Wood pellets have been used in the heating industry for years. Different types of wood pellets allow for different experiences and wood pellet stove operation, affecting both the efficiency and running costs of this heating system.
The three main types of wood pellets include:
• Premium wood pellets – These wood pellets contain less than 0.5 percent organic ash content, and generally do not contain bark. They are often made from oak or maple wood species and cost more than lower grades.
• Standard wood pellets – This type of wood pellet is most often manufactured from forestry industry waste and contains organic ash content at rates higher than 0.5 percent.
• Food-grade wood pellets – Either premium or standard wood pellets can be labeled as food-grade, as long as no additives or binding agents are used in the manufacturing process.
Choosing the Best Product for Your Wood Pellet Stove
Your wood pellet stove will operate at optimum levels with higher quality wood pellets. Shop for products with less than 1 percent organic ash content. Oak pellets naturally have a lower ash content than maple pellets, making them a better choice on average.
Moisture content also makes a difference to wood pellet stove performance. Remember that dry pellets create more heat in the same amount of time. Opt for lower moisture levels to obtain peak levels of efficiency and the most comfortable levels of heat.
High quality wood pellets, including some standard grade and most premium grade pellets, contain less than 5 percent moisture. Opt for a product with no more than 8 percent moisture levels, and pay more if necessary. Your wood pellet stove will crank out more heat from each pellet, saving you significant amounts of money over the long term.
The best quality wood pellets have low levels of organic ash content and moisture, but come with a higher price tag. Good quality maple and oak wood pellets produce respectable levels of performance from your wood pellet stove, allowing to maintain a comfortable home all season long.
4 Comments
power pellets are one worst pellets i have ever use ,the ash content on a scale of ( 1 TO 10) 10 BEING WORST I Give them(10) on heat i give them a (5) i wood not by them anymore
In this yr of covid we have been able to ONLY GET soft pellets and they are not burning good at all. In fact we are cleaning more often and messing with our stove more freq. Also. No one in our area is selling ANYTHING but soft pellets. No 60/40 mix. It’s impossible to keep our stove functioning correctly. Have there been similar complaints from others and if so, what is going on?
Have tried multiple different brands from Home Depot stove chow, tractor supply brand , Northern Warmth and have to say I really like the the wood and sons … they burn hottt and clean I ordered 3 tons this year and feel these pellets are going to push past the top contender of Northern Warmth pellets.
Hi I have been burning pellets for 11 years now, have two to feed, I go thru 7 ton a year . I started using your to day , I tried a lot of different ones, I will let you know how they hold up . See if there worth the extra $ 60.00 a ton.