Re: Frugal Heating - Pellet Stoves

I would seriously look into a corn stove, especially since you are in
the Midwest where corn is plentiful. Advantages that I see to a corn
stove are, easy to install, need to pipe out but no chimney needed,
they have high BTU output and burn a lot cleaner than wood.

Wood stoves are a good deal if you don't have to buy the wood or you
can buy raw logs and cut and split yourself. If you have to buy by the
pickup load, I doubt you will save much over current heating system
you have.

I didn't know they still sold coal stoves anymore and really wouldn't
want one anyway, coal is very dirty.

I do not have one yet since I rent a home but when I buy I will
certainly consider a corn stove. I am in Illinois and have looked at a
few in use and they do keep houses toasty.

Also corn is a renewable energy source. I am starting to sound like a
salesman but I am not. Just offering my input for what it is worth.



Randy Bard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> On 1 Dec 2003 09:12:01 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Ryan Franzen)
> wrote:
> 
> >Last winter was my first winter as a homeowner and also the first time
> >I was subjected to natural gas prices that rise for the winter demand.
> >
> >I like the sound of a pellet stove.  My house is a ranch style, 1400
> >square foot, located in Wisconsin.  My rough calculations tell me that
> >I could significantly reduce my annual heating bill by using a pellet
> >stove as my primary heat source rather than my gas furnace.  Has
> >anyone installed a pellet stove to use as a primary rather than gas? 
> >If so, how much cost savings did you experience?
> >
> >Any other comments always welcome!
> 
> Before you buy, see what is the actual retail cost of the pellets, and
> what you would be paying per BTU.  My impression is that you would be
> much better off cost-wise with a wood or coal stove, depending on
> where you live.  You can buy pellets below the market at WalMart, when
> they have them in stock, but the bags are heavy and inconvenient to
> transport.