Which pellet should I burn?

Hello and thanks in advance. I'm new to heating with pellets this year, I recently bought a Englander 25pdvc to heat my 14 x 76 mobile home. We previously heated with a wood stove for the last 5 year's but with back problems I find myself using pellets now. I live in christiansburg va and don't really know do I need soft or hard wood pellets for my mobile home? Any advice is greatly appreciated..

 

Hi Kelly, and welcome to the forum ........lots of very smart and friendly people here.....you might even come across a bear.

As for what's the best pellet, that's like what is the best car.....location, price, budget, etc, all play a part. Having owned an Englander, I can honestly say it probably doesn't matter which. Hardwoods are the most common, but more & more softies are becoming available. Softies have an edge (usually) in the amount of ash produced, and maybe a slight BTU edge, but usually are more $$.

IMO, you should first find out who has pellets in your area (within the furthest distance you'd like to travel), and get some prices. Typically, by the ton is the cheapest, if you have the space to store them. They need to be protected from rain/elements, and inside a shed or garage is best.

Typical places to scout out are big box stores, hardware, TSC, landscaping places, etc. etc. Let the madness begin.....

 

Thanks for the advice..I'm considering Truman hardwood pellets some friends say they had good luck with them. And the guys at Englander said I may have to turn the stove feed down due to the fact I'm heating a small area.(1000sqf.) We will see I'm excited and waiting to fire this thing up.

 

Personally... not a fan of hardwood.
Many former wood burners (like I was) think hardwood is the best.
And it is.. in a woodstove.
I have not found that to be the case in pellet stoves.. But that is just me...
I know a guy that works with pellets, and they rarely get calls for hardwood,
and they do not even stock them...
That is not to say that you should not use them... certainly many, many do..
And are happy with them.. To each his own.
I just prefer the 'softies'...

Dan

(oh.. welcome!)

 

I agree with Pete above! Softies I prefer over hardwood, but a good softie tends to cost a fair amount more than hardwood. Shipping, etc.
Personally not a huge fan of Turman....I find the ash clumps more in my P61, which means it doesnt leave the burnpot as easily. Most likely any pellet will burn, just some better than others....you wont make a wrong choice, but you can make a better choice.
In buying pellets, folks seem to look for, and prioritize, 3 things (in no particular order):
1. Price
2. Ash content
3. Heat content (BTU/lb)

 

I agree with everything above....but.....I have tried to be loyal to a brand I thought was great, (Barefoots come to mind), only to find the next year they weren't as good. Now my priorities are btu's, and price. I never want to pay over three hundred /ton .

 

A quick google search of pellet suppliers around Christiansburg Va. does not look to promising for softwoods with it being mostly big box stores local, which normally don't carry softwoods.

 

Hardwood/softwood blends are another viable option and are often carried in the box stores.

 

Kelly Bishop, you might report back here when you get a decent list of what's available along with the prices......I'm sure the members will give their 2¢

 

Turman is an excellent pellet . I believe it's all oak . There are some great hardwood Turman's and Somersets are two of the best . Yes softwoods are becoming the popular choice for reasons mentioned but you can't go wrong with those two .

 

Truman, or Turman?

 

You got me , Turman Hardwood Pellets | Turman Hardwood Flooring

 

I thought Kel meant Turman, but who knows? Maybe there’s a new brand called Truman these days. I burned some Turman’s a few seasons ago thanks to the great pellet exchange of 2016 with my brothers will711 and slvrblkk . I thought they were fantastic.

 

All clean shavings from a flooring plant....should be really good stuff.

 

Sorry I ment turman's

 

I love(ed) them too!!! Probably the best hardwood I burn(ed). It's all about what your stove likes.

 

When the stove starts paying for the pellets... then it can be fussy!


Dan

 

If you see Somersets get several bags to test in your stove. Great pellet a few years back. They won't ship this far north. (cost)

Doggy

 

Country Boy White Lightning pellets from Southern Kentucky have a good reputation if you find them down there.

 

Amen