You would like to get a stove to use as a heating appliance this winter, but you are not sure which fuel type is right for your home. With the options of high-efficiency wood-burning, gas, and pellet stoves, choosing the best fuel source for you can be challenging. The Cozy Flame sells all three types of stoves, and our expert staff know the benefits and downsides of each fuel source. We would like to share with you these pros and cons about wood-burning, gas, and pellet stoves to help you make the right choice for you.
Advantages
- With new technology, wood-burning stoves are both clean-burning and energy-efficient, even earning certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on emissions testing.
- Firewood is relatively cheap, especially if you cut and dry it yourself.
- You can always depend on heat from wood-burning stoves because you do not have to rely on electricity or gas to have a fire.
Disadvantages
- Having to bring firewood in from outside can be a tiresome chore.
- Firewood can require a large area of storage space outside of your home.
- You do not get a long period of burning time as you must tend to a wood-burning fire frequently, even every four hours.
Advantages
- Gas stoves have the most convenience as all you have to do is press a button to start a fire. Some models can even be operated by remote control.
- A gas-fueled fire emits fewer toxins than a fire fueled with wood.
- Relatively maintenance-free, you don’t have to clean up the mess that occurs with a wood-burning stove.
Disadvantages
- If you do not have a natural gas connection to your home, this type of stove cannot be installed in your home.
- The price of natural gas tends to fluctuate, so it can be hard to budget your heating costs.
- For some people, a gas flame will never be the same as a wood-burning fire because of the appearance, smells, and sounds of a wood fire.
Advantages
- Pellet stoves rank the highest in the environmentally-friendly category. The pellets are made from recycled sawdust and wood shavings. Compacted tightly, pellets burn much cleaner than firewood.
- The cost of pellets is relatively inexpensive. Additionally, users tend to notice lower heating costs when operating a pellet stove as a heating appliance.
- Easy to use, you just open the hopper, pour the amount of pellets inside the hopper, and then turn on the stove.
Disadvantages
- Since pellet stoves rely on electricity to operate, you will be without heat if your power goes out during bad weather.
- Although pellet stoves are cheaper to operate, they usually cost more than the other two types of stoves.
- Burning pellets generally leaves a mess behind, so the cleaning involved may not be what you want to do on a regular basis.
If you have more questions about any of these types of stoves, contact The Cozy Flame today. We can help you decide which type is the best fit for you.