The warmth of a pellet stove

So let’s take a look at the main features of the latest generation of stoves.

What is a pellet?

Wooden pellets are made from waste produced by the wood industry, compacted into small cylinders with a diameter between 6 and 8 millimetres and a length of up to 30 mm using pressing techniques.
This fuel is heavier and more compact than wood, thanks to its compression; therefore, when used in equal volumes, pellet combustion produces more heat than the wood products usually employed.
Wooden pellets are considered a renewable energy source, as the trees used to produce them are left to grow steadily and replaced with younger plants the moment they are felled, in a continuous cycle.

The energy efficiency of pellet stoves

Pellet fuel is used both in private residential living rooms, through elegant stoves suitable for heating relatively small rooms, and to supply boilers which are able to heat the entire dwelling.
As it is a very compact material, it only requires a small amount of storage space.
One cubic metre can hold 650 kg of pellets; this is a tiny area if you consider the bulky containers used to hold liquids and gases.

Choosing a pellet stove

Choosing the most suitable pellet stove model becomes quite simple if you know the volume of the spaces it will be heating.

The most common are semi-automatic stoves, which are switched on by pressing a button and run independently for a period of 15 to 45 hours.

 

 

These models are activated by a thermostat, which can be set to suit your requirements and which even allows the heating system to be switched on and off in line with certain time-based requirements.
On a visual level, models can be more modern or more "vintage" in style, but those which create the most welcoming atmosphere have a glass door, allowing you to see the burning fire from outside.