Well, that's what today felt like.
After getting my most recent electric bill, I almost went into cardiac arrest. Over 2000 kilowatt hours consumed and and bill of $265.00!
Cold temperatures and electric baseboards were to blame.
After doing my due diligence, I decided a pellet stove was in order. Lowes was offering twelve months no interest and Uncle Sam was graciously crediting me 300 of my hard earned tax dollars if I bought it before December 31st.
I installed the stove Tuesday and threw a couple bags in it to keep it going until the one ton pallet o' pellets showed up Thursday.
I broke in the new year by moving 1,800 pounds of wood pellets from the garage to the basement. By this point, 200 pounds had been burned.
Things learned:
My wheel barrow is of dubious construction. With only 5 bags (200 pounds) in it, the structural integrity was suspect at best.
I see a 3/4 ton or, preferably, 1 ton pickup in my future so I can load up direct at the pellet mill. Nothing too fancy, an older indirect injected Ford or GM will suit me nicely. Why IDI, you might ask? Because the Diesel Dummkopfs usually don't bother with them. There's no computer to whack over the head with a tuner and molesting the injection pump yields limited results. They feel that, "If she ain't got a turrbow, she don't go." Sorry, Spanky, you just don't know how to properly utilize a truck.
The stove doesn't have to run all day. I woke up this morning trying to figure out why in the heck I was in a sauna. I turned things off at 11:00. The house is still a comfy 75 degrees.
My electric bill has been cut by two thirds. Hold on to your tinfoil hats, sportsfans..... The smartmeter comes in handy for situations like this.
My wife is no longer bundled up like Nanook the Eskimo. MOST IMPORTANT! She really likes sitting on the end of the downstairs couch closest to the stove and reading her books.
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You load sixteen tons. Pellet stove adventures
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