Both Lowes and HD had Nada-zip for pellets. I could only find a few strays laying on a pallet @Lowes. I woulda put em in my pocket, But they prolly were Inferiors or sometin chitty! Swung into TSC, But they are out too. Wife's gonna keep an eye on them as she drivers bye daily.
Ran into the woman I know working at HD today, she said that yesterday the 44 tons of Freedom Fuel were sold out in 2 hours. They are supposed to get another truck in on Monday here too. We'll see what they are. Edit-She also said that they are NOT rationing here
My dealer had them at 275/ton until at least January. Dont know if he has anything left at this time.
I sure am glad I still have a 2 and a half ton left. Just confirms the need to get a least 20% more than you think you will need at the start of the winter. Unlike 2008, this shortage can be directly pointed to the prolonged cold. It is in the second half of the winter, not at the beginning. In a month, this will be over and many folks will we washing off their lawn furniture. Just don't let your guard down. If you see an good buy, take it home. It is money in the bank and peace of mind.
What can I say? Oh I know, get a sizable stash in before the season starts. Oh it was 8 below when the boss looked this morning, I waited until it was about 2 below before I got up. More where that came form.
You know that was a MAJOR consideration in this transition. She hasn't complained. She is also filling the stove with pellets frequently. Of course, my being on crutches and now using a cane has contributed to that. The side effect I didn't anticipate is her moving into the family room from her prized perch in the living room. So now I listen he constant reruns of TV shows. I did buy her and myself new lift recliners. Some of those chair are hell to get up out of. These lift chairs bring you almost to your feet, plus if you leave them up, the pets won't climb in them.
Can I ask you pellet heads a question? Is this a trend that happens every season with a pellet shortage near the end of the season? I have a few friends that burn pellets and it seems like every year it's the same thing, everyone trying to scrounge for pellets and no one has them....... I burned through 3 tons and I have bought 20 bags from two different places so far and I'm going to need more but ALL stores are out of stock right now. I didn't want to over buy pellets because I don't have a lot of room for storage so I bought what I thought I would burn for the season but ended up a little short. I will buy 4 tons next year for sure, just curious what you guys do at the end of the season when you don't have many options?
I buy enough to get me through the year so I don't have to deal with it. Then if I see a good buy like yesterday, I jump all over it.
I haven't had an issue since 2001, But Since then I have bought more than enough to last the season. Seems to only happen too the ones that buy in small amounts as they go, Or to burners that didn't buy enough when quantities are plenty. Most of us here have more than enough, Were just topping off or adding a bit of a buffer. 2008 was the only other year I have heard they were scrounging for fuel. So I don't think its every year. At least where I'm located. The big pigs here will tell ya to always keep a seasons worth and a buffer before you even start the season. If you only have enough room for 4 tons and that's about all you can store. Add some buffer as you use them. I'd say 1/4 of the season usage is a good buffer. So if 4 is the norm, adding another ton should be except able.
If you want to rely on the big boxes you need to understand that along come February they are putting out spring and summer stuff and their corporate offices are saying winter is over. If you deal with pellet houses you generally can get pellets most of the time. Buying pellets is exactly like buying any seasonal item at all but the pellet houses. You take your chances on availability. And thus us pellet pigs came into being and took a ration of brown material from the unknowing. ETA: This is bunkering year for me that means more than two seasons (six ton per season) will be obtained and placed in the garage.
No such thing! Never enough! Be creative. You can always find more room for pellets. Just don't get them wet. They will keep for as long as you are willing to wait. As far as the spring shortage thing, Yes it is an annual thing. Those who buy ahead, just like the firewood folks, are usually all set. Those who shop for them like tomatoes get hit or miss. The way I had it explained to me is that the pellet manufactures need to keep up with their contracts. There are a lot of companies burning biomass. They get their needs met first. The retail outlets now are buying a truck here and there. They get served last. When spring and summer comes, the companies have a chance to catch up and make a lot of pellets available to the retail outlets but once that supply is gone it is hard to come by pellets that are not already obligated to contracts.
Oh yeah and it is uphill both ways getting to my house and not pleasant during mud or slip and slide season.
yes, more, we want more! If storage is really an issue. Buy all you can store. but then start replacing them as you use them. When the supply gets tight, you will still have your basic amount to fall back on.
The car can sit outside while you burn the first ton. Remember to re-stack as it can increase storage. That's funny because I had no trouble getting pellets in 2008, now the stove took longer to get than the pellets. I had the pellets in several weeks before the stove shipped.
3 Tons is pretty much all I could store in the basement, and I needed to clear the space at the end of the season so I could get my space back. It's right in my work shop space so I need to have that space for the spring summer and fall. The rest of the cellar is laundry space and a finished room for my son so I can't really store too much in the off-season. As far as my firewood, I have that all over the place in my back yard, had 6 cords this year and still have about 2 cords left.....
Stack your pallets 60 bags high, that gives you an extra 30 bags. After you use your first 20, buy 20 more. That gives you an extra ton.
The only time I ever had trouble getting pellets was the year I got the stove. Oil prices skyrocketed that year. Stoves and pellets were slim pickins then and they were rationing 20 bags per person. Since then I've had no trouble getting pellets until now.
I make 75 bag stacks, I could likely go to 90 but I don't like working off ladders. In any event the old be prepared for winter Downeaster in me says lay in enough supplies to last until late spring. So we do just that and then some. We don't leave the lot when things are messy and no trucks on the driveways during the messy season.
My road and driveway is paved, but I don't let anything heavy in my yard for fear of breaking up the surface. Not anytime. The paving stops all that mud issue in the spring. I spread that payment goop every couple years to fill any cracks. Surprised how easy it is to do.
I didn't either(why I said heard). I did my usual stuff it full. Have been since the 2001 shortage. 2001 was the only season we struggled to get fuel. We were poor then and only could get 10 to 20 bags at a time. Then Bam, No pellets any where. We burned horse bedding a local feed was getting. Agway got Heartland pellets from South Dakota, Eureka from Montana and Bear Mountains from Oregon. HD pulled in some Blazers just like this year. Since then we don't take chances. BT was the only pellet house at the time and They brought in some softwoods. Also horse bedding, We saw some of the same stuff as this shortage. Dealers only selling to regular customers and limiting quantities. Luckily we had no issues getting wood. So we used pellets sparingly and more wood than we had planed. I didn't hear of the 2005 shortage until Xena mentioned it in her post. So there could be other years? I guess area/location could also be a factor. Area's that get bombed with snow could have trouble moving freight by truck or rail. Severe cold could also stall freight.
