How to Burn Wood Pellets in a Wood Stove

Fireplaces and wood burning stoves can provide rustic, traditional heat for houses.

With energy costs rising and energy production becoming more of an issue, many people are turning to alternative heating options for their homes. One such option is a wood burning stove, which employs the age-old practice of burning wood for warmth. This practice is efficient and can give a home the warm, cozy feeling of having a fireplace. Wood burning stoves can be installed as permanent fixtures in homes, and can burn logs or specially made wood pellets.

Things You'll Need

• Wood pellets
• Accelerant
• Matches

Instructions

1. Locate the wood pellet chamber using the owner's manual that came with your wood burning stove. Fill this chamber with wood pellets. They will be held there until they're needed as fuel. Refill this chamber as necessary, depending on your usage.

2. Put a handful of pellets into your burner pot. Turn on the feeder, to drop pellets from the wood pellet chamber into the main body of your wood burning stove. Once the main body of the stove is full, turn off the feeder.

3. Pour accelerant onto the wood pellets in the burner pot to help them catch fire more easily. Light a match and place it carefully on the wood pellets. Watch your hands, as the pellets that have accelerant on them will light quickly.

4. Burn the wood pellets for 2 minutes, then turn the feeder and blower back on so that your stove can replenish its fuel source on its own.

5. Monitor your system as it burns. Pellets should be consistently dropping and catching fire. Make sure the fire does not die or get out of control.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that your wood burning stove is hooked to a chimney, to funnel smoke out of the house.

• Wood burning stoves can become hot. Always use them with care.

References

• WoodHeat.org
• Forestry.com: A Short Intro to the Wood Pellet Stove
• Mass.gov: Wood Pellet Heating