Do Pellet Stoves Require A Chimney?

Before digging deeper to the main question of whether pellet stoves need chimneys or not, let us first learn more about pellet stoves. Pellet stoves resemble wood burning stoves and fireplaces, but aside from those, there are no more similarities. These types of stoves are electronically sophisticated appliances that offer an environmentally friendly and low-cost heating option for your home. These past few decades, environmental awareness is at the forefront and families are keeping a close eye on their finances, pellet stoves have become the most sought-after heating option.

Pellet stoves require some type of fuel, the wood pellet. These pellets are the byproducts of sawmills and they are all made from recycled sawdust and wood shavings. The wood pellets look a lot like rabbit food and they are considered eco-friendly because they are cheap, and they are easy to manufacture. Plus, they have a very low pollution rate.

You can also purchase pellets made of grass and corn, but they are not intended for use in stoves specifically designated for wood pellets. Burning wood pellets can replace your electric furnace and it provides as much heat as you want or as much as you can afford. And while it is less efficient than an electric furnace, it is as or more efficient than other common heat sources like natural gas, propane, oil and coal.

This means that there must be something different, it can be easy being green, but it is not simple. The equations for being green tend to get very complicated. Another issue for pellet heat is the cost-effectiveness, the pollution and sustainability. There is no doubt that pellet stoves offer improvements over their wood-burning counterparts. They are much cleaner than woodstoves, but they are less so than gas furnaces. The number of particles, carbon monoxide and carcinogens that are emitted by burning pellets is a fraction of that for burning wood, even with newer EPA-certified wood stoves. The EPA considers emissions from pellet stoves low enough that they are not even subject to certification.

Wood pellets are made from compressed sawdust, bark and other lumber leftovers. They can also be made of corn, nutshells, soybeans, cherry pits or agricultural waste and stoves vary depending on what you want to burn, from corn, wood and multifuel stoves that are available. Because pellets are made from renewable resources, and they may keep some mass out of landfills, they are usually considered a great environmental choice. Claims that these biomass pellets are carbon-neutral may be a little bit misleading because they cannot emit more carbon than they absorbed over their lifetime, but the carbon used to grow, transport, package and process the pellets should be included in the calculation. Keep in mind that a pellet stove is an electrical appliance, so the energy used to drive the stove must be added to the pellet heat’s carbon footprint.

 Chimneys for Pellet Stoves

Now that the idea of what a pellet stove is has become clear, you may find yourself getting a pellet stove and wanting to install it. The good news is that installing it only requires average skills. A pellet stove has similar functions to a fireplace.

They radiate warmth to a house or surrounding area. That means it must be located somewhere strategic where the heat can be distributed evenly, it must be strategically placed anywhere in a room where it can be an effective source of heat. When installing a pellet stove, this involves connection to a flue and air intake duct. You must consider the several other factors when you want to set up your pellet stove, the central location best fits a pellet stove as it enables the heat to be equally distributed to its surrounding area. Before you set up your pellet stove, you need to make sure that your house has a proper plan and several barriers to distribute the heat evenly.

To distribute heat to all the other rooms which are distant from the location of the heating source, a proper heating system is required. Proper ducting is also essential to ensure that heat can be distributed evenly. First thing’s first, you can consider using Napoleon style wood pellets as it is a pellet that is used for a pellet burning house furnace which can enable the heat to be distributed throughout the house. It is similar to a conventional forced air heating system. With Napoleon’s builder, you can place the stove near the wall. This can make the warm air enter the stove and proper circulation of heat can be done for all of the rooms that are available. This wood pellet stove is a great supplementary heat system.

You can also reduce your dependency on fossil fuels. Now the real question is, do pellets stoves require a chimney? The answer is no. The most efficient pellet stove does not require a chimney. However, they still require a path where all of the heat can be distributed evenly. The conventional style stove uses chimney to draw the air out, the usage of wood pellet stoves gives you more options and this is where a venting system comes in. This also serves as a safety mechanism to guard against any accidents. Pellet stoves are generally safer than wood stoves because their external surfaces do not heat up as much as the conventional ones. A pellet stove is safe to be in near proximity with combustibles. For the place where they will stand, it needs to be on a noncombustible surface. Make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s requirements strictly when you are setting up your pellet stove.

How To Install Pellet Stoves

1. Hire a professional

When installing any type of wood pellet stove, it is highly recommended that you get a professional to do the installation for you. Among the task that needs to be accomplished when setting up a pellet stove is cleaning the chimney thoroughly and setting up proper ventilation. The cost of installation charge by these professionals are very worthy for the services that they provide. There are also local codes that may require you to use a professional. If you want to install a wood pellet stove yourself, you have to keep in mind that these machines are very heavy. It would be extremely difficult to move it on your own. Even with two other people to help you, you may find it very difficult to transfer it from one place to another. It is best to negotiate with your dealer beforehand.

You can get the dealer to sort out the venting by cutting a hole in the machine before you get it delivered to your house. Another thing to note is that when you hire a professional help, you have to ensure that the ventilation is done according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. You also must adhere to local codes. This can help to ensure that they safety of your home, as long as you adhere to all of the proper installation instructions. Professional help is also very useful especially if this is your first time dealing with a pellet stove.

2. Run the vents

Venting installation is often one of the most tiring part of installation. Proper planning is essential to ensure that you have smooth ventilation installing process. Running the vent by going through the exterior wall is one way to do your ventilation. Setting the venting up until the roof is also a good alternative, if you can install it on the exterior wall. A professional can best get the job done for you as they can properly install the pipes.

3. Set the distance from the wall

​​The typical distance of the pellet stove from the rear wall is between one to two inches. You can choose to install it further from the wall. You can set the ventilation to be at the back of the stove. This makes the ventilation almost invisible.

4. Install hearth pad

It is essential that you install a noncombustible hearth pad for your pellet stove. You can make this hearth pad yourself by using the concrete backer board. If you are not the “do it yourself” type of person, then you can easily obtain a hearth pad online or request it from your stove supplier.

5. Refer to your product manual

It is essential that you set up the ventilation process well. The stud finder will ensure that the hole can run between studs. Always use a proper utility knife to cut the internal drywall. You can use a saw to cut through the external part.

Conclusion

While this whole article has discussed about what a pellet stove is, its advantages and how to install them, we have concluded that a wood pellet stove does not require a chimney. Instead, what is required is a proper ventilation. It is essential to ensure that the heat is distributed evenly. While you can install it yourself, it is best if you have a professional to help you because they have the knowledge and the tools that can help them to do the installation more efficiently. Following the local codes of installation for wood pellet stoves are also essential to ensure the safetly of your home. Pellet stoves are a great way to keep your whole house warm especially during winter, you just have to make sure that you take the proper precautions when using them to avoid any accidents.