lake front home.  I'm going to put in a large high efficiency wood burning fireplace in the living room and outdoor kitchen area.  I need something lower maintenance for the master bedroom and possibly the master bathroom.  I don't really like gas fireplaces, and wood burning seems to much for a bedroom or bathroom.  I've been researching wood pellet inserts such as the one pictured, but I have no experience with them at all.  Any of you guys have one or have used one? Care to share your thoughts? Much appreciated.

NPHuskerFL

My Aunt's brother uses a few of these in their home in Nebraska.  It works great. Feed corn is quite sustainable and the heat generated is impressive. And from what I saw it was very efficient.

http://cornstoves.com.bizhosting.com/cornstoves_com_index10.html

Hub

I had no idea that there were inserts and stoves made to burn corn.  Wouldn't corn be more costly than wood pellets?

littlerascal56

You see a lot of pelletstoves in Kansas, as pellets are cheap.  Funny thing is pellets are in short supply right now, due to the severe cold we have been experiencing.
My neighbor had a corn stove, but didn’t use much when corn prices jumped (due to local ethanol plants) a lot. There are 3 huge ethanol plants near me, and they buy up most of the corn grown in this area.

Hub

My biggest concern is will it put out too much heat for a large sized bedroom? For a large master bathroom?

sheetmetalpete

I don't have an insert but a freestanding corn/pellet stove.  I've been running it about 12 years now.  I like it well enough that I contemplate adding a second one to fully heat my house with them. 

Depending on the model you get it's possible to use a thermostat to control it so you wouldn't overheat a room.  I find when it's 40 or 50 deg outside that mine will get too warm in the basement where mine is placed even on the low setting.  I've made peace with having an overly warm basement from time to time.

Not all stoves burn corn & pellets.  Mine does and I switch back & forth depending on corn price each fall.  This year, although corn is down, I'm burning pellets due to storage problems.  I bought a gravity box/wagon and usually buy 150 bushels from one of my farmer friends.  This year I couldn't keep the wagon inside so pellets it is.  I miss the additional heat from corn (there are more BTU's per pound of corn than pellets) & cost savings but I don't miss the extra rodents and hauling it in the house by the bucket.

I guess that was a long winded way of saying go for it but it's easier to burn pellets than corn.

Grader07

I have that exact stove insert...  quad Mt. Vernon AE...  love it and will not go back to wood again.  It heats my whole upstairs...  thinking of getting another for basement but not one with all the bells and whistles as one.

Grader07

This is it right before I cleaned it

Hub

Good info and advice guys.  Thank you.  The more I research the more I think I'm going to give one a try.  I'll still do wood burning in the living room and outdoor living area, but I'm leaning towards putting a wood pellet model in the master bedroom.

DiamondRCattle

I would do pellets and not corn.  Done both.  Pellets burn better and ckeaner.  And unless corn is $3 pellets chaeper

NPHuskerFL

DiamondRCattle said:

I would do pellets and not corn.  Done both.  Pellets burn better and ckeaner.  And unless corn is $3 pellets chaeper

Feed corn is sustainable unless that's off the table.  I've never bought pellets so I'm not privy to their price point. However, depending on your region, feed corn on average is $3-$7 per 40 lb bag.  

DiamondRCattle

NPHuskerFL said:

DiamondRCattle said:

I would do pellets and not corn.  Done both.  Pellets burn better and ckeaner.  And unless corn is $3 pellets chaeper

Feed corn is sustainable unless that's off the table.  I've never bought pellets so I'm not privy to their price point. However, depending on your region, feed corn on average is $3-$7 per 40 lb bag.  

I have 120k of corn in bin.  Unless price was close to $3.25 it was cheaper to use pellets...and cleaner.  When nat gas was really high 12 or so years ago is when i bought stove.  Mine would burn a mix of corn and pellets.  Brother had one that would burn 100% of each.  He burned corn for awhile then went to pellets because of ease.  Harmon is what I have, brother has a Quadrafire.  Both excellent stoves.  Mine is 14 yo.

SonVolt

Fireplace.... in the sh*tter?

