I just got a ten dollar HD lawn and garden coupon, Pellets are lawn and garden correct?? Gotz ta try anyway!
I popped in HD to get a few more bags of pellets and to get a pic of the GS...WOW...NO PELLETS but they're loaded up with lawn tractors, etc. So I asked the guy about a shipment...he wasn't "sure" possibly this week...went on to say they "shipped what they DID have to Annapolis..." WHAT??? You think Annapolis gets cold and Salisbury doesn't? damm a corporate bunch of idiots! I pop on over to TSC...nope - OUT!! Asked about shipment - "Don't know if we'll get anymore in. There's a shortage." Given there's a few more MONTHS of still needing heat...the hunt begins There's a few places left to check but they have been over $6/bag.
oh, a SHORTAGE?.....do tell! I seem to recall a thread quite awhile ago about shortages, but I cant really recall who started it....I think it was one of those "poll" threads.....anyhow.....certain brands are pretty tight, although some dealers did plan ahead to take care of mid-late winter needs. Some brands are certainly not available until Spring. Other members here can certainly comment more accurately about the ability to get raw material out of woods where its either below zero or raining and swampy, etc. Of the 10 brands we usually carry, 4 brands are unavailable to us at this time. Fortunately, the folks here on this site tend to plan ahead, and will be fine for the rest of the year! Unfortunately, though, the majority of folks who burn pellets DONT plan ahead, and have gotten used to a few easy winters, and are in the situation of running out. Others have financial restraints or space restraints on their pellets. I think we are ok (I know I have plenty in my basement), but some of the hand-to-mouth dealers might be having supply issues. Also, its a well-known fact that the BB's tend to stop bringing in inventory about this time of year, so expect that resource to dry up.......the rest of the winter should be interesting......
I don't think it would be such an issue of we'd quite exporting goods we have our own use for. Yep, some have space, financial and physical restraints. I wish I could get 2-3 tons at a time and had a place to store them as well as the ability to move them. That said... TSC got more pellets in. This time they apparently ARE a Lignetic product sku 013238000520, they even smell betterThat Curran stuff gave me more ash than if I filled the hopper with leaves and burned them They have also jumped the price from $5.19 to $5.49 a bag. HD still had not gotten anymore in.
Just an observation on my part but I think it’s a majority of people who can’t purchase by the ton. I see many more folks wheeling 5 to 10 bags to the vehicle at TSC and the BB stores than I see getting a ton loaded by forklift.
HD in southwest CT has limited to no stock by me. Lowes has a bit. Grabbed 20 bags of mwp today to help stretch my last ton.
No shortage of pellets around here except for around my house. I put the last bag in the hopper last night. I had 1.5 tons left over from last season and picked up 1/2 a ton from someone that was moving, so you could say it has not been a terribly cold winter here. I'll pick up another ton tomorrow and that should do me if the winter plays out as it has thus far. This pellet is called the Wooden Nugget, a local DF brand. Haven't tried it yet. What I do not understand is the prices that some places are asking for DF brands when we have at least 14 to choose from, ranging from $225 to $300/ton. Folks must not shop around much.
I bought 3 and 1/2 tons at the beginning of the season . I'm now down to 1/2 ton so starting next weekend I'll start buying 15 - 25 bags at a time depending on the weather outlook
I get a ton either at end or beginning of season lower price then buy as I need when that ton gets low. I have to store it in the house in my spare bedroom and have been told that's not advisable so won't be doing that anymore. Only other option is outside storage and being in an area that has humidity from HELLLLO haven't figured that one out yet. Still leaves having to depend on someone to transfer a stash inside for me. It's my only source of heat...electric heat is just not affordable...even with thermostats set at 62...been there, done that That's why I broke down and got a pellet stove
well, shipping is the killer for us in New England for DF pellets.....care to hazard a guess at how much it costs to rail a carload of pellets out east?
Local WallyWorld has a clearance on Pennington (rebagged NEWP apparently) for $4 a bag......grabbed a couple yesterday and burned them overnight.....went back for more today, at $4 can't go wrong
Let me guess. A shortage in March, but in April I will be able to buy six tons at the Spring special and have them delivered in two days!
Weather has made for raw material shortages since October/November. That said many pellet makers were overflowing with product going into winter although with low production occurring at the same time rapid inventory depletion it's anyone's guess how inventories will pan out. Low grade log wood prices are at an all time and so are chips which is also diverting raw material away from pellet production . I don't see a remedy to this anytime soon . I believe any shortages if you can really call them that are regional and more likely due to the higher cost of trucking to that area which makes a further away pellet less or not profitable for the retailer. Truck driver shortage is also a factor and worsening daily. Local lignetics plant here a month ago still had a lot stored outside ( and I assume their warehouse full working off outside inventories first). With labor trucking and raw material costs increasing I can only see pellet prices increasing in the near term. Hoard on !
