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| Alternative-Heating-Info.com |
How To Buy A Used Pellet Stove
Can I interest you in a used Harman pellet stove for $1,500? How about a barely
used $3,200 Envirotec grain stove that sold for $1,075 on ebay?
If you can buy a slightly used $3,000 stove for $1,500 - or less, you'll save enough
money to pay for almost two years worth of corn or wood pellet fuel.
Many sellers of used pellet stoves also include the venting pipe, hearth pad, log set,
and any left over pellet fuel in the purchase price. These extras can add up to
hundreds of dollars in additional savings.
Whether you buy a new or used stove, the preparation is similar. The following
suggestions should help you avoid getting "blindsided" by the unexpected.
Visit Your Local Building Department
Installing a wood or pellet stove usually requires a building permit. While you're
picking up your permit application, tell them the type of heating appliance you plan
to install and ask what kind of additional documentation, if any, is required. This is
especially important if you own a mobile or modular home.
When I talked to my local building department, they said a product brochure with
clearance and venting information would also be helpful. You can get all this
information by visiting the stove manufacturer's website, downloading the owner's
manual and printing it out.
Installation
Most pellet stoves are vented through an outside wall making installation
reasonably simple and inexpensive ($500 or so). Many cities and towns require the
installer to be licensed and bonded.
Try to interview potential installers before you buy the stove. This will give you time
to check references. If you have trouble finding an installer you could try a
nationwide contractor referral service like Service Master or Need a Contractor.
Choose Your Fuel and Stove Size
If you live in the Corn Belt, the choice of fuel is obvious. If you live in the Northeast,
the fuel of choice is wood pellets. Since fuel corn is "imported" to the Northeast, the
cost of burning fuel corn is no longer competitive with wood pellets.
You don't need a big stove to save big. Most of the used corn and wood pellet
stoves I've seen produce 35,000–45,000 btus - enough to heat a typical 1,200
square foot ranch or the main living areas of a two story home.
If you can get a good deal on a larger, 50-60,000 btu stove, one of these will work
great too since these high output models come equipped with 5 heat settings
ranging from a low of 8,000 btus for chilly days, to max power for the coldest
weather.
Where to Find a Used Pellet Stove
Start with craigslist. Since most used pellet stove sellers offer pick up only, craigslist
enables you to refine your search by City or State. This is a big time saver. A recent
check in the Boston area turned up 12 used stoves within a 50 mile radius of my
home.
ebay has plenty of listings too, you just won't find as many local sellers as you will
on craigslist. When I narrowed the ebay search results to a 50 mile radius of my zip
code using the Search Option function, it returned only 1 seller.
However, ebay will conveniently notify you by email whenever a new listing pops up
and it's possible to delay payment for 3 months by using their credit card.
Search tip: A search on either craigslist or ebay will turn up MORE used pellet stoves
if you use the term "pellet stove" rather than the narrower "used pellet stove." Also
try "pellet" or "wood pellet."
How Much Can I Expect to Save?
Generally speaking, the higher the original retail price, the more you will save
percentage wise. Stoves that sold for $3,000 new can often be purchased used at
savings of 50-70%. Stoves priced new under $2,000 seem to depreciate less.
Delivery
If it's your responsibility to pay for delivery, call a shipper like Yellow Truck or a
courier service to make arrangements. If you buy from an ebay seller willing to ship
the stove, a freight shipping calculator is usually provided on the sales page.
No matter who ships your stove, make sure you specify a truck equipped with a lift
gate so you can get your 300 pound stove off the truck. A moving dolly might also
be helpful.
Contact the Seller
Don't hesitate to contact the seller with any questions you might have. He or she
can be especially helpful in determining whether the used pellet stove for sale is still
under warranty.
Look for These Features and Extras:
Electronic ignition
Just because you're buying a used pellet stove doesn't mean you should return to
the dark ages of pellet stove heating with gel starters. Frankly, I wouldn't buy a
stove without electronic ignition.
Large hopper capacity
A standard size hopper holds 40 pounds of pellet fuel. This is enough fuel to heat
your home for 20-30 hours. A larger capacity hopper, although not necessary, adds
convenience by requiring less frequent fillings.
Heat output controls
During the months that transition in and out of the heating season, you won't need
the full heating capacity of your pellet stove. A heat output control will ensure
maximum comfort from minimal fuel. Heat output controls can take the form of a
thermostat, hi/lo blower, or variable speed auger that controls the rate pellets are
fed into the burn pot.