TEXASBGE2018

SonVolt said:

Fireplace.... in the sh*tter?

1st world problems

sheetmetalpete

DiamondRCattle said:

NPHuskerFL said:

DiamondRCattle said:

I would do pellets and not corn.  Done both.  Pellets burn better and ckeaner.  And unless corn is $3 pellets chaeper

Feed corn is sustainable unless that's off the table.  I've never bought pellets so I'm not privy to their price point. However, depending on your region, feed corn on average is $3-$7 per 40 lb bag.  

I have 120k of corn in bin.  Unless price was close to $3.25 it was cheaper to use pellets...and cleaner.  When nat gas was really high 12 or so years ago is when i bought stove.  Mine would burn a mix of corn and pellets.  Brother had one that would burn 100% of each.  He burned corn for awhile then went to pellets because of ease.  Harmon is what I have, brother has a Quadrafire.  Both excellent stoves.  Mine is 14 yo.

I found $4/bushel is my breaking point to switch to pellets.  I can't complain about the convenience of pellets with one exception: my little old Bobcat won't pick up a full pallet.

My stove is a Magnum from American Energy Systems.  It too is a great stove.  They make inserts as well. 

odie91

I have no experience with heating a house with wood, but have you heard of rocket mass heaters?   Looks like there is an abbreviated version of one meant for fireplace insert   https://www.rocketheater.com/

Some pretty impressive videos out there of people using these types of heaters, hooked up to huge heat sinks (although that's not what you're looking for).

Zippylip

I have a free standing pellet stove in my family room, love that thing.  It's been cranking out the heat for 15 years with no issues.  I only feed it good pellets I get at a local garden store, the crap they sell at Home Depot is just that, crap, way too much ash.  I went with Quadrafire Castile.  I have a fire place in the same room which I opted to keep open, I like the look of the free standing stoves better and the ability to have a wood fire in the fireplace as well.  The pellet inserts are no different, just a different configuration.

https://www.quadrafire.com/products/castile-pellet-stove

Hub

Zippylip said:

I have a free standing pellet stove in my family room, love that thing.  It's been cranking out the heat for 15 years with no issues.  I only feed it good pellets I get at a local garden store, the crap they sell at Home Depot is just that, crap, way too much ash.  I went with Quadrafire Castile.  I have a fire place in the same room which I opted to keep open, I like the look of the free standing stoves better and the ability to have a wood fire in the fireplace as well.  The pellet inserts are no different, just a different configuration.

https://www.quadrafire.com/products/castile-pellet-stove

Thanks for the info.  I'm leaning towards the Quadrafire myself, only I plan to do the fireplace insert as opposed to the stove.

fishlessman

DiamondRCattle said:

NPHuskerFL said:

DiamondRCattle said:

I would do pellets and not corn.  Done both.  Pellets burn better and ckeaner.  And unless corn is $3 pellets chaeper

Feed corn is sustainable unless that's off the table.  I've never bought pellets so I'm not privy to their price point. However, depending on your region, feed corn on average is $3-$7 per 40 lb bag.  

I have 120k of corn in bin.  Unless price was close to $3.25 it was cheaper to use pellets...and cleaner.  When nat gas was really high 12 or so years ago is when i bought stove.  Mine would burn a mix of corn and pellets.  Brother had one that would burn 100% of each.  He burned corn for awhile then went to pellets because of ease.  Harmon is what I have, brother has a Quadrafire.  Both excellent stoves.  Mine is 14 yo.

second vote for a harmon, my coal stove harmon insert is going on 20 years, its been abused, overheated it several times with the coal. their pellet stoves should last for years.  the blowers die occasionally, online they are inexpensive, but like ive said, ive abused mine with coal fires, turned it cherry red on occasion

Eggin_in_PA

3rd vote for Harmon... XXV in the basement going strong 4 years now... If your putting in a bedroom, get one that has less btu output.  Too big of a stove will cycle too much causing the ignitor to fail much quicker..  I don't think a Quadrafire can run in constant burn mode via exhaust temp sensor like a Harman can. 

Fishlessman:  I heard Harmon may only be producing wood pellet stoves in the future