Pellet stoves have captured the attention of the environmentally and cost conscious masses, creating a demand so great, dealers are finding it increasingly difficult to keep them in stock.  The supply of pellets used to fuel the stoves nearly ran out two years ago, and indicators suggest they may be in short supply again, especially if the cold months of winter linger.

Why you might ask are the pellet stoves so popular?  It’s because they are a clean, efficient means of heating your home or supplementing your current fuel source, i.e. oil, gas, etc.

Pellet stoves burn compressed pellets made from bio-mass materials, such as wood from trees, unprocessed shelled corn, fruit pits, or nut hulls.  The majority of pellet material in the northeast is made from sawdust and ground wood chips – a byproduct of the lumber and furniture industries. The mill compresses the byproduct into pellets, using no additives to bind the material into their shape. This is because wood contains natural resins.

The Pellet Fuel Institute estimates that more than 600,000 tons of pellet fuel is produced ever year – just in North America.  Packaged in bags weighing 20 or 40 pounds, they are more convenient and easier to store than a cord of wood.

The cost of the wood pellets range between $250 and $300 per ton in Fairfield County.  The price is up about $50 from last year. The efficiency of the stove and how it is used (as a main or supplemental source for heating) will determine how many tons of pellets are needed in a given season.

Even though the supply of wood pellets look good at the present time, if the cost of heating oil or gas increases over the next few months, wood pellets may be hard to come by again. By purchasing a few extra bags every week, you should be able to stockpile enough to get you though the winter.  And if you don’t use them this year, you’ll be that far ahead next season.