Newfoundland? I'm in a new, very well insulated 1800 sq. ft house in
Manitoba. I'll trade your winter for mine anytime. I only use hydro.
No gas, wood or any other energy source. I pay my electric bill
monthly as I use power not spread out over the year. My monthly
electric bills in the winter will run into the $250 range in Dec. Jan.
and Feb. Summer, perhaps $50 unless I run my A/C a lot. That also
includes heating my garage/workshop with an 4800W electric heater most
days. By the way, my total electric bill is lower than what I used to
pay just for the gas heat in my old 900 sq. ft 1950's bungalow.

Pellet stove's were a big thing around here a few years ago. Of course
as more people started using them the cost of the pellets increased.

Whether you like it of not they've got good grip on both of them and
they're not going to let go. If you loosen their grip on one side but
they'll just squeeze harder on the other.

You'll probably be better off adding insulation, sealing air leaks,
installing better windows etc. These improvements pay for themselves
over the years and put money back in your pocket, not theirs. Makes
your house a lot more comfortable.

If you need proof then how's this. My wife is in her mid fifties. I
leave the thermostat in her controll compleatly. I have not touched
it in over a year.

LdB

On 2/1/2010 9:09 AM, terry wrote:
Friend has been extolling the virtues of a pellet stove owned and
operated by his relative.

He says that it uses about one bag of pellets per-day; which cost
about $5-$6 per bag. $150 to $180 per month? There are occasionally
shortage of fuel pellets. Disposing of the small amount of ash is very
easy and not messy. The stove requires a small amount of electrcity to
operate (drive the auger). Not sure if it also has any warm air
circulating fan?

It is not the sole source of heat in the house and there are the usual
lights and appliances using electricity (which then becomes heat)
within the house.

Obtaining the fuel, a pallet load at a time requires either delivery
by truck or the use of one own pickup etc. Not the sort of thing you
can pick up at the s.market and sling eight or ten bags in trunk of a
car, on a regular basis! Although that's what one would do if
necessary during a shortage.

As far as we know the pellets are not made (yet anyway) in this area
and have to be trucked in; also the pellet stove cannot as far as we
know burn anything else. e.g. scrap wood?

Interested in any other comments or expereience with these pellet
stoves. Thanks.