If you want to warm the house while spending less money and spewing less pollution, you should consider buying a corn burning pellet stove. A high-quality model will pay for itself within a few years and with climate change on the rise, anything you can do to cut down on your personal emissions will help.
Corn Burning Pellet Stove Facts
A corn burning pellet stove looks like a wood pellet stove -- a simple, efficient home heater that doesn't need a chimney and can be vented out by a pipe. There is an auger of adjustable speed that feeds the firepot, or you can have a wall thermostat and set up automatic heating. The stoves have a capacity of 85 pounds, meaning they can run for several days between refills. There is also a draft blower that creates a vacuum inside the heater and works with the vent so that no smoke gets indoors.
While the corn does burn cleanly, it actually isn't as clean as wood pellets, so the stove requires cleaning more frequently. However, there is no smoke and the source is renewable, making it environmentally friendly.
In terms of fuel costs, it is obviously less expensive if you live in an interior state and have ready access to the pellets. Simply put, if you live near a grain elevator, you almost can't afford not to have a corn pellet burning stove! The best units will run anywhere from $1,600 to $3,000, but when you can end up spending $600 on your winter home heating bill instead of $1,800, you will quickly see the advantage. And no, you don't have to worry that your house will smell like popcorn.
Pellet Stoves Please Customers
People who have invested in corn burning pellet stoves are enjoying them, so much so that manufacturers are having to issue wait lists. As demand continues to grow, and corn is used for biodiesels, it's hoped that more stove makers hop on the corn wagon and manufacture in general becomes more efficient so that more customers can benefit. Customers report cutting their heating bills by more than half the cost of conventional heat. They also attest to the stoves' efficiency, noting that there is a good constant output, even if the stove is set at its lowest. Some users even spread the ashes in the garden. All are pleased with the lower environmental impact and the opportunity to support local and American industries.
Choices of Corn Burning Pellet Stoves
There are a number of quality pellet stoves available. Users recommend you do a lot of research prior to purchasing to determine the stove that will work best for your home. Some choices include:
- Amaizablaze. The stove with the cleverest name is made by Nesco and has three models with varying capacities.
- Golden Grain Corn Stove. The models 1101 and 2004 will heat approximately 2200 square feet for 24 hours with just one bushel of corn.
- Harman PC 45 Corn Stove. A popular stove that claims to have the longest between-cleaning cycles of any other stove on the market. It also has automatic temperature control and an optional grate kit that allows you to burn wood pellets, if desired.
The Future of Corn Stoves
Although first developed in 1969, the stoves have been slow to catch on. Corn is efficient and ultimately less expensive than wood, as well as being more environmentally sound, but many households are understandably hesitant about making the initial investment in the stove. Furthermore, wood gives out radiant heat and can be used during blackouts, whereas the corn stoves thus far require electricity to operate, thus slightly mitigating their environmental improvements. Increasingly, the stoves have the option of a battery backup, and it may be hoped that manufacturers will find a means of powering them without electricity. With virtually no pollutants and a renewable, local source, corn is worth considering.