Air washing system
Believe it or not, the #1 complaint people have with pellet stoves is dirty viewing
glass. An air washing system, now standard on many new pellet stoves, removes
the fly ash from the viewing window and eliminates frequent cleaning.
used $3,200 Envirotec grain stove that sold for $1,075 on ebay?
If you can buy a slightly used $3,000 stove for $1,500 - or less, you'll save enough
money to pay for almost two years worth of corn or wood pellet fuel.
Many sellers of used pellet stoves also include the venting pipe, hearth pad, log set,
and any left over pellet fuel in the purchase price. These extras can add up to
hundreds of dollars in additional savings.
Whether you buy a new or used stove, the preparation is similar. The following
suggestions should help you avoid getting "blindsided" by the unexpected.
Visit Your Local Building Department
Installing a wood or pellet stove usually requires a building permit. While you're
picking up your permit application, tell them the type of heating appliance you plan
to install and ask what kind of additional documentation, if any, is required. This is
especially important if you own a mobile or modular home.
When I talked to my local building department, they said a product brochure with
clearance and venting information would also be helpful. You can get all this
information by visiting the stove manufacturer's website, downloading the owner's
manual and printing it out.
Installation
Most pellet stoves are vented through an outside wall making installation
reasonably simple and inexpensive ($500 or so). Many cities and towns require the
installer to be licensed and bonded.
Try to interview potential installers before you buy the stove. This will give you time
to check references. If you have trouble finding an installer you could try a
nationwide contractor referral service like Service Master or Need a Contractor.
Choose Your Fuel and Stove Size
If you live in the Corn Belt, the choice of fuel is obvious. If you live in the Northeast,
the fuel of choice is wood pellets. Since fuel corn is "imported" to the Northeast, the
cost of burning fuel corn is no longer competitive with wood pellets.
You don't need a big stove to save big. Most of the used corn and wood pellet
stoves I've seen produce 35,000–45,000 btus - enough to heat a typical 1,200
square foot ranch or the main living areas of a two story home.
If you can get a good deal on a larger, 50-60,000 btu stove, one of these will work
great too since these high output models come equipped with 5 heat settings
ranging from a low of 8,000 btus for chilly days, to max power for the coldest
weather.
Where to Find a Used Pellet Stove
Start with craigslist. Since most used pellet stove sellers offer pick up only, craigslist
enables you to refine your search by City or State. This is a big time saver. A recent
check in the Boston area turned up 12 used stoves within a 50 mile radius of my
home.
ebay has plenty of listings too, you just won't find as many local sellers as you will
on craigslist. When I narrowed the ebay search results to a 50 mile radius of my zip
code using the Search Option function, it returned only 1 seller.
However, ebay will conveniently notify you by email whenever a new listing pops up
and it's possible to delay payment for 3 months by using their credit card.
Search tip: A search on either craigslist or ebay will turn up MORE used pellet stoves
if you use the term "pellet stove" rather than the narrower "used pellet stove." Also
try "pellet" or "wood pellet."
How Much Can I Expect to Save?
Generally speaking, the higher the original retail price, the more you will save
percentage wise. Stoves that sold for $3,000 new can often be purchased used at
savings of 50-70%. Stoves priced new under $2,000 seem to depreciate less.
Delivery
If it's your responsibility to pay for delivery, call a shipper like Yellow Truck or a
courier service to make arrangements. If you buy from an ebay seller willing to ship
the stove, a freight shipping calculator is usually provided on the sales page.
No matter who ships your stove, make sure you specify a truck equipped with a lift
gate so you can get your 300 pound stove off the truck. A moving dolly might also
be helpful.
Contact the Seller
Don't hesitate to contact the seller with any questions you might have. He or she
can be especially helpful in determining whether the used pellet stove for sale is still
under warranty.
Look for These Features and Extras:
Electronic ignition
Just because you're buying a used pellet stove doesn't mean you should return to
the dark ages of pellet stove heating with gel starters. Frankly, I wouldn't buy a
stove without electronic ignition.
Large hopper capacity
A standard size hopper holds 40 pounds of pellet fuel. This is enough fuel to heat
your home for 20-30 hours. A larger capacity hopper, although not necessary, adds
convenience by requiring less frequent fillings.
Heat output controls
During the months that transition in and out of the heating season, you won't need
the full heating capacity of your pellet stove. A heat output control will ensure
maximum comfort from minimal fuel. Heat output controls can take the form of a
thermostat, hi/lo blower, or variable speed auger that controls the rate pellets are
fed into the burn pot.
Air washing system
Believe it or not, the #1 complaint people have with pellet stoves is dirty viewing
glass. An air washing system, now standard on many new pellet stoves, removes
the fly ash from the viewing window and eliminates frequent cleaning.