Do pellet stoves generate much creosote?
Martin Holladay| Posted inGeneral Questionson
Having lived in a house with wood heat for over 40 years, I’ve fairly familiar with the ways in which wood stoves can contribute to creosote formation in chimneys and stovepipes. However, I’m not very familiar with pellet stoves.
A friend recently wondered about creosote formation in a chimney connected to a pellet stove. So I’d like to hear from owners of pellet stoves: Does your stove lead to more or less creosote formation than a typical wood stove?
— Martin Holladay
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I'm bumping this question to the top of the queue, in hopes that a GBA reader may want to comment.
-- Martin Holladay
Nate,
Thanks. I appreciate the information.
Some relatives of mine have a pellet stove and say that it generates much less creosote compared to a wood stove. Watching it in operation, the smoke is clearer and less smoky, too. The flame looks reasonably nice as well. My only complaints are that it's noisy and seems like it uses a lot of electricity (two loud blowers a large glow bar to ignite the pellets, which seems to take ages).
Nate:
I don't use a pellet stove but know they produce very little creosote. They have a controlled moisture content, and moisture that burns off is the cause of most creosote. I've burned wood for over 40 years, and now have an EPA approved stove with secondary burn capability. Since in recent years I stay enough ahead to have very dry wood I am getting very little creosote. Dry wood is the biggest factor.