Corn Pellet Stoves : Economical & Environmentally Safe Heating

Once you have experienced the efficiency of a corn pellet stove, you will never go back to other home heating systems. Corn pellet stoves are an economical and sophisticated way to heat your home, without worries of high heating bills. They are environmentally friendly and cost effective.

Growing Popularity of Corn Pellet Stoves

Corn is one of the most inexpensive fuels today, and the use of corn pellet stoves have doubled since last year. Even before this burst of popularity, an estimated 65,000 corn pellet stoves were used in the United States in 2005. Cheaper than propane, oil and natural gas, there are waiting lists with corn stove makers due to the rapid rise in popularity.

Corn pellet stoves and wood pellet stoves look similar on the outside and both come in a variety of styles, finishes and sizes. Glass front windows are standard with both types of stove. They can both be vented to the outside, therefore there is no need for a chimney. Smoke is not trapped inside the house because the draft blower creates a vacuum and draws the combustion air through the pellets and smoke gets forced outside through the vents.

How Corn Pellet Stoves Work

Pellet stoves are run on tiny pellets of the same consistency and size and are fed automatically into the stove. Differing from wood stoves, corn pellet stoves produce convective heat and not radiant. This is a benefit to homes with children, because they do not get extremely hot to touch.

You simply pour the corn pellets into the holding bin, which is called a hopper, located at either the top or the bottom. The hopper usually holds about 35 - 100 pounds, depending on the size and burn rate of the corn pellet stove you are using. If it is a large hopper, it will burn longer because of the amount of corn pellets that fit into it.

The auger on corn pellet stoves is where the corn pellets are fed to the fire. The speed control can be set manually or can be set automatically with a wall mounted thermostat. Air from the room is drawn into the stove by fan and then blown through the combustion chamber. The warm air is then returned by blower to the room.

The venting feature allows the corn pellet stoves to be installed almost anywhere in the home. The only thing you need is an electrical outlet. They should, however, stand on a tile floor or other non combustible type of floor. Electricity is required for corn pellet stoves to operate. In case of a power outage, there are optional battery packs that you may purchase separately.

Maintenance of Corn Pellet Stoves

Once they are installed, corn pellet stoves are fairly easy to maintain. Routine tasks need to be performed by the owner, although professional maintenance should be done yearly before the cold season arrives. Tasks include emptying the ash pan once a week, filling the hopper with pellets and periodic cleaning of the glass, hopper and burn pot.

Pros and Cons of Corn Pellet Stoves

Corn burns really clean, however, corn pellet stoves do not burn as cleanly compared to wood pellet stoves. As the moisture content of corn varies, so does the clean burning factor. Corn burns so clean that the smoke cannot be seen outdoors as it emerges out of the pipe. Below are some other pros and cons associated with corn pellet stoves:

PROS

* Convenience of starting them by simply pushing a button.
* Corn creates less ash, clean up is easier.
* The corn pellets themselves are easy to handle and storage space is minimal.
* Thermostats make regulating the heat very easy.
* Packing in 40 pound bags make them easy to transport and to stack.

CONS

* Mechanical issues could result more likely than wood stoves.
* Electricity is required and may add to your costs.
* A constant dull rumble noise is present in corn pellet stoves.
* Corn pellet stoves need to have ongoing maintenance performed.