The pellet stove is a high-level, ecological and autonomous heating method. It can heat a large room or even an entire house if it is compact and well insulated. Unlike the wood stove, this type of stove works with fuel in the form of wood pellets, also called pellets, made from refined, dried and compressed sawdust.

Often used as a complement to another heating solution, the pellet stove heats the main room in a dwelling, raising the temperature of the adjacent rooms. This applies in particular to ducted pellet stoves, which, with duct and fan, allow you to heat the adjacent parts up to 15 meters around the stove.

Air, ducted or hydraulic pellet stove... There are many solutions to satisfy heating needs. Before choosing the stove, you need to ask yourself the right questions to choose one that is right for your home.

What are the advantages of the Pellet Stove?

A great autonomy

With a pellet tank, the stove is able to automatically feed and self-regulate for several hours. This is a big advantage over its wooden counterpart! Naturally, the dimensions of this tank can vary from model to model, with a capacity of 15-50 kg of pellets for the more voluminous models. The autonomy of the pellet stove can therefore be several hours or days.

By opting for a programmable pellet stove, you will be able to define different usage programs to determine the time slots and the ideal heating temperature for you. Some models can also be turned on remotely via the Wifi network.

Performance and heat generation.

The pellet stove has good thermal efficiency (amount of energy produced compared to the amount of energy consumed), excellent combustion. With an efficiency of 85-95%, the pellet stove allows you to minimize the loss of energy required for its operation. In comparison, the heat output offered by a wood stove ranges from 60 to 85%.

This is due to the fact that pellets have a higher heat output, in other words, higher energy content than other fuels. Combustion of pellets of equal weight gives a longer heating time than a log of wood.

An economical way of heating

Pellets are a low-cost energy source, the cheapest after wood.

A pellet stove requires an initial investment but will allow you to save money in the medium and long term. Compared to electricity, the kWh price for a wood stove is divided by three: approximately €0.07/kWh versus €0.23/kWh.

An ecological solution

The "pellets" small cylinders of pressed wood. This fuel is the result of recycling wood waste from sawmills, which gives it a particularly low environmental impact. Naturally, it does not contain glue or adjuvant, which explains its non-polluting combustion. It is also possible to opt for a model with “Clean Air” Certification to guarantee a very low level of greenhouse gas emissions. However, unlike the wood stove, the pellet stove requires a source of electricity to operate, but in very low proportions. It is estimated that it consumes only one kW per day of use, on average, 180 kW per year.

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What power for a pellet stove?

The first thing to know is that the power indicated when buying a stove corresponds to its maximum power. In any case, your installer will be able to help you determine the right power.

The heating power of the stove is directly related to the consumption of pellets. On average, it is considered that a stove consumes 300 g of pellets per hour for a power of 1 kW. With tanks that can hold between 15 kg and 50 kg of pellets, the autonomy of a stove can vary from 6 to over 72 hours.

The power of the pellet stove must be adjusted according to the volume of space to be heated and the heat balance of the home (insulation and geographical area). To make this calculation correctly, it should be considered that the heating area corresponds to the size of the room in which the stove will be installed and not to the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe housing (with the exception of pipeable pellet stoves).

For a well-insulated house, it is usually around 1 kW per 10 m2. But in a well-insulated house, you need 0.6 kW to heat the same area! For this reason, the thermal balance of the home must be taken into consideration as the surface to be heated in order to choose a stove with the appropriate power.

Contrary to what you might believe, choosing a stove that is more powerful than necessary is not a good idea. A stove that works under its operating regime can get dirty faster and require more maintenance, as well as providing a lower yield. A power adapted to your needs helps to improve the homogeneity of temperatures and longer heating cycles. A small but suitable stove will give you a better performance than a stove that is too powerful for your room.

The different types of pellet stoves:

There is a wide range of pellet stoves, which differ according to the way they are discharged or the way the heat is diffused. The different models must be distinguished in order to choose a suitable pellet stove for your home and your heating needs.

• The sealed pellet stove:

Compatible with most environments with its exhaust system, it is easier to install and maintain air quality. Depending on the model, it can heat up to 100 m2. It is ideal for extra heating.

• The ducted pellet stove:

These pellet stoves allow you to distribute the heat in the adjacent parts with extra ducts and fans. The parts should usually be located about 6 meters from the stove, but some devices have the ability to distribute the air up to 15 meters.

Capable of heating up to 120 m2, it requires a more complex installation

• The (hydro) hydraulic pellet stove:

Particularly efficient, the hydro pellet stove can heat a home of up to 200 m2 via hot water central heating or underfloor heating.

Its installation requires a more complex installation

• The Air Stove:

It gives off heat without ventilation through the air outlets from the stove. It can heat up to 100 m2 and is ideal for complementary heating. It must be placed in the center of the room.

• The Ventilated Air Stove:

This model can heat up to 100 m2 with a rapid and homogeneous diffusion of heat. Its fan allows it to be placed anywhere in the room. It is slightly noisy even if there are silent pellet stoves that allow you to turn off or reduce the ventilation.

What are the different options for a pellet stove?

Programming

Programmable pellet stoves allow you to save money by automatically programming temperatures according to time slots (wake up, absence during the day...) and days (weekdays or weekends). Many models now offer this option.

The stoves with WiFi

Some stoves can be turned on from a smartphone or tablet via the Wifi network. These stoves with WiFi allow you to prepare the stove before returning home for more comfort and economy.

The silent function

As mentioned, some vented stoves have a silent option that reduces or cancels the vent

Alarm

Some stoves have useful signals, for example, to inform the user that the pellet tank is almost empty.

How to maintain the pellet stove?

Maintenance

Maintenance is the best way to extend the life of a stove. This means that accumulating ash must be removed regularly to maintain optimum combustion. Similarly, the glass and the combustion chamber will need to be cleaned regularly.

What are the economic aids for installing a stove?

More environmentally friendly than an electrical converter, installing a pellet stove can give you access to financial support from the state for energy renewal.

For example, you can request the Conto Termico which allows you to receive an energy premium to finance part of the cost of the stove.